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

[Eldoria]

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?

 

[Sylver]

My villain has committed religious persecution, ethnic cleansing, and attempted genocide based on their beliefs, and that's still not enough compared to what they're trying to do in the current time of the story.
None of this is shown in the story though. Like it's stuff that they did in the past, stuff they admit and are even proud of to a degree.

And that's only the main antagonist for my current book 1.

I feel fine XD it's not like I agree with what they did or plan to do. But it is fun writing how they justify themselves. That's perhaps the scariest part, they still believe themselves to be the hero of their story.

 

[Hoshino]

Very nice-nya.

 

[expentio]

For villains, there are two kinds I accept, and one I don't.
The first, most easy to write would be the selfish type. This kind of person exists. If they see an advantage they may go for it, no matter the cost (for others, but that's a sacrifice they are willing to make). They'll steal, ploy, kill, to increase their wealth or personal power, vengeance, or maybe just to survive. This kind of motivation isn't all that deep, but it's realistic enough to serve as grounds for their despisable acts. That's why corrupt nobles are such a trope.

Then the compelling villain. The one where you step back and think: "Well, actually they do have a point." The issue is the balance. If you're too good, then the question arises why anyone would want your asshole MC to stop him, aside from spotlight plotarmor? Yet if you take too much away and make it a poor reason it's just getting stupid.

Lastly, the idiot monster. The kind who just does bad stuff because they're evil. That's simply lazy, if you can't give a reason for why they are like this, and even if there's a reason, that kind feels too much like a plot device.

So, to sum it up, I don't feel particularly bad about writing an evil character. Yet the one thing they do require is a reason for their evil. If they just senselessly act like that they just feel wrong to read.

 

[CinnaSloth]

I won't sugar coat it. Each and every one of my characters are evil in their own ways, even the Mc, even the kids, even the npcs. Everyone is purely just out for themselves; To survive, to do whatever they think it takes to stay together. Sometimes, its a single person, sometimes, it's a village. No matter where you look, there will always be someone walking by a beggar, or ignoring someone who's in need, or just someone just plainly standing around, looking to see who's going to be the "hero" who steps up because they don't care enough to be that person.

Maybe it's just cause I'm a loner type. Maybe it's because I'm nihilistic, or pessimistic at best, but I don't see people as half good or half bad, every person to me is just another person. To prove you are purely good is almost impossible. I've done the helping, I've done the charity work, and volunteer work. I've tried to help and do what's good in reality, but to be real, I never heard thank yous, or god jobs, Which fine, I never helped for the congratulations of it.. but what bothered me was, it was always, always, always... Why couldn't you do more? Why couldn't you get here earlier? why this. Why that. Why me. Why didn't you do something? I was, and I did. But nothing was ever good enough with people. I quit. I felt bad. Do all you might, and all you can, and just for someone to tell you you f'n failed in every way? Like sorry, I guess I did. I guess they'll be better off without my help. I dunno.

When writing, doing the evil is easy for me because I don't feel anything. It's writing the good that difficult because at the end of the day, the hero needs to be a f'n hero, NOT just the guy who did their best. They NEED to be the hero. And not everyone will see them that way, whether they vanquished the evil, slayed the dragon, or saved the kingdom, there will always be something else, someone who says "why didn't you do more?"

Being a villain is easy. Being a Hero is impossible. But that's also why we read books, and tell stories, or manga, or comics, or watch cartoons, or series, or anime.. For some tiny-ass, meager fragment of Hope that tomorrow will be slightly better than the sh*ttier days. Otherwise, ....what's the point.

 

[Nekyo]

One thing I enjoy in the writing process is letting villain characters go completely unhinged. Exploring their depravity and having them commit large-scale atrocities or displays of overwhelming power is fascinating to write. In a way, it makes their eventual defeat feel more satisfying, but it's also just interesting to let a character be that twisted.

That said, the main character of one of my stories has already killed and eaten thousands of people from the very beginning and doesn’t feel bad about it, so the antagonists need to be a bit extreme just to keep up.

 

[Bald-san]

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?

Nothing really, it's like a natural course of event after all. To be fair however, my MC is the one who did genocide, seduction, murder, usurpation, sabotage and qualified ? so ot might be because of that

 

[Naravelt]

I don’t feel wrong writing evil villains, but personally, I don’t like writing evil, immoral protagonists

 

[OCQueen96]

It depends on the story. I write my villains to be defeated in my Teen Titans fanfiction. They also serve as a foil for my protagonist, who always internally battles to do the right thing. My villains also help raise the question "how do people raised in the same environment turn out so different?".

In my original work, my villain is being written for a villain to hero story arc, and I'm digging into her psychology.

When you write villain, it has no bearing on your own values. It usually depends on how that villain plays off of your protagonist and/or your hero.

 

[Deleted member 167438]

Justified. When I write my characters, I inhabit them to an extent. Almost always, the villain does not see himself as a villain. What they do is necessary. Thus, when they do the bad things they do, i.e. when I write them doing bad things, I feel like they are justified in what they are doing. My heroes disagree strongly.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Depends on specifics. I usually enjoy plotting it out, but depending on the specific acts involved, sometimes struggle with it at the actual time of writing.

 

[Racosharko]

With great anticipation, beause payback's a bitch.

 

[empalgepuk]

I hate despots with every ounce of my life, so I don't feel bad writing them as despicable villains they are.

 

[Bimbanana]

Oh, my MC encourage the villain thingy so he can use it for advertising

 

[MFontana]

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 genuinely try not to think about it too much, except for eagerly waiting for the moment when the heroes and/or heroines face (and defeat) them.

 

[Fisher0001]

I mean, my villain Marci commits crimes and immoral acts, acts like it's just another Tuesday. In the third and fourth novel she'sa terrorist for the rebellions and she is inspired by the health ledger Joker in the Dark Knight trilogy.

Edit:

She also oversaw a program to make Tarken Tea more addictive, creating a widespread smoking pandemic in my universe so the government could control the population.

 

[Worthy39]

I mean, my villains range from a guy trying to fight what he believes to be the ultimate form of evil, to a guy who just kills for enjoyment, so... to one of the above, I find it quite enjoyable. I'll leave it up to you which one.

 

[Envylope]

I don't feel a particular way about it, unless their actions are directly impacting my beloved MC. If anything, writing villains is like a way of venting. When else can you write a murderer or something? Pour all of the worst thoughts you've ever had into someone that is expected to act like this.

 

[CrimsonGenius]

I have a villain who became a crazy laughing witch because she was forced to sell her beloved horse.

 

[Wenlock]

Well it's not as if that character is a reflection of me. They are heavily based on criminals in real life so their actions don't emotionally sway me. Nor am I attached to my MCs the way most authors are (parent-child) so my Zhang Xiyu (MC of my book) being an anti-hero doesn't bother me either. Only one thing matters and that is make it interesting (for me. not in a general sense) Commit crimes, don't commit crimes idc just don't be boring.

One thing I enjoy in the writing process is letting villain characters go completely unhinged. Exploring their depravity and having them commit large-scale atrocities or displays of overwhelming power is fascinating to write. In a way, it makes their eventual defeat feel more satisfying, but it's also just interesting to let a character be that twisted.

That said, the main character of one of my stories has already killed and eaten thousands of people from the very beginning and doesn’t feel bad about it, so the antagonists need to be a bit extreme just to keep up.

I think we are on the same wavelength ?