create a colorful villain any genre - romance writing tips | story · pdf file ·...

Create a Colorful Villain is copyrighted by Adrienne deWolfe.

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Create a Colorful Villain

Any Genre Character Name: _________________________________________________ Novel’s Working Title: _____________________________________________ Interview Date: __________________________________________________

Introduction

A Villain is also called an Antagonist. The Villain doesn’t have to be a psycho, outlaw, or murderer. Many degrees of “badness” exist in the world, from annoying to heinous. Therefore, it is possible to have more than one Villain. Before you begin writing, determine who the Villain is and how “evil” this character is going to get. For example, is the CFO a greedy number-cruncher, or is he a sinister socio-path who will kill anyone who stands in the way of his billion-dollar merger? Readers turn to Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy, Westerns, etc., because Readers enjoy watching Good triumph over Evil. In the Villain, it is important to create a worthy opponent for the Hero. While you may create a Villain who has a vast advantage at the beginning of the story (example: Voldemort vs. Harry Potter), be careful not to give your Villain so many advantages that your Hero appears weak, cowardly, or stupid. A reader has to believe that an Underdog really can triumph over your Villain. Otherwise, you risk losing your reader’s interest. The Villain (which doesn’t have to be Human) is an important secondary character, one who should have his own story goals, scene goals, motivations and conflicts (both internal and external). Your Villain should be directly linked to major plot obstacles that keep the Protagonist from his story goals. Since category novels have happy endings, each Villain must face some sort of come-uppance before the book’s resolution. As in real life, this punishment has to match the severity of the crime. If your Villain did little more than steal a company file, and your Hero retaliates by beating the Villain to a bloody pulp with a crowbar, your Hero will appear more villainous than your Villain. To write a feel-good read, you must end your story in a way that satisfies the reader that justice has been served.



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Instructions

Allow at least 40 minutes of uninterrupted time to complete this worksheet. Review this document before beginning. Then find a place where you can sit without distractions. Close your eyes, and breathe deeply to relax your body. When your mind is at peace, begin to daydream (or visualize) that you are walking into the Villain’s lair. S/he greets you and invites you to sit down, so you can learn more about him/her and his/her impressions of the protagonists. During your visualization, pay careful attention to physical features, mannerisms, speech patterns, clothing, and the surroundings. Make this visualization as vivid as you can: create a 3-dimensional movie scene by utilizing your five senses (just as you would while writing fiction). As the Villain / Antagonist talks to you, imagine this entity is real, and that s/he is behaving in a “real way” with a stranger (you). When you have completed the visualization, open your eyes and begin to answer the questions on this worksheet. Use a “stream of consciousness” writing approach. In other words, write everything that pops into your mind, without worrying about its logic, punctuation, grammar, etc. Trust the process. Try not to get bogged down in “reasoning out” answers. If one of the questions doesn’t immediately pop into your head, skip it and go to the next one. That way, you won’t break the flow. You can always go back to the worksheet later to add information. But for now, plow through to the end, writing as much as you can without stopping. The First Impressions section starts on the next page.



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First Impressions

(Note: For clarity and ease, I shall use the universal pronoun, “he,” when referring to the Villain / Antagonist throughout the remainder of this document.) Even though you are a complete stranger, the Villain has agreed to let you interview him. He has allowed you to meet him in a place where he feels the safest. So where are you? Describe your surroundings (plants, furnishings, wall hangings, amount of lighting, stale air, diabolical laboratory, heart of a tornado, etc.) In as much detail as you can, describe this Villain. Race, age, hair style & color, eye color, shape of nose, skin tone, teeth/smile/breath (does he smoke?), sound of laughter, hands, perfume / cologne, height, build; sense of humor; physical imperfections and/or quirks (scars, limp, stutter, horns on head, fangs, claws, tattered clothing, red “boozer’s” nose, etc.)



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First Impressions (cont.)

Keep in mind that a “real person” rarely thinks of himself as being in the wrong; typically, he thinks of himself as being victimized by a person or institution. Therefore, no fictional character can be purely evil and “ring true” to your reader. What one or two personality traits might Humanize or redeem your Villain? (Example: he dotes on his dog. He has a code against killing children.) Has the Villain “dressed to impress” you? Describe the outfit that he’s wearing, and choose detail to convey his personality: Ill-cut suit? Tawdry jewelry? Skull-and-crossbones T-shirt? Hidden dagger in boots? Leathery scales on spine? Cartridge belts criss-crossed on chest? Frilly bonnet? Exquisitely slinky gown? Poison-tipped hat pins? Extra big pockets inside trenchcoat for thieving? Etc.



