Touche Cliche ― The Book of Cliches

-villains

23. how to make villains

So, you want to make a compelling villain, but you are not sure how to. Fear not, I have got your back. Writing villains actually comes quite easily to be because, for some reason, I possess the irrational need to make every single character in my story a Machiavellian villain. 

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HOW TO START.

When I think of a villain, the first thing I do is think of the hero and why the two are in conflict. To do this, I have adopted the 'Seven Deadly Sins / Seven Heavenly Virtues' format. The villain will possess a deadly sin and the hero will have the heavenly virtue counterpart.

For instance:

If your villain's sin is GREED, then your hero's virtue will be CHARITY.

If your villain's sin is LUST, then your hero's virtue will be CHASTITY.

If your villain's sin is ENVY, then your hero's virtue will be KINDNESS.

If your villain's sin is PRIDE, then your hero's virtue will be HUMILITY.

If your villain's sin is SLOTH, then your hero's virtue will be DILIGENCE.

If your villain's sin is WRATH, then your hero's virtue will be PATIENCE.

This means that their personalities will play off of each other and bring them into conflict naturally rather than having a contrived reason for a struggle. Your hero can possess a sin just like a villain can possess a virtue, it doesn't have to be strictly black and white.

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SEVEN DEADLY SINS & SEVEN HEAVENLY VIRTUES.

I've included a glossary below so that you guys can pick and choose the sins that you desire. Don't worry, the petty potato has gots you covered. I didn't include the virtues, since they're pretty self-explanatory.

pride/prʌɪd/noun

the excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's humbleness and humanity. it has been called the sin from which all others arise. 

envy/ˈɛnvi/noun

the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation due to a feeling of inadequacy in their own life.

gluttony/ˈɡlʌt(ə)ni/noun

an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires to function.

lust/lʌst/noun

a craving for the pleasures of the body.