The Art of the Villain
Crafting villains readers will love to hate (or hate to love)
Your villains should be as detailed and nuanced as your heroes. This may seem like something obvious, but I think it’s worth noting. Often we as authors will ensure our main characters and our side characters are as fleshed out as possible, but we don’t always give the same care to our villains and antagonists. And the result, just as with main and side characters, is that the villains fall a little flat.
What are their goals?
This one is probably the most obvious, but what does your antagonist want? What are they trying to accomplish?
Maybe they’re misguided and they think they’re doing the right thing. Maybe they’re a sociopath who wants power for themselves and they don’t care about who they step on along the way. Maybe they want to be the most powerful person on the planet and rule the world. Whatever their goal is, chances are good you already know it and it’s clearly stated somewhere in the book (because otherwise, what are they even fighting with the protagonist over?). So let’s move on to some of the more subtle ones.
What are their motivations?
OK, so we know that the antagonist has a plan for world domination, but now we need to know the why behind it. I’m not saying every antagonist needs to be misunderstood and have a tragic backstory—it’s OK to have a villain who’s truly evil, but even the most evil people will have a reason for their actions. Make sure you know why your villain is doing what they’re doing.
Continuing with our earlier examples:
If they’re misguided and they think they’re doing the right thing, make sure you know how and why they’ve gotten to this point. And make sure there’s some internal logic behind it.
If they’re a sociopath who wants power for themselves regardless of anyone else, why do they want that power? Were they taught from a young age that power = survival? Or is there another reason?
If they want to be the most powerful person on the planet and rule the world, why? Is it because they believe it’s their destiny? (Is it their destiny?) Is it because whoever’s in charge now is doing a shitty job, so someone else needs to take over?
Whatever their motivation is, whether it’s ever explicitly stated in the text or not, make sure you as the author know it. It will help keep their actions consistent and make them feel more fleshed out.
Are there any lines they won’t cross?
I think this is another important one for authors to know, even if it never comes up on the page. Is there anything your antagonist isn’t willing to do to attain their goal? Maybe the idealist trying to save the world refuses to kill people they believe are truly innocent. Maybe the sociopath doesn’t take unnecessary risks.
And if there aren’t any lines they won’t cross, then it’s important to know that too! If the power-hungry antagonist wants to rule the world no matter what, and they’re even willing to burn everything down just to rule over the ashes, that’s a crucial bit of information that will impact their actions, their interactions with the protagonist, and how they’re viewed by the other characters and the reader.
What are they afraid of?
I like throwing this question at every single one of my characters, including the villain. I feel that it helps to create a more well-rounded character who feels more realistic. Everyone is afraid of something, and often that fear influences their goals, motivations, and what lines they may or may not be willing to cross. A character who fears evil corrupting the world might make it their mission to eradicate that evil—and if they believe they’re on the right side, that shines a new light on their actions. The antagonist who wants to rule the world—and fears being helpless—might seek out magic to make them stronger and more powerful. Fears are a powerful motivator your protagonists, so don’t forget to also give one or two to your antagonists.
A villain worthy of your hero
At the end of the day, what you want to have is an antagonist who provides a worthy challenge to your protagonist, and part of that is ensuring that they don’t feel like a cardboard cutout. You don’t want your villain to fall flat, and the nuance that’s needed isn’t just about making them “misunderstood” or “morally gray.” It’s fine if you still want to have a mustache-twirling archnemesis, but by figuring out their goals, motivations, limits, and fears, they’ll feel much more realistic, and that’ll hit a lot harder than someone who’s only purpose is to oppose the protagonist.
Thanks for reading—if you like this kind of character building, you may enjoy my fantasy series. Start with Fire’s Hand, Fate’s Heart, where you’ll find two villains to love/hate. One wants to watch the world burn, and the other one’s trying to save it. And both are working against our found family of heroes. If you like emotional damage, nuanced villains, messy relationships, and a distinct lack of plot armor, add me to your TBR.