Weekend Writing: Creating a Lovable Villain

Elphaba/Wicked Witch of the West from "Wicked"
(photo/Pinterest).

In March, I wrote about how to create a strong protagonist. The protagonist drives the story--often working with the story's thematic interests. But, what about the antagonist? How can you create a believable villain? In my opinion, the best villains/antagonists are the ones who are believable, realistic and have a great backstory.

The perfect villain has an intense backstory that reveals why he/she is acting a specific way. When readers learn these details, they can't help but like the villain...just a little bit. They might like the protagonist more because they're the "hero" of the story, but perhaps we can't blame the villain for his/her actions.

Perhaps it's possible to love a villain.

How do we write these type of characters? Well, you need to make them human. You need to make them seem as though they would exist in real life. We're not talking about the classic villains who spend every waking moment of the day scheming evil plans and stalking the protagonist. We're not talking about Cruella de Vil. Even a villain has a day off.

Garcia Flynn from "Timeless" (photo/Den of Geek).

I'm talking about the real villains. The ones who are fully fleshed, rich in detail, and you can't help but love. For example, I watch the show Timeless. Garcia Flynn was the "villain" at the beginning of the show, but as the show progresses, I see his motives. I see why he is acting the way he is--because he lost his wife and children. He lost everything that mattered to him. With the way he's written, I can't help but love him. He's a character I love to hate...But I find myself loving him more and more with each episode.

Writers spend so much time developing the protagonists because they're the "heroes" of the story. But, you need to devote time to your villains, too.

Below are some tips on how to create a lovable villain. Hopefully, you will find the writing process easier as you master your villain's characterization.

• Villains must have goals. This is the first question you should answer as you begin drafting your story. What is your villain's goal? What does he/she want? Do they simply want to stop the protagonist from achieving a goal? Do they want to seek revenge? Determining your villain's goal is the first step to learning more about your character, as well as figuring out the main conflict of the story. 

• Villains must be motivated. Now that you have determined your villain's goal, he/she must be motivated to complete his/her task. Why exactly is the villain determined to "bring down" the protagonist? Is it something from the villain's past? Does he/she have a connection to the protagonist? Are these factors in why he/she is motivated to seek revenge? Remember: Sometimes villains do bad things for a good reason, at least in their perspective. In their eyes, they're not exactly "bad people." They're on a mission. Show your readers why your villain is motivated and maybe they will understand why your antagonist is behaving this way. 

• Villains must have a strong personality. No one wants a boring villain. Would people love the Joker if he was boring? No, they wouldn't. Give your villains a strong personality. And I'm sorry, but "evil" is not a personality. There is more involved in an antagonist's personality. Maybe your villain is brutal towards your protagonist, but he's a sweet father to his daughter who is dying of cancer. Maybe he has a soft spot for specific types of people--outcasts, the poor, the disabled, etc. Your antagonist is not simply "evil." Give your villain a strong personality, and your readers will most likely love your character. 

• Villains must have something that matters to them. This character trait could be related to what is motivating your villain to seek revenge on the protagonist. What matters to your villain? Don't just know who your villains are or how they act. Know who they are. What matters most to them? Know their hopes, dreams, fears, etc. These qualities make your villain not only lovable but also believable. 

(photo/Pinterest)

You're probably seeing some similarities between the questions you asked about your protagonist. Well, this is true--because at the end of the day, your villain and protagonist both believe they're the "good guy." Your villain is being "evil" because he/she has a strong motive. He/she is fighting for what he/she believes in, so give that to your character. Give that to your readers. Show them why they should love your villains. Show them why they should also love your protagonist and hope for the best person to win. 

Your villain can be loved...and often needs that love. Your villain is the most broken person in your story, so give him/her all the love needed. Write your villain the way he/she deserves--because the character most likely is doing all he/she can do to save what matters most. 

Write on. 

-KJL-