SASFest Writer’s Craft—REINE DUGAS

FROM FLAT TO FULL: WRITING FULLY-FORMED ANTAGONISTS AND MINOR CHARACTERS

Creating a protagonist who has a history, depth, and a vibe is easy—they’re the main character, after all! But all too often, our antagonists (or villains) are one-note and become caricatures. Minor characters can become cliché or flat if we ignore them. This workshop will give writers shortcuts on how to make their antagonists and minor characters as alive, diverse, and vibrant as their main characters, even if they often have less time on the page. Through a combination of prewriting and revision exercises, participants will learn techniques for character development that take their characters from flat to full. Reine Dugas is an English professor at Southeastern Louisiana University. When not writing, she’s the assistant editor of Louisiana Literature and editor of the magazines, Louisiana Life and Acadiana Profile.