The Secret to Writing Fascinating Villains

By Laurence MacNaughton, @LMacNaughton

Part of the How They Do It Series

JH: Bad guys have always been my favorite, and there's something delicious about a great villain. Laurence MacNaughton takes his monthly spot at the podium today to share the secret to writing great villains.

What makes a villain fascinating?

It's not just about scaring the pants off the reader. The most terrifying thing a villain can do in a story isn't killing the hero or blowing up the world -- it's making their twisted viewpoint seem morally right, and making the hero seem wrong.

Because if the villain’s outlook starts to make sense, and the hero seems to have things backwards, then for just a moment, the reader has to wonder: Have I been rooting for the wrong side all along?

Continue ReadingWritten by Janice Hardy. Fiction-University.com