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The Ultimate Guide to Horror Monsters and Villains Part 2: The Secrets Behind Horror Antagonists
Updated: Nov 13, 2023
Warning: Today's images have been inspired by some gnarly stuff. May gross out lame, non-horror fans
How to Write Terrifying Horror Monsters and Villains Part 2 of 2
In Part 1, we learned what goes into what makes a great horror monster or villain, then outlined the work that goes into developing them so they can have that precious "fear factor."
Today, we are going to take that a step further and look at subverting expectations with your terrifying antagonists and building a sense of dread and uncertainty around them. We will also discuss some issues you might run into with clichés and research.
We don't need a preamble for this one, so let's jump right into the meat and beans.
Contents:
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Subverting Expectations for Your Antagonist
One of the best ways to keep your reader on the edge of their seat is by destabilizing them—letting them feel insecure in the story because they cannot trust what is hiding behind each corner.
Writers do this by subverting their readers' expectations. As we have established in Part 1, the antagonist's primary role is to provide the fear factor. Though we can create fear through many techniques and writing tricks, your antagonist is the main vehicle for delivering the scare.
So, when creating your baddie, defying predictability will make your story more interesting and suspenseful and keep your readers eager to see what they will do next.
Defying Archetypes
Horror readers are always encountering the same familiar archetypes: the relentless, masked killed, the vengeful ghost, the demonic entity, and more. While these archetypes have their place and can be used effectively, subverting them can inject new life and suspense into your story.
Take a well-known archetype and try giving it a unique twist or a new layer of complexity.
Or pull something completely different out of the hat to shock us all.
Unexpected Motives and Actions
Readers can very often anticipate the motives and actions of villains in horror. They can usually guess when something is in the closet or even which character is going to get the axe next.
They expect the vampire to thirst for blood, a zombie to hunger for flesh, and a ghost to seek revenge. To subvert expectations, explore motivations and actions that diverge from the usual. Perhaps the vampire abhors violence, the zombie retains shreds of its former humanity, or has an obsession with eating only one specific type of meat.
The untapped possibilities are endless.
Changing the Perspective
Another great way to subvert expectations around your antagonist is to change the perspective we view them.
You can present the story from the antagonist's viewpoint. Doing so can humanize them and challenge the reader's perception. This shift can add complexity to the character and evoke empathy or at least understanding in the reader.
But you can also change perspective from one victim to the next, or the hero and a victim. You can play with linear storytelling and present one viewpoint from the present and another from the past.
Playing with perspective in this way can help control the flow of information and present different and often contradictory sides of the antagonist that will keep the readers guessing and, make them more mysterious and amplify the fear factor.
Twisting the Protagonist-Antagonist Dynamic
Subversion can also extend from the antagonist to their relationship with the protagonist.
Instead of the villain/monster being a distant, malevolent force, they may have a more personal connection to the protagonist, such as a shared history like Dr. Frankenstein's monster.
This can create a sense of unease and unpredictability, keeping readers on their toes.
Casting Doubt and Uncertainty
Horror is about fear and uncomfortable uncertainty, and subverting expectations about your antagonist can amplify both.
Keep your readers guessing about the true nature and intentions of your antagonist. Introduce doubt, ambiguity, and even unreliable narration if it's called for.
Make it challenging for your reader to discern between the real and imagined. Blur the lines between the supernatural and psychological.
Understanding how to misdirect your reader can be very helpful for you. We have an article in the mystery category that can help you in this respect. The principles are the same for horror, just make it all scarier.
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The Power of Surprise
The element of surprise is a vital aspect to master in the horror genre. Without it, you got yourself a yawn fest.
By subverting expectations with your antagonist, you set the reader up to be well and truly shocked when they take action. But there is a trick to surprising your readers, from building tension around the moment, foreshadowing it subtly without giving it away, and misdirecting your readers from the outcome by making them believe something else may happen.
But I will give you an expert tip here, so pay attention:
If you are going to surprise your readers with a story-turning epic moment, you want to first pump the breaks. Whichever direction you are going to head, briefly head in the opposite direction first.
Here is what I mean by that:
Say one of your protagonists is about to get a buzzsaw through the face after walking out the door. Then, before they walk through that door, give them the reader a moment of reprieve. Encase them in the sense of safety.