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Would the Villain’s attire allow him to blend into the Protagonist’s world? Or does the Villain’s “suspicious appearance” make him stand out like a sore thumb in a crowd? Explain. Pay close attention to the Villain’s communication style: his tone of voice; the speed at which he talks; his facial expressions; gestures; posture; dialect; exclamations; etc. Does he have any nervous habits (like repeatedly stroking a black cat or flipping an unsheathed knife in his hand)? Does he seem preoccupied with glancing around the room to ensure that he’s safe? Or is he the epitome of cool confidence / charismatic charm? Does he cackle when he laughs, or is his laughter melodious and seductive? Does he punctuate his conversation with swear words, threats, or violent imagery? (“I’ll make that wide-eyed bitch pay when the full-moon rises,” etc.) Does his manner give you chills or soothe you into feeling safe? Is he sinister? Cynical? Whiney? Bitter? Do you want to slap him? Or pity him? Or shoot him on sight?



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Describe his posture. Examples: Does he duck his head as if he’s avoiding your eyes? Does he lean aggressively forward, like a bully? Does he kick back and relax, exemplifying self-control? Does he stand with his legs spread, as if he’s straddling a pirate ship’s deck? Does he wrap his coils around his treasure? Does he hang upside down from the eaves?

Does he appear to be comfortable talking about himself and his dislike of the Protagonist to you, a stranger? Explain. What are some of the Villain’s physical habits and / or gestures? (Examples: sneers, snarls, growls; grinds his teeth; flashes big toothy smiles; fists his hand; stabs his forefinger into the air; cracks his knuckles; licks his lips; slinks when he walks; strides with arrogance? etc.)



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As the Villain answers your questions, do you get the sense that he is being defensive? Self-pitying? Naive? Selfish? Mentally unhinged? Vicious? Hateful? Paranoid? Cocky? Are there times when he seems to be deliberately misleading you, as if he were plotting something against the Protagonist? Explain.

Instructions for the Remainder of This Document Imagine you are asking the Villain the following Interview Questions. Allow him to answer through you, using the stream-of-consciousness writing approach.

Interview Questions: Part I What Makes Him Tick?

Do you like and respect yourself? Or are you your own worst enemy? Do you play games with other people’s minds? How? Who taught you this behavior?



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What Makes Him Tick (cont.)?

Do you carry a grudge against the Protagonist, or is he just a hapless nobody who stands in your way? If you do carry a grudge, explain what happened to cause this grudge. What are you planning as revenge? There’s an old saying, “Thicker than thieves.” The implication is that thieves operate under a perverse but binding personal code of honor, one that requires them to keep the secrets of other thieves. Do you abide by such a code? (If yes, describe your code.) If you abide by a code of honor, under what circumstances would you break that code? Do you lead a gang? Do you have allies that you can trust? Or are you operating solo? Explain. Also, describe your cronies.



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What Makes Him Tick (cont.)?

Is it true that you secretly envy the Protagonist? Who started this malicious rumor? Explain. When you feel threatened, or when you are in conflict with your allies, what is your preferred method of communication? Do you shoot first and ask questions later? Do you yell and scream? Do you go cold and silent (your most sinister demeanor?) Describe your ideal day. Would ruining the Protagonist’s life or reputation make your “To-Do” list?



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What Makes Him Tick? (cont.)

When the chips are down, would you squeal on everyone you know to save your own skin? Explain any exceptions to this rule.

Can you count on your allies’ loyalty? Would they defend you to the death? Explain any exceptions to this rule. Do you feel alone in the world? Unloved? Exploited? Abandoned? Ignored? Tormented? When did these feelings start? Who caused them? How does the Protagonist make these feelings worse? Do you have any habits or idiosyncracies that we should be aware of? (Examples: you can’t commit a crime without leaving some flashy calling card. You’re allergic to the color purple. You can’t cast a shadow. You’re obsessively afraid of cockroaches. You keep scorpions as pets and milk them for venom. Etc.)



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Tell us about your hobbies. (You studied forensic medicine and can make any murder look like a suicide. You’re the quintessential Drama Queen. You practice Voo Doo. You pull the wings off of butterflies. Etc.) Do you make the Protagonist nuts? On purpose? For his own good? Share three examples with me. What do you consider to be your greatest innate talent? What is your most accomplished skill? Do either of these “gifts” present an obstacle to the Protagonist’s story goal? If so, describe how.



