Systems of Power, Antagonists & Villains
Erin has a lot to say about systems of power and the way that they interact with our fiction.
We discuss punching up, punching down, and how systems of power inform what funny actually feels like. Erin explains why, to her, privilege and power go hand-in-hand. She discusses patriarchy, sexism, racism, ableism, homophobia, and a host of other charged systems that thrive on controlling the people “under” them.
She also discusses what she sees as an author’s duty to be aware of the power systems that they write into their work, and to consider how those (often invisible) power structures can contribute to a lot of character depth.
Not only can those power structures help with character depth, they can also help you make really compelling antagonists (people who stand in the way of what the main character wants) and villains (people who are bad all around).
If you’re interested in writing from an informed worldview, check out the editors and sensitivity readers at Salt and Sage Books. They’re experts at picking out the underlying power structures and their implications!