How to Create a Memorable Villain in Fiction

Whether you are writing mysteries, thrillers, fantasy or science fiction, chances are you are spending nearly as much time developing your villain or antagonist as you are developing your hero. Here is a guide on how to create a memorable villain.

If you are writing the classic whodunit, then the villain in your story needs to be worth finding. It will not do to make your villain the waitress in a restaurant where the hero goes for tea on a single occasion, and who is mentioned only once on page 78. Your villain must be part of the story, mentioned early and often.

Regardless of what type of novel you are writing, in order to create a memorable villain, you should consider your villain's background. What made him what he is today? Did his environment shape your villain? What was his childhood like? Was he abused? Try writing a biography of your villain. Get to know his parents and siblings. What kind of life has he lived up to now?

Does your villain suffer from some mental illness? In furtherance of answering this question, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Criminal Mind by Katherine Ramsland, PhD. It covers a broad range of topics, including abnormal psychology, and it will undoubtedly aid you in creating a memorable villain. Is your villain a sociopath? A psychopath?

Although it is sometimes easy to do, you should not create a villain who is more interesting or memorable than your hero or protagonist. This can cause a novel to feel lopsided and can even doom it. If your villain is starting to take on a life of his own, challenge your main character or hero to rise to the occasion and do the same.

While it is okay to make your villain somewhat conflicted, you should not set out to make your villain overly sympathetic.