What is the villain's hidden agenda?

by Alyssa
(Chicago)

Question: My villain is being quite secretive and won't let me in on his diabolical scheme, so I was wondering if you could help shed some light on it. My protagonist (the princess) journeys across the continent in disguise to evade the villain's soldiers who seek to capture and ransom her in exchange for complete surrender of her country in the war, or so she thinks. I know my evil king (for he is the villain) could probably win the war without going to the trouble and added risk of trying to use her as a hostage, so there must be something else he needs the princess for, but what? The princess or, in this case, animal trainer in a traveling circus is pretty clever, so I have no doubt she'll piece together the King's alternate motive; I only wish someone would clue me in on it. I suspect it has to do with the princess's uncanny ability to understand animals, or the fact she was gifted with said ability by the three goddesses themselves. Does that mean there is an ancient creature the villain needs the princess to control in order to. . . what? They've lost me again. Perhaps a fresh viewpoint would be of assistance? Any ideas would really help me out of this writer's block.


Answer: Well, I certainly can't tell you how your story should be written. That's between you and your muse. The best I can do is suggest a couple of things to consider while you're pondering the situation. For instance...

Princesses have often been valued because marriage to a princess conveyed legitimacy upon someone who was attempting to seize power. Being perceived as legitimate was necessary to win support from the people, and the people's support was needed to govern, even after a military victory.

In other stories, legitimacy is conveyed by possession of certain items, knowledge, or (possibly in your case) abilities which were passed down through a ruling family. Such stories tend to have a goal of obtaining. (Could the ransom be an attempt to obtain the item that confers legitimacy upon its possessor?)

Another option... if your villain lacks legitimacy and leans towards ruthlessness, he may feel it necessary to wipe out the previous ruling family entirely, to prevent any future attempt to reinstate them. (In which case, the ransom is not the real objective.)

You might also consider that winning the war may only be the first step in a much bigger plan by the villain--a plan that may also require the princess's abilities.

Best of luck.

Click here to post comments

Join in and submit your own question/topic! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Character Invite.

search this site the web
search engine by freefind

Celebrating our 2nd year as one of the...

 Step-by-Step Novel Planning Workbook

NEW! Make Money Writing Nonfiction Articles

"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards


"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus

"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.

"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman

"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins

"I can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful. You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash

"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero