WHO ARE THEY?
The Psychopaths
Track: The Pure Evil
Psycopaths suffer from Antisocial Personality Disorder. They aren't necessarily shy, but they do lack all empathy and can easily manipulate a crowd. They are highly educated, take calculated risks, are often violent, and feel absolutely no guilt after breaking social norms. This doesn't mean that all Psychopaths are serial killers, but many serial killers are Psychopaths.
The Sociopath
Track: The Pure Evil
Similarly to Psychopaths, sociopaths suffer from Antisocial Personality Disorder, feel a complete lack of empathy for others, and show no remorse after breaking social norms. However, sociopaths are extremely impulsive and suffer from bouts of rage and other erratic behavior. Sociopaths are often uneducated and aren't able to hold a steady job.
The Haters
Track: The Pure Evil
These are villains whose hate is so profound that it blinds all other senses. They cannot see the opponent's point of view, nor understand their perspective on a situation. Their need to make others suffer for a crime, even if they did not directly commit it themselves, is the driving force behind the emotionless actions of the Hater.
The Power Hungry
Track: The Pure Evil
The need for power dominates the lives of the Power Hungry. They view themselves as superior to others and have no qualms with hurting anyone that gets in their way. They don't care about their reputations so long as they make it to the top.
The Warped Good
Track: The Grey
The Warped Good might seem like a protagonist at first. They have been severely wronged and wish to make things right. But soon that desire will turn into blind rage. They become overwhelmed with the need to eradicate all those who did them wrong. For the Warped Good, there is no end but complete destruction, which they see as justified because of their victimization.
The Fighter
Track: The Grey
The Fighter started their life at the bottom. Born into poverty or subjugation, the Fighter lifted themselves out of despair and began anew. Now they feel the need to fight back against whatever held them down in the first place. This obsession will drive them to unthinkable deeds against their oppressors.
The Insane
Track 1: The Pure Evil
Some Insane villains are Pure Evil. They may resemble Psychopaths or Sociopaths in their actions, but the Insane recognize that their actions are wrong and simply believe themselves beyond saving. They are often ruthless in their follow-through with threats and should not be treated lightly by other characters.
Track 2: The Grey
Other Insane villains have sad backstories. Their insanity is a result of abuse or neglect, and now they want revenge. The Grey Insane believe themselves to be justified in their evil actions, even if they understand that others would consider their actions wrong.
The Rivalrous
Track 1: The Pure Evil
A rivalry is headed up by two opponents who may or may not be Pure Evil. The Evil Rivalrous are out to destroy their opponent at any cost. They don't feel any remorse for how their actions affect others. They only care that they are the winner in the end, even if that win comes at the cost of their own happiness.
Track 2: The Grey
The Grey Rivalrous are a bit milder. Their rivalry exists because there is something that they desperately want to protect. They may feel guilty as people begin to get hurt, but the Grey Rivalrous continue to battle on. They will do everything in their power to protect the things they love, even if they destroy everyone else in the process.
MY #1 TIP FOR WRITING POWERFUL HUMAN VILLAINS – AMPLIFY THE EMOTIONS
Everything in your plot is built on a foundation of cause and effect. Circumstances change and spurn tension. This tension leads to an emotion that acts as motivation for further action. In effect, new tensions and emotions are born. Your plot should look like a rollercoaster, and you'll notice that emotions are at the heart of the hills and the valleys.
Amplifying the emotions may seem like odd advice when a third of human villains are completely emotionless, but remember that your villain's opponents have emotions, too. Place extra attention on these emotions. Make them the prominent motivation for both your hero's and your Grey villain's actions. Your reader will form an attachment to the characters in your story once they recognize these emotional drivers.
4 WAYS TO AMPLIFY YOUR CHARACTERS' EMOTIONS
Raise the stakes. Think of 5 awful things that could happen to your character throughout the story and then make at least one of those things occur. That is when your character will be at their most vulnerable, putting their range of emotions (shock, fear, guilt, anger, etc.) on display.
Place your character in between a rock and a hard place. At some point in your story, your character will have to make a choice. To amplify the emotions during that time, ensure that the choice isn't clear. No matter what your character chooses, something valuable must be lost because of it. This will make their decision more gut-wrenching and suspenseful.
Make their personalities clash. Your main character and your villain should not be capable of being friends in an alternate reality. They need to drive each other mad! When people are angered, they make rash decisions and act against their true nature. This needs to happen to up the emotional ante of your story.
Demonstrate their fear. Fear is one of the most primal, and thus most powerful, motivators. Many people lose their good sense when they are afraid and make decisions they later come to regret. Give your characters something realistic to fear and your readers will be downright terrified.
YOU ARE READING
My Writing Guide
RandomWriting guidelines I found on different sites compiled by me.
