You have been told you need to be writing villains, memorable antagonists that can supercharge your plot. But unless you're writing a fantasy novel, you might not be sure how to do this.
Anti-villains have noble characteristics, values, and goals, but how they strive for those goals is often questionable — or downright abhorrent. Like traditional villains, anti-villains stand in the way of the hero’s goal. But unlike a traditional “bad guy,” the anti-villain isn’t nece...
Alliteration is likewise common for adding swagger and strength to names of superheroes and villains: Then of course there are the alliterative names of classic cartoon characters such as Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Olive Oyl. Alliteration: Useful Guidelines The following principles ...
Complex villains engaged in a true ideological battle with the hero will give your thriller depth. Their relationship should be rich and multilayered. 11. Increase the Number of Obstacles the Protagonist Faces Put your protagonist through hell. Never make it easy for them to catch the killer or...
The Victorian author Charles Dickens is a master of creating vivid, characterful protagonists, villains and supporting characters. When we first meet the sister of the narrator and hero Pip inGreat Expectations(1861), the character Mrs Joe, this is how Dickens describes her: ...
Inciting incidents are ways you can createvillainsas well. A character’s response to things that happen to them can determine whether they become a hero, anantihero, or a villain. One character may take an event and decide to rise up. They will see it as a challenge to make things bett...
Iago is one of the most famous villains in all of literature, and here we can see a good example of what makes him villainous. He is Othello’s closest confidant, and yet he acknowledges to Roderigo that he will only “follow [Othello] to serve my turn upon him.” The villain is oft...
“evil” character, but as shown in the preceding examples, not all antagonists are necessarily evil or even true villains. While the terms “villain” and “antagonist” are sometimes used interchangeably, this is not always true. In all stories, the primary cause of the conflict is the ...
Virgin in distress: With the exception of a few novels, such as Sheridan Le Fanu’s "Carmilla" (1872), most Gothic villains are powerful males who prey on young, virginal women (think Dracula). This dynamic creates tension and appeals deeply to the reader's sense of pathos, particularly ...
Villain: A villain is an evil character in a story. Of course, as we now know, not all antagonists are evil or villains. You might hear people use the terms "villain" and "antagonist" interchangeably, but this isn't correct. Villains are often antagonists but not always. In order to ...