K Is For Killer, Knife and...

K is for Killer, Knife and Knapsack Secrets

K is for killer, or antagonist in your mystery. K is for knife which your killer/antagonist may use as his weapon of choice as he did in KnapsackSecrets, however the knife wasn't the only weapon used, nor was the killer the only villain with an agenda in this story.

Knapsack Secrets by Billie A Williams

It helps to build your killers profile before you begin and decide what he/she wants because that will be the basis for conflict in your story. Conflict, after all, is story. Keep in mind no character, no matter how vile, is all bad. While your protagonist will have a flaw, your antagonist will have a spark of good. Maybe he is a butterfly collector/raiser and he gently releases his newly hatched Monarchs into his flower garden with a tear over their beauty and fragility. Or perhaps he rescues small kittens for little children.

Naming your antagonist as a killer or a murderer, (serial or random) sets the tone of your story. K is for killer. Hear how harsh the K makes that?  M for murderer sort of mumbles the M and removes the harshness from the word. 

No matter if it’s a cozy or hard boiled your word choice can help to define your story, not just the words you use to name your antagonist, but the words surrounding him/her and his/her actions in the story.

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