Maybe the door is supposed to lead to the final escape, perhaps they just finish telling the other protagonist that 'everything will be ok, we just have to stick together,' or maybe even just crack a somber joke and smile.
These moments can be brief or well-earned over a long period of struggle. But the key is to make sure your reader is fully disarmed before you pull the trigger.
That way, you ensure that it really hits the mark.
That is not to say all the other things I mentioned still don't need to be well in place (i.e., building tension, foreshadowing), but this will allow you to punctuate the surprise for maximum impact.
Conflicting Emotions
Use conflicting emotions to strengthen the sense of unpredictability. By generating sympathy or understanding for your villain, you encourage readers to question their own assumptions about traditional horror antagonists.
This emotional nuance will keep your audience invested in the story and constantly weighing the moral complexities at work. Your villain becomes an enigma with the added depth, making them harder to predict.
Building Dread and Uncertainty Around the Antagonist
Your antagonist may be a horrible-looking monster or a highly disturbed serial killer, but for them to truly scare the pants off your reader, they must incite dread and signify a paralyzing sense of impending doom.
To keep readers reading, you must make them feel a pervasive unease, never quite sure what lurks in the shadows.
As a horror writer, your ability to evoke this dread and uncertainty will dictate your success in producing a spine-tingling experience for your readers.
Atmosphere as a Tool
One of the most powerful tools at your disposal is the creation of atmosphere.
The atmosphere sets the stage for fear with vivid and unsettling descriptions of the environment. But it is also created through the pacing of the story, the words you choose to use, and the tone in which you write.
The atmosphere is bolstered by the antagonist but also enhances his/her/its fear factor.
Whether it's a creepy undertone or an atmosphere that is thick and claustrophobic, producing anxiety responses in your reader, disgust, or even a pukey feeling, the atmosphere should reflect and amplify the type of fear your antagonist embodies.
(If you don't remember our discussion on the types of fear, go back and read Part 1 of this discussion)
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Use of Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a subtle but very effective way to build dread.
Drop hints and clues about the antagonist's presence or potential for evil throughout the story. These breadcrumbs create anticipation and make the eventual confrontation with the monster or villain all the more impactful.
Uncertainty through Ambiguity
Maintain a level of ambiguity around the antagonist's true nature or motives. This is the hallmark of a successful horror narrative.
You cannot give away the whole point up front. One of the biggest mistakes in the writing period is releasing tension too early by giving away the plot. You must build tension and hold it for as long as possible.
It is something I have seen a lot more recently with newer writers. This new generation of aspiring authors doesn't like to wait very long before getting to the good parts. They want to solve every problem for their characters quickly and efficiently.
Maybe there is readership somewhere for narratives like this, but you're not gonna find those readers anywhere near the horror crowd.
Hold off releasing that sweet, sweet info.
Psychological Manipulation
Speaking of tension…it is the lifeblood of horror, and it must be skillfully woven into the fabric of your entire story.
Use your antagonist to create a constant sense of impending doom. Even when the antagonist is not directly present, their influence should be felt at all times, keeping readers perpetually on the edge.
Pacing and Timing
Timing is crucial in high-stakes, high-anxiety fiction like horror. Because tension and suspense can be such a fragile thing. Once you create it, you must be oh so careful not to "scare it away."
Every action your monster or villain takes needs to be strategically timed for maximum impact. The longer you can draw out the suspense and delay the confrontation, the more potent the overall dread and uncertainty will become.
The Power of Imagination
As with subverting expectations, leaving elements of the antagonist to the reader's imagination can intensify the sense of overall dread. What the mind conjures can and probably is so much more terrifying than what you could explicitly describe.
Let's face it, we horror fans are a sick and twisted bunch. The things I imagine sometimes…sheesh!
Use your reader's highly disturbed psyche to your advantage.
Avoiding Horror Antagonist Cliches
When writing your horror monsters and villains, be mindful of avoiding clichés. It is an easy trap to fall into, and it can be exceedingly difficult to separate horror elements that you have seen before from your own to make something truly unique.
