Writing villains people actually fear (and remember)
It’s not about darkness. It’s about a precise use of habits and small things, their behaviour both when acting the villain and not.
1. Give them a contradiction.
Villains are scariest when they’re almost human. It's alot harder to harm, or even kill, when you can the part of them that is kind.
“He always apologised before hurting someone.”
2. Let them think they’re right.
No moustache twirling ('mustache twirling villain' is often used as a pejorative to describe poor antagonists/bad guys, usually they in comedy) — just conviction. Their ideals and values should stem from something important to them. Doesn't have to be important or make to others, just them.
“I’m not saving the world. I’m correcting it.”
3. Give them a normal habit that becomes unsettling.
• humming off-key
• straightening objects mid-argument
• collecting people’s abandoned pens (this was something I got from primary school where I watched someone collect them and i thought it was evil they were stealing pens😭)
4. Make their kindness selective.
Kind to dogs. Cruel to friends.
Kind to children. Absent to their own.
This really adds to their character and backstory, even if you don't elaborate or tell it.
5. Make their presence change a room.
Not with theatrics — with tone.
“The laughter thinned when he stepped inside.”
Making antagonists who aren’t evil (but still hurt you emotionally)
Some of the best antagonists are just… people.
1. Give them the same goal as the hero — different methods.
Hero wants peace.
Antagonist wants peace.
Hero uses unity; antagonist uses control.
2. Let the antagonist be right sometimes.
That stings.
3. Make the hero almost agree with them.
“You’re not wrong,” she admitted. “But you’re not right either.”
4. Show glimpses of softness.
“He tucked the child’s drawing into his coat.”
5. Let them break their own rules.
Instant complexity, villains change the rules to fit their momentary desires and whims.
(Edit: ive written this up from a book that ive been filling with writing tips and tricks from classes, im putting here a few pages from it
So I get it, I need to change how I format things 😭)
Ive also read "Read This If You Want to Be a Great Writer" a book by Ross Raisin
