In a post on the Writer Write blog, Anthony Ehlers examines the various types of narcissists and how you can use them as antagonists in your writing.
Narcissists are more than selfish. They’re self-obsessed and rarely show empathy, shame, or regret. They demand admiration and are masters of manipulation. Their behavior can range from obnoxious to hurtful to downright dangerous. Some iconic fictional narcissists include American Psycho‘s Patrick Bateman and Dorian Gray.
Fictional narcissists need to be bigger and more dangerous than life. Ehlers offers some examples of archetypal narcissists you can consider for your work:
- The smooth criminal
- The secret narcissist
- Mommy Dearest
- Children
- Romeos and Don Juans
- Bad bosses
- The fame-hungry
Ehlers suggests five exercises to help you explore these characters:
- Write an interior monologue about the character in Caravaggio’s Narcissus, about the man who falls in love with his own reflection.
- Write about a character who is obsessed with their appearance.
- Create a scene from a screenplay where a narcissistic movie star walks into a Hollywood party held in their honor.
- Write about a parent who punishes their child for not being perfect.
- Create the backstory for a narcissistic criminal character – include trauma or a pivotal incident from their childhood.
