As an author, how do you feel when writing villains who commit crimes or immoral acts?

[autumnsugar]

It's actually pretty fun imo! Having a character with different morals than my own makes for an interesting time while writing

 

[TinaMigarlo]

It's actually pretty fun imo! Having a character with different morals than my own makes for an interesting time while writing

I agreee. My one recurring MC, its kind of liberating that he's good at hurting and taking human life. I think a morally good character doing otherwise despoicable things (wrong thing for the right reason), is a catharsis of some kind. I mean, who doesn't get the stray thought. Man, how cool would it be to rob a bank and get away with it. We wouldn't DO it, but its a fun thought. KIlling those that deserve it, is another one. We know we can't or won't, but it satisfies some human urge we suppress to call ourselves civilized.

 

[Omarfaruq]

I mean, as authors, we certainly have moral/human values that we uphold in real life. However, when we write a conflict narrative through villain antagonists, we're forced to depict acts of crime or immorality that often run counter to our ethical values. So, how do you feel about it?

My story is comedy oriented so it's not a problem for me.

 

[Everrealm]

I mean, as authors, we certainly have moral/human values that we uphold in real life. However, when we write a conflict narrative through villain antagonists, we're forced to depict acts of crime or immorality that often run counter to our ethical values. So, how do you feel about it?

As a reader, I’ve always felt that villains are often where a story’s honesty shows up most clearly. Writing about immoral or criminal acts doesn’t bother me when it feels purposeful and grounded in character, rather than done for shock value.


I don’t need to agree with a villain to be interested in them. What matters to me is whether their actions feel understood by the story, even if they’re condemned by it. When a writer is willing to explore uncomfortable motivations or consequences instead of softening them, it usually makes the world feel more real.


The villains that stay with me aren’t the most cruel ones, but the ones whose choices make sense within their own logic, even when those choices are wrong. As a reader, that tension is often what gives the story weight.

 

[Empire145]

Rather than how unforgivable his crimes were, I care more about whether the logic behind his crimes and the methods he used were consistent with his character. In fact, if you find his logic understandable or even somewhat acceptable, then you can freely write your plot.

 

[Rachel_Leia_Cole]

I feel like it’s just a plot device. It doesn’t represent my worldview. That being said, I never write the all out bad for bad’s sake villain. There is always a catalyst for how they act. My main villain was originally a misguided person who chose the wrong path in life, and got in too deep.

 

[DionysusWriter]

It surprises me that there's a trend in film and literature in general of seeing villains as being defined by their history and context. In that sense, I love Frieren because he challenges that notion and says no: demons are predators; they pretend to want to talk, but it's all a ruse to end up committing their terrible crimes.

I think that kind of "villain" is much more interesting than one justified by their backstory. And much more challenging to develop.

 

[RiceCooker717]

I mean, as authors, we certainly have moral/human values that we uphold in real life. However, when we write a conflict narrative through villain antagonists, we're forced to depict acts of crime or immorality that often run counter to our ethical values. So, how do you feel about it?

One of my main characters did that all the time. There is one of my characters who literally created everything in that world, even concepts. There is a scene on a plot where was courting a girl and someone much handsome than him appeared and he beat him up until he looked ugly and said, "in created the concept of beauty, in has the ability to manipulate it in any way I want". I feel funny.

 

[Bane89]

I mean, as authors, we certainly have moral/human values that we uphold in real life. However, when we write a conflict narrative through villain antagonists, we're forced to depict acts of crime or immorality that often run counter to our ethical values. So, how do you feel about it?

I enjoy this. For me it's an exploration into the minds of others. In real life we have plenty of people who commit crimes, yet I don't believe they think of themselves as wrong or bad. They justify it to themselves, actually most of us probably do this technically. I speed when driving every single day, I'm technically breaking the law but I justify it with "others are doing it" and "the speed limit is set too low" etc. I find the way people think fun to explore and when I write a character I try to imagine their motivations or reasoning. I think this makes for especially strong antagonists, to me the most compelling antagonists are understandable even if you disagree with the conclusion.

 

[Dawnathon]

I mean, as authors, we certainly have moral/human values that we uphold in real life. However, when we write a conflict narrative through villain antagonists, we're forced to depict acts of crime or immorality that often run counter to our ethical values. So, how do you feel about it?

I always approach stories like I'm writing historical accounts of what happened, not that I'm personally causing things to happen. It can lead to a lot of twists and turns that are more natural, even if uncomfortable or inconvenient for me as a writer. That natural flow is still important enough to keep intact, regardless. If you just wrote everything as a utopian vision that was pure and comfortable for everyone involved, you should probably go apply to Hallmark's movie department. Nothing wrong with nice stories, since they always have their place just as much as not-nice ones.

At any rate, with the more naturalistic writing style, the important thing to note is that any villain, no matter how horrid, is trying to accomplish something with their terrible actions, not simply doing them just to do them. It's the same goal-oriented writing that any other character should be written with, just with far more wide-reaching and harmful consequences. Therefore the important point is to thoroughly showcase why their actions mark them as a true evil villain as opposed to just being another self-interested party. A very effective way is just showing how much those actions affect other people, especially the main cast or those close to them.

(Sometimes you might do so and find that they're really not an evil villain at all, just a person who doesn't align with the protagonist's interests. It's an important distinction to make since you can find your own supposed villain really isn't that bad after all. I've seen some shows that found that out only after the fact when the "villain" became really popular and people found them relatable. Then they have to decide whether to course correct or to double down...)