Writing a Convincing Villain - Thursdays with the Author

Question: How do you put yourself in the villain/monster/antagonist shoes and write it convincingly?

Answer: This is actually one of the harder parts of writing for me. I don't see myself as a bad person and I try my hardest to be kind. So having to think like a 'bad guy' while writing one is very difficult. In my last book, Dark Mountains, I had to write a convincing villain who was physically and emotionally abusive and actually went as far as murder. Have I ever murdered? No. Have I ever physically abused someone? No. Have I ever emotionally abused someone? I sure hope not. But I had to write about a character that made it feel like I had first-hand knowledge. 

The research was the hardest part. I scoured sites on domestic abuse, read posts from murderers and abusers, interviewed victims of violence. Anger, judgement and revenge filled my thoughts when reading perspectives of horrible people. Sympathy, pain and the desire to help and comfort all sprung up in me when speaking to abuse victims. I had to push all those feelings away. I couldn't let them cloud my thoughts when I had to put on the mental shoes of the bad guy. I had to hate, seek revenge, give into psychotic thoughts. I had to be greedy, full of hate and anger. Be driven by unknown demons. 

While I was writing that villain, I had to mentally become him. I sure didn't like it. In Dark Mountains, Jackson Michaels was ugly. Horrible. Dangerous. Scary. And so was I while I wrote it. I almost felt dirty when I was done. Tarnished by the thoughts I had to think and use to create the character.

But then I went back through the book in editing and I read what I wrote and I hated him. Which is exactly what I wanted the reader to do. By the end of the book, as the villain finally got what was coming to him, I rejoiced. As did the readers that have reviewed my book so far. My villain was hated and despised enough for some readers to actually cheer for his demise. I had to go to some ugly places in my head to create him but he made the reader feel and that is the whole point. 

In my next book, Irish Strength, the major villain is an actual monster. An ancient race of Celtic gods coming back for revenge after thousands of years of silence. The things this monster does during the course of The Irish Treasures Saga, makes my last villain look like a playground bully. 

Researching a mythical monster is much harder. There are no interviews with victims, no first-hand accounts to go by. I did a lot of research on myths, movie monsters, etc. But all of those reasons that make research harder, makes the actual writing easier. Since monsters are myth, fantasy, completely fiction, I can have a lot more creative license. Since I have no first-hand accounts, I can make my monsters truly terrifying without feeling the guilt or sorrow when writing about real-life events. Of course, the effect on my characters and their reactions has to be realistic, regardless of the extremes the monster goes to.

Another kind of villain or antagonist are the ones who are a main character in the story. They can even end up being the hero or heroine. These bad guys/girls can be pretty bad at times but the key to writing them, especially in romance, is that they are redeemable. 

Readers see this a lot in historical romance: rakes being reformed, arrogant lords being humbled, bandits earning respectability, overly macho Scotsmen finding sensitivity. All of these characters start out making the reader annoyed. They think: Yeah he sounds gorgeous but what an ass!

Then by the end of the story the bad boy is tamed and love conquers all. That may sound cliche but if you make your bad guys deep and their redemption even deeper, the reader doesn't see a cliche. The reader sees a hero. 

Of all the different types of villains you can write about, all of them have to be special to your novel. They can't be simple, stupid, easily defeated. They have to be complex, chilling, not easily overcome. What makes the villain tick? What are the reasons behind the bad behavior? For human villains, there's usually always a reason. Even psychotic killers get pushed in that direction by something. 

Don't be afraid to let your mental dark side out of the cage when writing bad guys. Just remember that the reader has to connect to the characters, even the villains. That doesn't mean they will like every character. They may hate the character. But they connected enough to care and that's what matters. 

Deciding on Villains and Monsters - Thursdays with the Author

Time for another Thursday's with the Author and since it just so happens to be Halloween, I'll be answering a 'spooky' question.

How do you decide on a character or description when writing about villains and monsters?

Most people think that writing romance is all about love, the happily every after, etc. But it's so much more than that. In most romances,  the hero and heroine are sometimes the only villain in the story line. They tend to create their own problems, get in the way of their own happily ever after, let their worst characteristics rule their decisions. But sometimes, especially depending on what sub-genre I'm writing in, there has to be an actual villain or monster.

In Dark Mountains, which is a romantic suspense, the villain is Libby's father. He is the worst a human can be all wrapped into one package. Angry, volatile, abusive, twisted and deadly. When writing about him, I had to delve into lots of dark issues. He's a drunk, he's psychotic, he kills without remorse. Just describing his actions in the novel made him a villain worthy of being called a monster. There was a part, near the end, when we find out what makes him the evil person that he is. But there is no sympathy for him. Regardless of what brought him to being a villain, his choices made it impossible for the characters or the reader to forgive him. Here's what one Amazon reviewer said of the villain in Dark Mountains:

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"Also as I read this book, I was hoping that someone would put the bad guy out of his misery. I just wasn't sure who I wanted to have the honors. He actually hurt everyone with whom he came in contact so the line of people who wanted him dead was pretty long but I just wanted to make sure that whoever finally kills him does not end up in prison for doing the world a favor. I make no apology for wanting this man dead. I was raised in the country and when we saw a venomous snake or a rabid dog we had one way of handling it...we killed it before it could kill us. This man was worse than a venomous snake or a rabid dog because if you can stay out of the way of the snake or the dog... they do not come looking for you in order to kill you. The same cannot be said of this poor specimen of humanity. No one could stay out of his way because he definitely WOULD come looking for you."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

