Darrell Case's Blog - Posts Tagged "fiction"
Creating believable villains
We have all seen movies where the villain is unbelievable. Perhaps its poor acting ability. Or possibly the writer didn’t convey it correctly on the script. Sometimes it is the fault of the other actors. Maybe the director was inexperienced. Whatever the problem is the film is destroyed and the audience disappointed. Also the actors, director and the movie company receives a bad reputation.
As writers, we have a responsibility to our readers to make every character realistic. Therefore we must ask ourselves what makes him or her a bad person? How did they become this way. They didn’t come out of the womb as a villain. What kind of childhood did they have? Was there something in their upbringing that changed their life? Where they the bully or the bullied?
Do they have any redeeming qualities? Are they kind to children and animals? Are they married and have a loving family? Are their friends and neighbors shocked when their secret life is exposed?
If we as writers are able to create lifelike characters, we must ask ourselves these questions.
This kind of writing is not easy. It takes extra effort and time. It is, however, rewarding for us and our readers.
As writers, we have a responsibility to our readers to make every character realistic. Therefore we must ask ourselves what makes him or her a bad person? How did they become this way. They didn’t come out of the womb as a villain. What kind of childhood did they have? Was there something in their upbringing that changed their life? Where they the bully or the bullied?
Do they have any redeeming qualities? Are they kind to children and animals? Are they married and have a loving family? Are their friends and neighbors shocked when their secret life is exposed?
If we as writers are able to create lifelike characters, we must ask ourselves these questions.
This kind of writing is not easy. It takes extra effort and time. It is, however, rewarding for us and our readers.
Writers are readers
Do you desire to write? To wave a world where readers can visit and forget their troubles if only for a short time? Then read and read and read.
I have a friend who has spoken several times of the book he is going to write. Yet by his own admission, he doesn’t read. In fact, he finds it difficult to read. Unfortunately, I fear he will never write the book he desires to pen. Writing a book fiction or nonfiction is a very difficult challenge. Some start and never finish while others never began, but speak of their aspirations.
In a recent interview I was asks for suggestions for others who aspire to become an author. One suggestion I gave was to read, writers are readers. In reading, you can see how the writer kept the thread of story weaving throughout the novel. The author’s plot and character development. How the different elements the story come together to form the entire story and the satisfying ending. For me, I enjoy libraries. Small ones, big ones it makes no difference. At yard sales or in seconded handed stores I gravitate to books. To find a book by a favorite author or discover a new one is a tremendous treasure. Sometimes I will purchase a book just for the year of the copyright the older the better. To find what did this author say in bygone days.
Curling up in bed with a good book is magnificent. If the book is well written, I become lost in the story. Also I will remember this book long after I had closed the pages. Do you desire to write? To weave a world where readers can visit and forget their troubles if only for a short time? Then read and read and read.
I have a friend who has spoken several times of the book he is going to write. Yet by his own admission, he doesn’t read. In fact, he finds it difficult to read. Unfortunately, I fear he will never write the book he desires to pen. Writing a book fiction or nonfiction is a very difficult challenge. Some start and never finish while others never began, but speak of their aspirations.
In a recent interview I was asks for suggestions for others who aspire to become an author. One suggestion I gave was to read, writers are readers. In reading, you can see how the writer kept the thread of story weaving throughout the novel. The author’s plot and character development. How the different elements the story come together to form the entire story and the satisfying ending. For me, I enjoy libraries. Small ones, big ones it makes no difference. At yard sales or in seconded handed stores I gravitate to books. To find a book by a favorite author or discover a new one is a tremendous treasure. Sometimes I will purchase a book just for the year of the copyright the older the better. To find what did this author say in bygone days.
Curling up in bed with a good book is magnificent. If the book is well written, I become lost in the story. Also I will remember this book long after I had closed the pages. Do you desire to write? To weave a world where readers can visit and forget their troubles if only for a short time? Then read and read and read.
