When writing fiction, it is important to create characters that the audience can connect with and relate to. One of the most interesting, but difficult, characters to write is the villain. Villains, by definition, are meant to be disliked and feared, but it is possible to make them likable at the same time. How do you make an antagonist both formidable and likable? It takes careful consideration, but with the right approach, you can create a villain that readers will love to hate. Creating a likable villain involves striking a balance between creating a character that is both detestable and sympathetic. On one hand, they need to have enough darkness to make them a credible threat to the protagonist. On the other hand, they need to be sympathetic enough that readers can understand why they’re acting the way they are. This can be accomplished by giving them a relatable backstory and making them appear multi-dimensional. Plus, you should be careful not to make the villain too perfect. It’s important to give them flaws and vulnerabilities like any other character. This will make them more believable and help readers to empathize with them. By following along with the 7 tips below, you're sure to create a villain that readers will automatically be drawn to.
Give the Villain a Relatable Backstory
Giving the villain a relatable backstory is important to create a compelling and realistic antagonist for the story. By giving the villain a well-developed backstory, the audience can better understand their motivation and why they are making the choices they are making. This makes the character more human and relatable, which allows the audience to connect with them on an emotional level. It also allows the audience to sympathize with the villain and see their perspective, which can make them more interesting and complex. Finally, having a relatable backstory can add more depth to the story, making the plot more compelling and enjoyable for readers.
Let the Villain Have Some Success
The villain should have some success to provide an interesting challenge for the hero. Having a villain who is successful in some areas helps to create a compelling story arc and keeps the audience engaged. It can also make the hero’s ultimate victory more satisfying when they can overcome the villain’s success. Also, having a successful villain in some areas can create a sense of unpredictability and tension as the audience wonders what the villain will achieve next. If you want the villain in your story to be likable, consider giving them some victories and successes, otherwise the story may become boring.
Show the Villain's Humanity
Even villains can show moments of kindness and caring, which can make them more likable. Showing the villain's humanity is an important part of any story, as it allows readers to form a deeper connection with the character and understand the motivations and decisions that drive the story forward. To show the villain’s humanity, you must provide a backstory, motivations, and personality traits that are both complex and realistic. This allows the reader to see that the villain is not simply a one-dimensional character, but rather a person with hopes, dreams, and fears. For example, a villain might have been born into a life of poverty, with no chance of escaping, and have resorted to crime to survive. When the reader is shown this backstory, they can understand why the villain has become the way they are, and they can sympathize with their struggles while still recognizing their wrongdoings. By showing the villain’s humanity, the reader can gain insight into why they have made the decisions they have, and can better understand the motivations of the character. Therefore, any story needs to show the villain’s humanity to create a story that is both interesting and meaningful.
Make Their Goals Understandable
Even if readers don't agree with your villain's methods, they should understand why your villain is striving for what they want. Giving the villain understandable goals is important in storytelling because it will allow your audience to connect with the character. It makes them more relatable and helps to create empathy. It also helps to enhance the story by providing an antagonist with a clear motivation and a sense of urgency. Having understandable goals also gives the story a sense of conflict and urgency, which keeps the audience engaged and invested in the characters and the plot.
Include Moments of Vulnerability
You should let the audience in on your villain's fears and doubts. As a writer, it is important to include moments of vulnerability in your writing to make it more powerful and meaningful. When you include moments of vulnerability in your writing, you provide an intimate glimpse into the thoughts and feelings of your characters, and this helps to create a more powerful and engaging story. Vulnerability can also be used to create a sense of empathy between the reader and the characters, as readers can relate to the characters and their struggles. This connection can add an emotional depth and complexity to the story, making it more meaningful to readers. Including moments of vulnerability in your writing can also help to create a sense of realism. By showing the characters responding to situations in a realistic way, readers can better understand their motivations and actions, and this can help to make the story more believable. By showing moments of vulnerability, readers can more easily connect with the characters, and this can help to make the story more powerful and moving. This can be particularly effective when used in powerful scenes or moments of climax, where the emotions of the characters and readers alike can be heightened. Overall, including moments of vulnerability in your writing can be an effective way of creating a powerful, meaningful, and emotionally engaging story.
Give the Villain Redeeming Qualities
Show that your villain has the capacity for good and that they are capable of change. Giving a villain redeeming qualities helps to make them more believable, relatable, and sympathetic. Showing that a villain has positive qualities, allows readers or viewers to understand why the villain is doing what they are doing and can potentially create a more complex story. Redeeming qualities can also provide a sense of hope and resolution, as it shows that, even though the villain has done wrong, they can still be redeemed.
Make Sure Their Actions Have Consequences
The villain's actions should have consequences because it is important for the story to have a sense of consequence and justice. Without consequences for the villain's actions, the story lacks a sense of fairness and can be disheartening for the protagonist and the audience. Consequences for the villain's actions allow the story to conclude with a sense of justice and closure, and it also helps to create a sense of empathy towards the protagonist. Ultimately, consequences for the villain's actions create a more meaningful and impactful story.
Making a villain likable is a tricky task, but by following the seven tips outlined in this article, you can create a villain that is both complex and relatable. Remember to give your villains victories, relatable backstories, and moments of vulnerability. Plus, don't forget that even villains need to be humanized for a story to be engaging. With a bit of creativity, you can create a villain that readers can relate to and even root for! For more tips on writing villains, press the button below.