In The Irish Treasures Saga, the villain actually IS a monster. The series is based on Celtic Mythology and the villain throughout the series is a monster based one of those myths. The Fomóirí are described as a race of god-like creatures that inhabited Ireland before men. Most accounts say they were ugly and misshapen, with bodies like men and heads of horses and dogs. They are also commonly described as having one arm, one leg and one eye. The word Fomóirí is translated into 'Under/below the sea'.  While a deformed creature missing half of its' body parts is certainly unsettling, I wanted to take it even further and create a monster that is truly scary. The Fomóirí in The Irish Treasures Saga is a powerful creature. It is ugly, deformed, and frightening. It can also create the illusion of being anything to trick people. It is capable of looking like your mom, your husband, your child. But when you are close enough to be unable to escape, you suddenly find that you are in the arms of a horrible monster. 

But the physical aspects of a monster or villain are only part of what makes them truly scary. The Fomóirí in the Irish Treasures Saga is scary to look at for sure, but the games it plays with the mind are really what makes it such a horrifying creature. A true villain or monster plays on people's emotions, their weaknesses, basically: their humanity. Mankind isn't inherently good. Even the best of us harbor some darkness in our hearts. The Fomóirí take that small hint of darkness and magnify it, turning it into a monster in your own mind. The Fomóirí is the main 'bad guy' in all four of my books, so it had to be something truly terrifying to be able to effect the reader book after book. I hope that every book leaves the reader thinking: 'It can't get much worse than that', but then it does. Here's an excerpt from Irish Strength - The Irish Treasures Saga Book One to give you a taste of what the Fomóirí is capable of...(warning: this excerpt contains some adult language and some adult content)

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  

He stood, knowing that he needed to go to her. What he saw leaning against his hearth had him stopping cold. The thing was slimy and black. Globs of rank seaweed slid from its body, filling the room with the smell of rotting vegetation. It stared at him with crimson, unblinking eyes.

“Having a tiff with your whore?” it hissed. The voice sounded like broken sea shells tossed by the waves. Power flashed in Quinn’s eyes but he didn’t take the bait. He circled around the couch, eyeing the creature. “Come now, Quinn,” it chided. “You knew what you were getting when you bedded her. Used goods, I think they call it these days.”

Unable to control his anger anymore, Quinn let loose a flash of power. The creature waved its hand with a laugh as the power bounced away at its fingertips.

“That’s right, Quinn,” it chuckled. “Fight me with anger. Such things are honey to my lips.”

Quinn deliberately slowed his breath, making his anger shrink inward. The creature’s eyes narrowed, assuming Quinn would continue to use his emotions to fight. It was disappointed and in its own anger, slapped Quinn with its power. Quinn flew across the room, the breath flying out of him in a giant whoosh. He slammed into the far wall, cracking the ancient stones. Pain shot through his shoulder but he ignored it as he stood on wobbly legs to face the creature.

It was smiling now, feeding off Quinn’s pain. It attacked again, but this time Quinn was ready, blocking the power with a flick of his hand. He attacked again and hit the creature unaware, slamming it back into the hearth. It shrieked as it looked down and saw black blood dripping from its side. The sound made Quinn wince and sent the mirrors in the room shattering to the floor. Black blood trickled down to the floor, sizzling and burning where it landed.

“You weren't expecting that, eh? You right bloody bastard.”

“Merely a scratch,” it hissed with a shrug. “Far less compared to what I will do to you and your little bitch.”

“Such a mouth you have,” Quinn scolded, sarcasm dripping from his words.

“I’ll drink your blood while she watches,” it screamed as power swirled around it. “I’ll take her over and over until my seed is planted in her belly.” It smiled at the rage that came into Quinn’s eyes. “Then I’ll rip it from her womb and let her slowly die.”

Quinn attacked, almost without thinking and at the same time, felt the creature’s power slip past his defenses. They were both thrown to the floor bleeding. Now, they warily eyed each other, worthy opponents in battle.

“You know, surely, that she does not love you,” its red eyes followed Quinn’s movement as it spoke. “She merely wants someone strong to protect her. She’ll leave with the whelp as soon as she can.”

“She’ll stay.”

“If you gave me the spear I’d give her to you in return.”

“She isn't yours to give,” Quinn growled, barely controlling his anger. “Morgan is her own woman and makes her own decisions. No one will take that from her.”

“You humans are so predictable,” the creature told him with a laugh. “You cannot stop me.”

“No, he can’t,” a new voice answered, strong and without fear. “But we can.” Morgan appeared next to Quinn, linking hands with him. He squeezed her fingers but they had no time for words. The creature screamed in rage at the show of unity. Their power filled the room, doubled now. The creature retreated to the far wall, eyes darting, unsure of what to do next.

“Get the hell out of this house,” Morgan growled. She linked her power with Quinn’s and together they attacked, the power rippling from them like the shock wave from a blast. The creature screamed before it hit, its voice cutting off as the power overtook it. It disappeared with a gurgling whine leaving a black and bubbling smear on the floor.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

Villains and monsters are necessary in romance. Whether it's a main character fighting their own demons, a nasty villain out to ruin the hero and/or heroine's lives, or a mythical monster bent on destruction. Villains and monsters bring out the worst in humanity. But they also bring out our best.

Hope you enjoyed this week's Halloween inspired Thursday's with the Author! See you next week!