My Antagonist Isn't A Person!? What Now?

       We've all had that one time. That one time something isn't right about our stories, and we don't know what. But then, we figure it out. I have no antagonist! Don't fret, that probably isn't the case. Chances are, your antagonist is just not a person. But it's okay, you still have an antagonist.
       But Ms. Everett, how do I work with a bad guy who isn't even a guy?! Calm your titties. Sensei is here. Welcome to today's lesson class! You're going to learn the art of using the Main Character's environment to craft a memorable antagonist. And yes, it is more than okay to not use a person as you antagonist.

1. Pinpoint What Your Antagonist Is

       What is your antagonist? Well, it could be a number of things. From nature, to internal feelings, to an important decision, anything could be what's holding your character back! To pinpoint what your antagonist is, just put yourself in the character's shoes. There are several questions to ask yourself once you're really feeling your character.

-What's my problem here?
-Why am I so upset?
-If I don't (blank), what will happen? Something bad? That means (blank) must have something to do with being the antagonist!

       So remember, when push comes to shove, maybe try on your character's shoes. Putting yourself mentally in the Main Character's situation is always a good idea. When you truly understand your character, it makes predicting your character's thoughts much easier than before. Always put yourself in the thoughts of the character.

2. How Can I Use This To My Advantage?

       It's hard to say what specifically can be done, but I can give you a broad idea. Obviously, using a natural disaster as the antagonist is simple. Why? Well, it's unpredictable! You'd never see it coming! That means that the Main Character wouldn't know either. The same rule goes towards things like a sudden death. By sudden death I mean possibly a clock or something that counts down to the character's death. If she doesn't know there is a clock counting down to their death, it's a major plot twist as well. Always use these twists to your advantage.
       If your antagonist is a weapon of some sort that can automatically kill your character if they say or do a certain thing, this may be difficult to work with. All I can say is that you need to ask yourself how this can go wrong. If you know how things can go wrong, you can do whatever you want and already know how to save or kill off your character.

3. You Might Still Want A Human Antagonist

       Yes, please, keep your non-human antagonist. But keep in mind, readers want a real antagonist that they can realize is a problem. Not all readers are looking for things like this, and you need to be prepared for it. So, pretty much, just know that you may want a human antagonist.
       Now of course, the non-human antagonist can be your main antagonist. I'm just saying, it doesn't have to be. So if you're uncomfortable with writing a non-human antagonist, you don't need too. Don't push yourself into doing something you aren't prepared to.

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       Thanks for reading, and have a great day!