Characterization is
a crucial aspect of fiction. We know this because it's drilled into us at
school, in workshops, and in all the how-to books and journals we read. The
protagonist must come across as real and interesting enough to pull the reader
all the way through to the end of the story. A common mistake, however, is to
focus too much attention on the protagonist. When you read a great book or
watch an outstanding film, it's usually the antagonist that lifts the story
above the ordinary.
