What Makes a Good Villain?

Look, I'm not going to give a lengthy introduction here. I'm not about to justify nor delve into the many eccentricities of me. You guys know by now that I'm a pretty unconventional girl. So, I'm just going to throw it out there without attempting to give an explanation beforehand...but I sort of just did give an explanation, huh? Eh well.

I like villains.

I fall for the bad guy.
The darker and dangerous the better.
I don't give a darn if he's a stone cold killer.
I'm down for the sick and twisted crazy ride (just kidding, mom).

Yeah, I'm that girl. But this only applies to the marvelous world of fiction we find in totally awesome novels, comic books, films, shows, and what not. There is no way I would ever associate with a psychopathic scoundrel in my real life. I don't have a thing for illustrious miscreants and I sure won't ever give into the charms of a handsome serpent rocking a dazzling smile and....well, moving right along...heh heh.

Essentially, I have much admiration for writers who can humanize a villain that well. The sort who can cause their readers to develop sympathy for the treacherous monster causing all kinds of chaos. I'm talking about a writer who has the ability to mask a character's wickedness so well that the reader forgets and sometimes don't even care how evil the character is. They start rooting for the character.

That's how I am. My mother hates it--and she will probably hate this post too. She doesn't understand how I can be a nice (sometimes), saved good church girl (lol) and have a fascination with things I should really abstain from. I know, I know, I know...pray for me.

But really it's not that bad. My salvation is not in jeopardy. I think it's normal, actually. Honestly, how many people do you know absolutely LOVE Bellatrix Lestrange? I loved her from the moment she was introduced in the Harry Potter series. She has such character and her very essence is simply magical and graceful yet deranged and sickening. And yes, I did mourn the loss of Sirius Black...but I still loved Bellatrix! The same goes for The Joker, Cruella de Vil, Valentine, Dark Phoenix, Magneto, Voldemort, Dracula, Hannibal, Loki, Klaus...and the list goes on and on my dear friends.

I just think it's awesome, you know? And I believe this is an ability that every writer who wants to be successful in the publishing world (in the appropriate genre, of course) should have. Readers hate the stereotypical and mundane villains whose actions are totally predictable and eye roll worthy. Readers want villains who are unpredictable. Villains who are smart, crafty, has potential and great ideas, and are motivated. Readers dig rebels with a cause. And man...villains with a troublesome past? They take the cake.

Really guys, even Lucifer has a past. The villain of all villains! The guy was the favored angel in heaven head over the choir and he gave it all up simply for a control he would never acquire, a ridiculous amount of unnecessary envy, and crazy greed. That's one heck of a past. He had a father, no THE FATHER, a family, a marvelous place to call home...but something happened.

Something always happens, right? That's what readers like-that something that causes the villain to change. And I'm talking before he/she is actually deemed a villain. And although I detest Satan and he is one villain I would never play patty cake with....the dude has a past, present, and future. If you want to create a successful villain start by reading the Bible. There is so much good in there, of course, but it also tells of the evil side. Learning about that true evil--the very birth of it--has caused me to write villains a lot better. They all take after the devil anyway, right?

And by the way....Satan sucks to the utmost. Jesus rocks. Just thought I'd throw that out there, lol. Don't want you guys thinking I'm some psycho devil lover or anything. I'm all for God, folks. I just can get caught up with the villains in stories I read. ;-)