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Do you consider yourself likeable? Do you consider yourself lovable? Why? Do you have trouble making friends? If so, what do you think the problem is? What person (or thing) has had the greatest influence on your life?



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What Makes Him Tick? (cont.) Let’s talk about your birth family. Describe your relationship with your: Mother: Father: Siblings: Extended Family: Are each of your parents and siblings alive? If not, how did they die? How did their death impact you?



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Where did you grow up? What was the general atmosphere in your home? Did you feel loved? Important? Were you abused? Neglected? Were you working the streets before you were 13? Or are you the blacksheep of a closeknit, loving, well-to-do family? Did your mother and father have a warm, loving relationship? Were you the caretaker of your siblings? Did your childhood make you violent? Self-pitying? Bitter about life? If so, give me 2 examples of childhood experiences that warped your innocent mind / heart. If your childhood had nothing to do with the way you are behaving in the novel, what exactly happened to turn you into the Villain / Antagonist?



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Do you love anyone? Anything? Explain. Do you behave differently with your family than with the Protagonist? If so, why? Describe your relationship with your children and/or pets, if you have any.



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Are you comfortable in the society of men? Are you comfortable in the company of women? What major memories from your past have shaped your opinions about men, women, and relationships? Are you a pathological liar? Or do you only tell white lies? Give me 2 examples. Do you follow your own advice? What’s your favorite homily or piece of advice? (Examples, “Shoot first, ask questions later.” “Dead men tell no tales.” etc.) Describe scenarios in which you might not follow your own advice.



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Do you live in denial about your personality quirks and / or shortcomings? Or do you like being wicked, naughty, exploitative, and / or evil? Explain.

What’s your best defense when you feel threatened? Describe three situations in which you’ve used this defense. How would the Protagonist describe you? Would his assessment be accurate?



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Do you have a profession? If so, are you good at it? Did you settle for your job / career? Do you work for money and acclaim, or are you strictly the Avenger type? How does your work impact your relationship with the Protagonist? What is your relationship with a Divine Power? How do your morals and/or religious viewpoints affect your outlook on life?



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Are you a self-righteous person? Do you believe you are never wrong? Or do you operate in a haze of guilt and shame most of the time? Explain how you got this way. What is your greatest treasure? Where do you keep it? Who else knows about it? How are you most likely to behave when you’re: Angry: Jealous: Frustrated: Hurt:

Scared:



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What is your favorite childhood memory? What is your saddest or most frightening childhood memory? Are you comfortable in crowds? Do you shun crowds? If you avoid public attention, what happened in your life to cause this preference? Are you afraid to die? Explain. What, if anything, terrifies you about death? Do you consider anything worse than the possibility of dying? Explain.



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What is your deepest, darkest secret? Who knows it? How did he discover it? How does this person’s knowledge give him power over you? Are you healthy? What is your attitude toward fitness, exercise, doctors, and drugs? What do you secretly love about yourself? Name a time when someone destroyed your trust. How did your hurt impact your outlook on life? Is that event still impacting your outlook on life?



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If you had 10 minutes to re-live some period of your life, what experience would you choose and why? Would you do anything differently? If so, what?

Interview Questions: Part II The Quest

What do you want to achieve, obtain, or become by the end of the book? Why? What in the outside world (external obstacle) is keeping you from accomplishing this “story goal?” Explain.



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The Quest (cont.)

What beliefs, self-judgments, fears, prejudices, or other value conflicts are the internal obstacles that keep you from your “story goal?” What must happen before you can overcome these obstacles and achieve your “story goal?”

How is the Protagonist standing in the way of your story goal?



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Interview Questions: Part III

Relationships

Do you believe in love? Do you need love to be happy? If not, what are the top 3 to 5 things that you need in your life to be happy? Do your allies fear you? Do they respect you? Do they love, admire, or appreciate something about you that no one else does? Describe in detail.

What about the Protagonist frightens you?



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Interview Questions: Part IV

World View

Do you judge the world primarily through your senses (example: kinesthetic touch or vision), or do you rely upon your gut instinct to form impressions of a situation? Do you see the world as a set of problems to be solved? Do you need to conquer and control everything in your path? Or do you adopt an attitude of live-and-let-live, everything-happens-for-a-reason, let’s-wait-and-see? When you walk into a party, what do you notice first? (Examples: the people, an alternate escape route, the “vibe,” the decorating, your own jitters, etc.) When you finally face your come-uppance at the end of the novel, how do you handle your defeat? Do you surrender? Do you go down fighting? Do you escape? Explain.

create a colorful villain any genre - romance writing tips | story · pdf file ·...

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