I don’t think I ever set out to create a villain. They just happen in the context of a story. How can we define the hero without the antithesis of one, right?
The hero’s journey needs real or conceptual obstacles. Real ones can be flesh and blood. Conceptual ones are their perceived weaknesses, whether spiritual or emotional. They are conceptual because they are not in human form.
My heroes will never be perfect, because no hero is perfect, other than Our Savior. Everyone possesses his or her version of an Achilles’ heel, a weakness that prevents achieving perfection or ultimate happiness. You can experience joy with sorrow, but happiness is elusive and short-lived. So the worlds I create are primed with pitfalls. My job, as a writer, is to make sure the outcomes aren’t too obvious or overt, i.e. the “I saw that coming” syndrome. I’ve read some absolutely beautiful and poetic prose that stunned me with imagery and simply exquisite language. But, in one instance, the story was so incredibly predictable I couldn’t believe the journey I undertook that ultimately seemed like a waste of time. I vowed to read poetry the next time I wanted to be dazzled by writing.
In another instance, I read a book from a first-time writer that was an absolute page turner. Readers knew the villain upfront, but we didn’t know just how villainous the character could be until every nuance of his sick soul was exposed. The writing was passable, but the story’s suspense and development was excellent.
My ultimate goal as a writer is to keep suspense, story-wise, balanced with character arc. Of course, not everyone can have the limelight. There’s only so much stage between the pages of a book! I’ve read books where so many people vie for my attention that I have to flip back to keep them all straight! Otherwise, they start melding into each other and I forget his or her specific trajectory.
In my novel, UNEARTHING CHRISTMAS, one character is definitely a hero, at least to me, if not to readers. But, there’s something about the character that nags at me and allows me a measure of consternation. She does things I don’t approve of, like keep secrets. She doesn’t like to make waves, and I think she’s a bit cowardly in that respect. But, I continue to love her dearly! Why? Her actions are pure and selfless, if not altruistic, and benefit family and friends. And then there’s a character who may speak her mind, seemingly a brave choice, but her actions are cowardly, at times. So characters, like all of us, are defined mostly by action.
The questions for me as a writer: what do I learn from character development? Are these traits I grapple with in myself or judge in others? I don’t think I know anyone, personally, that is purely villainous. I guess I’m lucky, because there are people in this world who truly act as monsters: dictators, mass murderers, and the like. I can’t image ever desiring to write someone who is so one-sided in action, but, admittedly, I’ve come close to it in Book 2 of THE MIRIAM CHRONICLES series. I have a villain or two that detour the story in directions that take the hero down unexpected paths. But, honestly, I’ve had a few of those in my own life. One is so real, and it’s hard to admit I allowed the person any space in my life! A real person, when acting upon evil, can become two-dimensional and we become blinded to any good qualities.
So, heroes and villains define each other, and some of the greatest saints were admitted sinners. I hope, as I continue my stories, to keep an eye on my villains and find at least one positive trait, even if buried under layers of evil courses. And the heroes? I have to be true to all their adventures–good, bad, happy or sad, as they unfold!!
I hope you have a summer filled with unforgettable characters between the pages of a book or in your life’s journey!