Does anybody else have trouble writing a really nasty, dyed-in-the-wool-evil villain?
I ask because, much as I try to write a very nasty villain, I do find it one of the hardest tasks in all of my stories. Not only because I find it a challenge to invent and write a really odious human character, but also because at the same time I need to show that they are not all bad, no matter how they may have behaved in the narrative.
Yet I never have any problems writing an utterly revolting mythical creature. Only human villains. Has anybody else encountered this block (almost self censoring, now that I come to think of it) and do you have any tips for breaking through it?
I have the most heinous villain in my novel. He appears in the first two parts of my novel and at the end. He is a one dimensional, Flat-Character because he is shown to be pure evil.
You should write a synopsis of the character. Malorie Blackman writes a two or three page synopsis on the functions of her characters.
Ask yourself how evil is the character?
What is his/her function in the novel?
How bad is his/her behaviour towards others?
Is the character a psychopath?
Does the character have a mental disorder?
Is the character evil through choice?
You do need to 'Show not tell' your character by his/her actions, dialogue and streams-of-thought.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
If you are managing to justify your villains, watch out for your heroes would be my advice. Mine did a bit of a role reversal. I mean, my hero is still my hero, but the flaws are so cavernous you end up feeling sorry for the one who, at the beginning of the story, appears to be the trouble-maker. It kept things interesting, though.