So, before jumping off into some tips on how to avoid these well-worn horror tropes and clichés, I have to give you the ultimate advice on coming up with genuinely chilling and completely original ideas for your antagonists.
The productive thinking method of brainstorming will help you solve any problem, avoid writer's block, come up with the best ideas you didn't even know were in you, and more.
Go to my article on how to get unique ideas for fiction with productive thinking here. Honestly, this method will help you more than any measly tip on the internet.
Related Posts >>> Cool Ideas: The Power of Productive Thinking and the #1 Brainstorming Method for Fiction Writers
Now that I have that out of the way, here are my measly tips for writing unique horror antagonists...
Breaking Stereotypes
The first step in avoiding clichés is to break free from established and over-played stereotypes.
Many horror antagonists, such as the silent, masked killer or the vengeful ghost, have been portrayed in the same way so many times readers could puke. Make yours different.
Ok, it's not necessarily that simple.
In order to get a clear idea of what has been overdone and where there may be space for something original, you are going to have to read. Like, read a lot.
If you don't have a vast knowledge of the horror books that have come before yours, you are bound to repeat tropes and clichés without even realizing it.
Don't look stupid; read more horror.
Humanizing the Inhuman
Sometimes, the most terrifying antagonists are those with a touch of humanity.
Rather than relying on supernatural or inhuman entities, consider crafting monsters and villains with relatable qualities. The line between good and evil is often blurry, and humanized villains can be both chilling and thought-provoking.
Even monsters can have humany elements, whether physical or otherwise. This can often give them a seriously creepy vibe as they feel familiar but wrong.
Creating Complex Motivations
Avoid one-dimensional antagonists who are evil for the sake of being evil. Instead, focus on the antagonist's motivations, whether emotional or primal.
What drives them? Do they have a tragic past, unresolved issues, or a warped sense of justice?
Complex motives add depth to the character and make them more intriguing. This is something that the horror genre is severely lacking.
Avoiding Overused Settings
Certain things, like haunted houses, asylums, and cemeteries, have been overused in horror fiction.
While these settings can be effective and are iconic in many ways, try fresh and unconventional locales that will inspire and captivate your readers. Unfamiliar terrain can create a heightened sense of unease.
Also, consider using a completely benign or everyday setting that regularly would evoke no fear at all, then proceed to break that innocent image for the reader and reveal just how scary that location actually is.
Innovative Methods of Horror
Rather than relying solely on violence and gore, explore alternative methods of horror. Psychological torment, existential dread, and atmospheric horror can be just as, if not more, effective than graphic violence and visceral shocks.
Subtle horror will stick in the mind and haunt your readers far longer than graphic horror.
Body horror is particularly good at hitting readers on multiple levels. It is physical horror that is often very graphic, but it plays with the psychological horror of feeling trapped, isolated, having body dysmorphia, and many other things.
Play around and see what elements you can fuse together to make a bigger impact on a visceral, emotional, and psychological level.
Original Creatures and Entities
Come on people. Zombie, ghost, werewolf, vampire, blah, blah, blah.
If your antagonist is a supernatural entity or creature, for god's sake, be creative in its design and abilities. Avoid the tired, predictable monster and actually put in the effort to create something genuinely unique.
Draw inspiration from folklore and mythology and create new entities that defy all the expectations of the genre. There are so many wells that have been left untapped in horror, make the effort to drill down deep and find something great.
Research and Authenticity
Now for every horror writer's favorite topic.
You know, I have met writers who actually had the balls to tell me that they chose to write horror because they didn't want to have to research anything!
What?!
Ok. Let's get into this.
You can't underestimate the role of research for crafting authentic and spine-chilling horror. Especially when it comes to your antagonist. (Because the fear factor hinges on them, remember.)
Horror writing, even in its most abstract and supernatural aspects, benefits from being grounded in reality.
So, I'm going to convince you that research is vital and that good research can enhance the terror of your antagonist.
Understand the Real World
No matter how fantastical your horror narrative may be, it can be enriched by a deep understanding of the real world. You should be researching topics such as psychology, criminal profiling, folklore, anatomy, physics, and more.
This real-world research will imbue your antagonist with authentic, unsettling qualities.
Psychological Realism
Creating psychologically disturbing monsters or villains requires diving into the depths of human psychology.
