Requested by: TonsOfFanFic

Writing a good villain can be really difficult. They either don't make sense, are weak villains, or are generally too complicated to get down in a chapter. That's where I come in to help (lol).

If the villain is already a canon character then it's really easy to write for them. Follow how they act in their fandom already, stay true to their character. Imagine what they would say, question yourself on their actions and thoughts. Research their background.

When creating a villain, there's a checklist to go through to make sure you have a proper enemy for the hero.

1) Motivation. What motivates them to be evil? Little to no villains are evil just to be evil. There's a breaking point. Find it, create it, and use it.

2) Make your villain at least as smart as your hero. A story where the villain is an unintelligent child doesn't build tension and it will be over before you know it.

3) If your villain is a behind the scenes type character, give them minions or abilities that will affect the heroes early on. If there's nothing changing for the hero, then there'll be no climax when they face the villain. Build it up!

4) Create a villain the reader will either love to hate, or hate to love. Create a villain that all the readers can agree is the worst. They're human, but their intentions are dark enough, and their reasoning is petty enough to get the readers to hate them. Or, create a villain that is tragic and 'misunderstood' a villain that is justified and is the hero in their own story. Create a Voldemort or create a Loki.

5) Give the villain some wins. Perhaps they win the war, or they win a battle, but a villain who loses to the hero every time is boring. Let them take away something the hero loves, give them motivation and chances to prove how dangerous they are.

6) Remember, every villain is the hero in their own story

Request are open and so is asking questions!

~Lydia