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Monsters vs. Villains in Writing! #author #writer #writing #authortube #publishing

30 Sept 2026 · 1 min

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0:39

In this brief writing‑advice video, the speaker asks writers to consider whether their global antagonist is a monster or a villain. He defines a monster as an entity that cannot be reasoned with, offering no possibility of negotiation; its sole purpose is to devour or kill, forcing protagonists to run, hide, or fight. This unyielding threat creates the essential constraint that makes horror work as a genre. Conversely, a being that can be talked to or reasoned with is not a monster but a standard villain, which belongs to a different genre altogether. The speaker’s point is that choosing the right type of antagonist shapes the story’s tone and genre. The video ends with a call to like and subscribe for more writing tips.

Chapters

Is your global antagonist a monster or a villain? So a monster cannot be reasoned with. There's no conversation. It only basically exists to devour, to kill. So you have to take negotiation off the menu and your characters can pretty much only run, hide, or fight back. And that constraint is what makes horror that genre. That's what makes horror work. If your monster can be talked to, can be reasoned with, You no longer have a monster. You just have a standard villain, and that's a different genre. Like and subscribe for more writing tips.