The Villain’s Motivation Steps To Create A Better Villain

In story, some people root for the hero and others for the villain. Just as the protagonist is important, so is the role of the antagonist or villain. Each character in story is composed of a goal, what he hopes to fulfill; motivation – the reason in reaching that goal; and, what stops him from reaching the goal, also called conflict. Debra Dixon, in her book, Goal, Motivation and Conflict, expounds significantly on the process of deciding the GMC for the characterization process. Although many authors will go into great detail about the protagonist, many forget to dive into the mind of the villain.
The villain’s role in story is to attempt to get the protagonist to not fulfill his character’s goal. Although not ever story has a personable villain or antagonist, when writing a character that is to embody the role of villain ask: why is the villain attempting to stop the protagonist from accomplishing his goal?
For story to be effective, and in most instances enjoyable, the motivation has to make logical sense, and be specific. Many writers forget the importance of the villain’s motivation. Many attempt to fulfill the motivation requirement by stating that the villain is bad and that is why the antagonist wants to accomplish his goal. However, being bad is not a motive. For example, in the fairy tale, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the goal of the Queen is to be the most beautiful woman in the land. She is the antagonist if the story. However, when she asks her trusty mirror who the loveliest of the land is, the mirror informs her that it is Snow. The Queen then plots to remove the threat of Snow White by poisoning her with an apple.
As seen from this example, the Queen’s goal is clear, as is her motivation. The conflict arises when the dwarfs intercede and chase the Queen to the mountain, where she ultimately falls to her death.
Additionally, the villain’s voice must ring true with the chosen character traits, including personal history, education, socioeconomic levels, as well as profession. When the dialogue details do not ring true to the reader, the story loses a part of its acceptability.
The state of man is a result of his personal history. Each day affects each person differently, as well as the relationships that one has. When plotting and creating characters, this is something that should be considered. Although the story is beginning at a certain point in time, the writer has to remember that it is not the beginning of the character. For example: What has the character experienced up until this point of his life, including achievements and disappointments? What type of family and childhood did the character have? Consider the villain as a whole, not just in relation to the story being created.
A villain is not a one-dimensional entity, but should be understood and written three dimensionally. Everyone has a potential for good and bad. The villain should not be written in the simplistic art of being bad. Creating three-dimensional characters increases the enjoyability of a story.
Steps to create a villain
1. Create a memorable villain by starting with the character’s goal: what does the character wish to achieve?
2. Motivations: why does the villain wish to accomplish his goal?
3. Conflict: who or what impedes/stops the villain from accomplishing his goal?
4. What is the character’s back-story? What has happened to the villain up until the story’s beginning to make him a villain?
5. What good trait does the villain have?
A villain is important for story. It can add the spice needed. Yet, when the villain is forgotten in characterization story depth is lost. This can in turn cause the story to fall flat. Without a reasonable conflict, and motivation for it, the reader may toss the book in the corner. Instead, as a writer, the important thing is to have the reader devour page after page, riding the emotional tidal wave of the created story. When creating that next masterpiece make sure to add the important ingredient of villainy with a believable antagonist.