Sometimes in literature, even though we’re really rooting for the good guy, it can be the antagonist whose story stands out the most.
A good villain can elevate a story and make it something dynamic and dramatic—and this type of storytelling is a wonderful skill for children to learn as they perfect their writing skills.
Read ahead for some writing prompts that help young writers explore antagonists and use their imagination to create new worlds.
Using This Guide
Our writing prompt guides are meant to give students creative ways to explore different types of writing.
Every young writer is unique, so the way they decide to use these prompts might also be unique.
When using them in the classroom, here are a few methods we recommend:
- Challenge your students to use one writing prompt every day for a week.
- Have your student pick a prompt using their favorite number.
- Choose writing prompts that go along with your curriculum for the week.
The Writing Prompts
- Write a short story where the antagonist wins.
- Who is the best-written antagonist in the Harry Potter series? Why?
- Write 3-5 paragraphs about the antagonist of your favorite book or book series.
- Describe the characteristics of your perfect antagonist.
- If you were to become a villain, what would your cover story be?
- Write a short story featuring an antagonist using the following words: Styrofoam, eleven, night, shoes
- Who do you think is the evilest antagonist you’ve read about or seen?
- Think of a story that needs a better villain. Rewrite that story using your villain instead.
- Write a story where the hero becomes the antagonist.
- Write an acrostic poem using the word “BADDIE”.
- Write 3-5 paragraphs about the antagonist of your favorite video game.
- What would literature be like if there were no antagonists? Explain with examples.
- Tell a story about an antagonist who realizes they want to be the hero.
- Write a story where the antagonist is a type of food.
- Who is the best-written antagonist in the Percy Jackson series? Explain.
- Write a story about an antagonist who reveals their secret weapon when the hero thinks they’ve won.
- Write 3-5 paragraphs about the antagonist of your favorite movie or TV series.
- Write an antagonist’s to-do list.
- Rewrite your favorite fairytale, but make the hero the antagonist.
- Write a story where the antagonist is a monster.
- What makes an interesting antagonist? Explain.
- Is it more frightening for a villain to seem like a normal, relatable person, or for a villain to be terrifying? Why?
- Tell a story about an antagonist who doesn’t realize they’re not the protagonist of their own story.
- Write a short story featuring an antagonist, using the words: milestone, page, bright, raining
- Write 3-5 paragraphs about your favorite Star Wars villain.
- If you could create a new antagonist for your favorite superhero, what would they be like?
- Write a short story set in the world of Harry Potter, but from Draco Malfoy’s point of view.
- Is it better for an antagonist to be lucky, or to be a victim of bad luck? Why?
- Write an acrostic poem using the word “VILLAIN”.
- Write a short story where the antagonist is an animal.
- Write 3-5 paragraphs about your favorite Marvel villain.
- If you were to become a villain, what would your cover story be?
- Write a story where the protagonist is actually just misunderstood and is really trying to help.
- Write a story where the hero helps the antagonist become a good guy.
- Write a story from the point of view of a child-antagonist’s parents. Do they know what their child is up to?
- What are some real-world examples of antagonists? Explain with examples.
- Write a story where the weather is the antagonist.
Looking For More?
Whether you’re looking for writing prompts that cover different subjects, or you’re just looking for writing resources in general, we’ve got you covered.
We offer a wide variety of resources for students, teachers, and guardians—and we are constantly adding new material!
If you’re on the hunt for something specific and you can’t find it, let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