You have to understand the inner workings of fear, trauma, and the human mind. This knowledge allows you to craft bad guys whose actions and motives resonate on a profound level.
For instance, in the horror short story collection we published, Human Beings, author Rachael Llewellyn uses her expertise in trauma and memory in folklore (her Ph.D. thesis topic) to explore the dark aspects of the human mind.
The stories in the book are disturbing, dark, and sometimes even funny, but all are profound and thought-provoking and stick with the reader long after they put down the book.
Actually, there is one story in particular that hit me so hard, I didn't even bother finishing the manuscript before I contacted her and told her I wanted to publish the book. It still haunts me.
The lesson here is this:
The more knowledge you have, the more powerful your ability to affect your reader. Little research = readers forget who you are.
Cultural and Historical Context
If your antagonist is based on a particular cultural or historical concept, be diligent in your research. Misrepresenting cultural beliefs of historical events can alienate or offend readers.
That is not to say you can't add your own twist to the antagonist to make them original. I'd be less concerned with making deliberate changes than looking like an idiot for mistakes that could have been avoided with sufficient research.
Supernatural Elements
Even when incorporating supernatural elements, it's essential to establish rules and boundaries for your world.
Research how other authors have handled supernatural aspects, and create your own internal logic for the rules of your supernatural entities. Consistency within your world makes it more believable and, therefore, more terrifying.
Visual and Descriptive Accuracy
Ensure that your descriptions of the antagonist and the environment are vivid and accurate.
Even when dealing with the macabre and surreal, providing precise details can immerse the reader in the horror. Effective descriptions can create lasting and haunting mental images.
Don't forget to show, don't tell.
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Character Realism
For human or human-like antagonists, character authenticity is crucial. Use your research to craft characters with believable backgrounds, motives, and personality traits.
Readers should be able to understand, if not even sympathize with, the antagonist's actions.
This makes the horror more psychologically and emotionally resonant.
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Dialogue and Behavior
Pay attention to how your antagonist speaks (if they do) and behaves.
Authentic dialogue and actions that align with the character's background and motivations can make the character more convincing and unsettling. A well-researched antagonist will have a stronger impact on the reader.
Historical or Scientific Accuracy
Quick one.
If your story relies on historical events or scientific principles, research these areas meticulously.
Accuracy will add depth to your narrative and ensure that any supernatural or surreal elements are more believable.
Related Post >>> Historical Accuracy: How to Write Historical Fiction with Unparalleled Authenticity
Final Words
This was a long one with a lot of information (between part 1 and 2 that is). So, I think I'll spend this time to quickly review what we discussed in case you forgot.
Review:
Horror is about tapping into primal fears and evoking genuine terror. To develop a great horror antagonist, you have to understand the psychology of fear, the type of fear you are targeting, and how those can be harnessed to manipulate your reader's response.
Understand the role and characteristics of your antagonist, whether a human villain or grotesque monster, and the unique ways they evoke fear in the reader.
A great antagonist is as well-rounded as your protagonist. Prioritize depth and complexity.
Subvert your reader's expectations. The element of surprise is a powerful tool in crafting original and frightening antagonists.
Create an atmosphere of dread and uncertainty around your monster or villain. The environment should reflect and amplify the fear targetted by your antagonist.
Use ambiguity, psychological manipulation, and tension to keep your readers perpetually on edge.
Steer clear of horror antagonist tropes and clichés.
Thorough research adds depth and authenticity to your antagonist and allows you to deepen your connection with the reader so you can scare the pants off them.
In crafting horror fiction monsters and villains, the possibilities are endless, limited only by your imagination and your dedication to creating a truly memorable experience for your readers.
Don't shy away from experimenting and playing with different things. That's the only way to find out what really works.
So, keep writing horror, and may yours become a name on the tip of every horror freak's tongue.
How do you create settings and atmosphere for a horror?
To create a chilling horror setting and atmosphere, you have to employ eerie descriptions, engage all five senses, and provide suspenseful pacing and unexpected plot twists to immerse your audience in a tense and unsettling environment.
Whew! That sounds like a lot of work. Good thing I already wrote a complete guide on writing horror settings and atmospheres that will chill readers to the bone.
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