Anatomy of a Villain

[jkm_writer]

One of the things that always strikes me about books I enjoy is how good the villain is. For example, I'm currently reading King' Under the Dome and I love the villain.

For Red Plains, I really wanted to try and make a memorable villain for the story.

What are some qualities that make memorable villains?

Comments

[silverflight]

Many qualities that make strong memorable villains are also shared by memorable heroes, funny enough. As I've read a lot of fantasy, I'd have to say that a good villain is passionate, driven, ambitious, likely ruthless and rather narcissistic. A good villain is three dimensional though, not a stereotype. Even if the reader doesn't like them, they should understand them. If the villain hates a particular group, the reader should learn why. As a critical reader, I would want to know why the Regal hunts the Other-Folk. Even if it's something as simple as the Other-Folk being a "created" enemy, something for him and his people to single out as different and therefore "wrong", that's understandable. One good way to rally people under one's banner is to create a common enemy

[jkm_writer]

I agree!

That was the big challenge for me, was making them not evil for evil sake, but products of the environment.

I'll try to post some of the villain's statements later on today to give you a sample.

Thanks!

[silverflight]

You're very welcome. I agree with you that people (not just villains, but also heroes) are products of the environment, but then that just also calls in the argument of nature vs nurture. Nothing says that a good villain can't be bad to the core, meaning that they were born that way, but true, it's often their environment that shapes them into becoming the person they do.

I'll try not to go all English major on you, but I'll offer you constructive feedback if you like. As an aspiring teacher, I work with writers a lot, so I hope I can help.

[bloody_ace]

Most good villains never really think that they are villains, rather they think that they are doing what they have to for a good cause or really don't see the horrifying nature of what they are doing in the name of their ends.

Then there are just those self-serving bastards that just don't give a damn about anyone but themselves, but have some level of charisma or with that still makes them somehow likable.

I'd go with one of those two trends bro.

-Brent