So youāre writing your villain, the ultimate ābad guy,ā the antagonist. Whether youāve had experience with the worldās evil or not, an antagonist is a must in any story (though āevilā and āantagonistā do have separate meanings). Before you write the baddest bad guy to ever bad, remember that a critical teacher, a political rival, and even nature can present just as much of a contrast to your protagonist as a raging sociopath. Often ātoo evilā can present far more of a problem than ānot evil enoughā because the villain, bad as they might be, should still be human. Here are some guides I hope will help in writing believable (but still scary) bad guys:
Stanfordās Definition of Evil
Does Evil Exist? Neuroscientists Say No.Ā
What Do We Mean by āEvilā?
The āScalesā of Good and Evil: The Ten āMost Evilā and Ten āBestā People
How to Make a Purely Evil Villain Interesting
How to Create a Credible Villain in Fiction
How to Write Evil, Awesome Villains
How to Make Evil Characters Complex
5 Types of Evil Characters
Donāt Oversell Your Villain
Often, in hopes of making the scariest villain possible, writers jump to the āinsaneā to psychopaths and sociopaths, anyone who stands outside of āthe social norm.ā It should be noted, however, that a very small percentage of sociopaths or psychopaths are violent or participate in criminal behavior. But in case this is the route you choose to go down (which can be written excellently as well), here are some more resources:Ā
Psychopath Vs. Sociopath Vs. Apathy
How to Tell a Sociopath from a Psychopath
Antisocial Personality Does Not Mean Criminal
Apathy as a Symptom of Bipolar Disorder of Depression
How to Detect a Sociopath (And Theyāre Not All Killers)
How to Write a Sociopath:Ā
Tips on Writing Sociopathic Characters
How To (With Character Examples)
Writing a Violent Scene (With Examples)
Writing Violence (Podcast)
Write Fight Scenes (With Samples)
Developing Characters and Violence Comfort Levels
5 Things Fiction Authors Need to Remember
Writing Characters Amid Horrid Violence
Whether your antagonist is the most evil person alive or simply doesnāt see eye to eye with your protagonist, the most important thing to remember is to make sure he/she/other contrasts fully with your main character. They must create an obstacle, a road block, must present complications to your main characterās goal; but donāt forget to give them their own story as well. No one, not even the bad guy, should be two-dimensional.Ā
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