How to Create a Credible Villain in Fiction

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Start by reading Create a Fictional Character from Scratch.

   This will give you a foundation on which you can create any type of character. , Is his purpose simply to be an obstacle for a hero and a catalyst character for his change? Does he represent an aspect of a story's theme? , Some tales require the viciousness of a serial killer, while others only call for a bully.
   
   Fit your villain with a genre of your story.
   
   Horror story needs a demon, army of zombies, evil ghosts or an obsessed person with a skilled trait (architect, scientist, etc).
   
   A crime thriller calls for a crime lord, a boss of a rival gang or the ringleader of a corrupt police force.
   
   An evil alternate universe twin, a killer cyborg or a destructive robot fits in sci-fi.
   
   An evil king or warlock is good in fantasy, as is a priest, a highly placed official or a member of a manipulative secret society.
   
   In any type of writing, a villain is more interesting if he or she is considered good and trustworthy by others, keeping his or her ambitions secret. , It could be as devastating as seeing his parents murdered or as sublime as seeing a prized rosebush destroyed by the whims of nature.
   
   The reason for this is to create a turning point in the villain's life.
   
   It does not need to be a traumatic incident, your character could be raised in such a way to influence his or her present.
   
   Also, even a simple defining moment could change a person`s life depending on the person.
   
   Some people can be easily corrupt or develop strong values that motivate them to take drastic action. , Exaggerate it, twist it, and distort it until it becomes the rotten core of your villain.
   
   Is it counterpointed in some way by the hero's experience? , It does not have to be a big thing--in fact, it's better if it's not.
   
   For example, the villain may enjoy strolling in a rose garden in order to clear his/her head.
   
   Or, even smaller, the villain enjoys the simple pleasure of cracking open a sunflower seed on his tongue and enjoying the saltiness of the meat inside.
   
   What about a dependent relative, a lost love, a treasured pet? Does this vulnerability give the hero leverage in some way, and is the hero noble enough not to use it? Perhaps a lost love is reason enough to corrupt him or her.
   
   Even a memory can bring someone much happiness. , How are they related? Why does the villain love one thing so much and is still filled with malice, hatred, or just plain "dislike"? , How does the hero fit into the villain's life? How do his wants mix, match, and collide? How are they similar; how are they different? The villain should be just as powerful if not more powerful than the hero. , Look how your story folds and your villain develops, and make your decision based on them.
   
   Avoid sudden and complete change unless you`re going for the extreme melodrama displayed in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. , Everybody is afraid of something.
   
   The villain may be afraid of anything from the hero to death to the dark or even monsters under the bed! Be creative, but make sure the fears aren't too silly, or your story won't be taken seriously. , Without the villain the hero cannot overcome obstacles and develop as a character. , The best villains are ones that readers can connect with.
   
   The more human your villain seems the more frightening/captivating their arc in the story will be. , Don't always make the villain fail and the hero win.
   
   Also, a villain is not all evil! A villain should have positive qualities.
   
   Just as a hero consists mostly of positive qualities but has a fair share of flaws, a villain should have mostly flaws but definite positive qualities. , Make sure their death fits how evil they were.
   
   If they were a common thief they should only have a simple death like being shot.
   
   If they were a brutal/sadistic/plain evil villain then they'll need a more intense, maybe even over-the-top death.
   
   It makes the reader feel satisfied that they got what was coming to them.
2. 2

   Step 2: What's your story all about and how does a villain fit into the grand scheme of the story as whole?

3. 3

   Step 3: Choose the degree of evilness or just plain "ick" you want to place into your villain.

4. 4

   Step 4: Create a single

5. 5

   Step 5: traumatic incident for your villain.

6. 6

   Step 6: Expand on this singular incident.

7. 7

   Step 7: Choose a single thing that the character adores without greed or malice.

8. 8

   Step 8: Combine the "turning point" and the "single thing" and bounce them back and forth in your mind.

9. 9

   Step 9: Take into account the hero of the story.

10. 10

    Step 10: Does the villain get eventually redeemed or does he stay a bad guy?

11. 11

    Step 11: Think of some fears.

12. 12

    Step 12: Remember that a GOOD villain drives the conflict of the story.

13. 13

    Step 13: A good villain is still human.

14. 14

    Step 14: One last thing to remember is that the more evil and threatening a villain is

15. 15

    Step 15: the more often their evil plans work.

16. 16

    Step 16: Only kill off the villain if they deserved it.

Detailed Guide

About the Author