My letter is from the antagonist to the Heroine of the story. However, I don't know what to say in it to make him seem like the bad guy of the story.
Dear Sally , I'm leaving you because your sister was much better in bed, come to think about it so as your mother, and your best friend. Oh and her sister. I'd like to say its not you its me, but it actually is you. I've taken the car, and cleared out the joint bank account, hey I earned that money anyway. The rent is due at the end of the month so I guess you better get a job. Yours Bob
Although that is quite amazing and made me laugh really hard, what I am writing is a Historical fiction.
My Heroine went to England on the King's orders, and the Prince was already betrothed, however they are both rebels and want to be married for true love. I was thinking maybe something along that line or something where it incriminates her as a criminal or spy.
Which King? What country? What time period? What other politics is going on that she could be incriminated in, etc.? However, I'm thinking that your heroine marrying the prince for true love just didn't happen in real life history - especially if they are both rebels - you'd need to pick your period carefully, and know it well. The only instance of a heroine marrying a prince for true love that I can think of is Henry Tudor (the future Henry VIII) marrying Katherine of Aragon; and they both lived happily ever after...
He didn't love her ... that was pretty much a political marriage Its like the old joke " My girlfriend told me she wanted me to treat her like a princess... so I sold her into an arranged marriage to secure an alliance with France"
It's actually during the medieval era in Scotland, about 50 years after Robert the Bruce took back the throne from the English by the Battle of Bannockburn. So its about 1356-1359 when this is all going on. I'm keeping it very Vague with the royals since some of the facts don't match up and I have made them up for my story. I don't actually want the prince to Marry my Heroine though, I want the prince to be the antagonist of my story I want her to see how she was being used as a pawn by the English to take back Scotland. The problem is, I don't exactly know how to write a letter being so mean and cruel and manipulative since I'm not that type of person.
Maybe you're having trouble because you're expecting a letter to do too much heavy lifting? A letter, IMHO, has to be the tip of the iceberg, not the whole iceberg. To me, although a letter can introduce new plot information, a letter can't develop a character. A letter is a prop to highlight what has already been shown or foreshadowed. To me, a fully developed character would display the same character traits with whatever prop is thrown at him...the the way he uses a sword, puts on a coat, eats a meal...get the idea? So, try developing the character a bit more, then write the letter to advance the plot based on what you know about the character.
Problem is, why the prince is so 'mean', why he's worthy of being an antagonist, is the crux of your story. And—forgive me—it doesn't sound like you know yet. As @Shenanigator said, a letter only tells you so much, but most of the art of storytelling is about letting the reader experience firsthand what you want them to feel. If you want the prince to be your antagonist, the story needs to show me the reason why he's worthy of being called an antagonist. If you know the character of the prince and what he's going to do, then writing a letter (maybe with a bit of foreshadowing) shouldn't be a problem. Of course, if you don't know your story yet, then I believe that you've got trouble writing this letter, but I'm not able to help because I don't know your story.
Oooh, hey, you can ask my ex! He's very good at this! Really though: This may seem a bit risky, but if the goal here is to make readers strongly dislike the prince, disparaging remarks against women do this very well with modern audiences. (If you're okay with language, "whore" has been a particular favorite of bad men throughout history) Given the circumstance, and the fact that the prince feels the need to send her a letter, I could easily see such a letter devolving into making bad remarks against her simply for being a woman. It's the 1300s, after all, women are commonly regarded as property, maybe he just wants to rub that in her face. "I used you like a commodity to win favors of the nobles, and I'll gladly do it again to suit my needs. I will let all of Scotland fornicate you if it brings me any closer to victory." That sort of thing could convey plot details and background info while also establishing the character as a horrible person.
Also, what is the prior relationship between your heroine and the prince? That could offer a lot of insight here.
In that time (as for much of history) there was no such thing as the Royal Mail. Post had to be carried by hand. You didn't just send a letter, you'd have to arrange a courier, too. And there was a strong possibility that a letter would be intercepted and opened. Only a fool would say anything incendiary by letter, unless he could trust the courier implicitly. And a letter from an English prince to a Scottish princess would have been a prime target for the security services of the day. You say she's moved to England to be near him; but she's got to be staying with somebody. She wouldn't have her own household where she could receive letters or visitors, they'd have to go via her "landlord", whose household it was. Unless a visitor calls and manages (this needs to be contrived, she wouldn't have been left alone with him) to slip her a letter whilst they're alone together. (Maybe she goes out riding and encounters the courier in a wood whilst she's separated from her escort?) Also bear in mind that not all noblemen were educated enough to write their own letters (even when they were, they probably wouldn't - that was a job for mere clerks!) so it would almost certainly have been written - and probably composed - by a cleric (yes, he would almost certainly have been in holy orders). So this letter would have been quite formal, and wouldn't give any clue to the prince's character. An example of the kind of language that would be used nowadays, from the time of Edward VIII's abdication... We incline to the view that on his abdication the Duke of Windsor could not have claimed the right to be described as a Royal Highness. In other words, no reasonable objection could have been taken if the King had decided that his exclusion from the lineal succession excluded him from the right to this title as conferred by the existing Letters Patent. The question however has to be considered on the basis of the fact that, for reasons which are readily understandable, he with the express approval of His Majesty enjoys this title and has been referred to as a Royal Highness on a formal occasion and in formal documents. In the light of precedent it seems clear that the wife of a Royal Highness enjoys the same title unless some appropriate express step can be and is taken to deprive her of it. We came to the conclusion that the wife could not claim this right on any legal basis. The right to use this style or title, in our view, is within the prerogative of His Majesty and he has the power to regulate it by Letters Patent generally or in particular circumstances. I'd suggest that this sort of language would be appropriate for your story...I don't believe you'd want to reproduce Chaucer's English, not if you want to be understood!
Dearest Henrietta von Hammerschmit, Regretfully my betrothed, we are not to be wed. It seems there is a cabal that you are privy to, against my father, with your own crown behind it. It brings me no satisfaction to say that you have been careless with your secret conscription, which has tainted your standing in my stead. Furthermore, might I add you will be hunted by our finest assassins, as you must pay for your action against me and mine. To this end you understand what will come of all of this. Not that it needs to be said as to how your fate will come, nor when. Condolences, Prince Rumpledink P.S. You snog much the same as a slobbery old mare.
Thank you all for helping me. I believe that y'all are correct, the letter is only a small thing to confirm her suspicions about the prince, I'll have to do some foreshadowing to lead up to that point.
