Why Revenge Is A Brilliant Plot For First-Time Writers

Need a plot for your first novel? Discover why revenge works across genres and helps you build a story with a clear goal.

If you’re looking for a plot for a first novel, we always recommend revenge.

Why Revenge Is A Brilliant Plot For First-Time Writers

1. It works in every genre.
2. It helps beginner writers focus on a story goal.
3. It requires an antagonist – something beginner writers tend to overlook.

When a character wants revenge, they usually have a strong motivation to act. This gives them a reason to make decisions and drive the plot forward. A passive main character is difficult to write. A revenge story also begins with a wrong that needs to be put right, giving readers a reason to wonder what will happen next.

Revenge builds a framework for a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. The protagonist has a reason to act, obstacles to overcome, and a goal to pursue. The story builds towards a confrontation and its consequences.

Examples Of Revenge Stories

Revenge can drive stories in many different genres. Here are some examples:

1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (Adventure) — After being falsely imprisoned, Edmond Dantès escapes and assumes a new identity to take revenge on the men who betrayed him.
2. The Hunter by Tana French (Crime Fiction) — A teenage girl plans revenge after the unresolved murder of her brother.
3. The Princess Bride by William Goldman (Fantasy) — Inigo Montoya pursues the six-fingered man who killed his father.
4. Hamlet by William Shakespeare (Revenge Tragedy) — Prince Hamlet seeks revenge for his father’s murder after learning that his uncle Claudius committed the crime.
5. Carrie by Stephen King (Horror) — After years of bullying and abuse, Carrie White unleashes her telekinetic powers on the classmates who humiliate her at the school prom.
6. The Iliad by Homer (Epic Poetry) — After Agamemnon takes his war prize, Achilles withdraws from battle, and the death of his friend Patroclus drives him to seek revenge on Hector.
7. The First Wives Club by Olivia Goldsmith (Women’s fiction) — Three women whose husbands have left them join forces to take revenge on the men who betrayed them.
8. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (Thriller) — When Amy Dunne disappears on her wedding anniversary, the investigation exposes a carefully planned act of revenge.
9. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (Gothic Fiction) — After being rejected and humiliated, Heathcliff returns to seek revenge on the people he blames for his suffering.
10. Bitter Fruit by Achmat Dangor (Literary Fiction)  — In post-apartheid South Africa, a family is forced to confront the lasting consequences of a rape committed during apartheid, including the desire for retribution.
11. With A Vengeance by Riley Sager (Thriller) — A woman arranges a train journey to confront the people she believes destroyed her family.
12. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Gothic Fiction) — After Victor Frankenstein rejects and abandons his creation, the Creature seeks revenge by targeting the people he loves.

Consider This…

Because the hero’s quest for revenge often goes outside the limits of the law, you have to give readers a reason to understand, or even support, your protagonist’s actions. If you want your reader to empathise with a protagonist who seeks revenge, remember these three points:

1. Give your protagonist a reason to seek revenge. Your protagonist should be morally justified to seek revenge. They should have tried traditional, lawful channels before they resort to vigilante tactics.
2. Show the consequences of the antagonist’s actions. Make it clear that the antagonist has harmed your protagonist, both emotionally and physically.
3. Consider whether the punishment fits the crime. Don’t let them go overboard and become an evil creature whose behaviour is worse than the antagonist’s. This can be an interesting development, but it should be a deliberate choice.

Whether your protagonist succeeds or fails, readers should understand why they felt compelled to act. A revenge story can offer a sense of satisfaction by allowing readers to explore what it means to confront injustice, especially when the law or other systems fail to provide an answer. This is cathartic for readers who often feel powerless in similar situations.

The Last Word

Revenge gives writers a strong foundation for a first novel because it creates conflict, raises the stakes, and keeps the story moving. You need to make readers understand why your protagonist wants justice, even when their methods are questionable. Give them a reason to care about the outcome, and they will want to discover how the story ends.

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

by Amanda Patterson
© Amanda Patterson

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