Writerly Ways

[cornerofmadness]

Villains need to be interesting just like any other character. We need to know what they are doing, their hopes and dreams too so they're not one note. Just think about what I call the Mirror Mirror effect. From what I can see, most actors are all too excited to play their character going evil (or slutty). Just think about Spock, Sulu and Uhura. I swear the actors had way more fun with the Mirrorverse characters than they ever did with their normal personas.

You can see that again with Spike and Angel. It's obvious David and James had much more fun with their characters when they got to be swaggering evil. Even Tom Payne really threw himself into losing his mind/might kill someone Malcolm in the sex dungeon (speaking of which seriously getting to do something super sexual, just witness Daniel Radcliff doing his Franken Furter homage in Miracle Workers).

But their evil needs a basis. Can people be evil just to be evil? Hell yes (watch true crime) but the fictionalized villains usually need a motive or we're left asking why (okay we're often left doing that in the real world too but there we expect no answers)


have some links from around the world
Make Inroads Into The Homeschool Market

The Seven Steps Of Book Sales To Non-Retail Buyers.

Increase Book Sales By Asking The Right Questions


What Does It Mean To “Write What You Know?

How To Sell Books Through Gift Shops In Parks

How To Harness The Hidden Influence Of Power Words

Updated: Authors & Editors That Can Touch Up Your Manuscript & Query Letter.

Watch on YouTube

(honestly not how I thought he'd sound)

Watch on YouTube

Something I desperately need to do


From Betty

https://writersinthestormblog.com/2021/09/writing-spies-how-to-bug-a-room/

6 Tips to Make Your Scenes Visually Dynamic I need to read this a few times

A Layered Method for Creating Consistent Characters

Anatomy of a Meet Cute

Writers, Do You Struggle with the Learning Curve?

The Three Traits of Annoying Characters


Seven Tips for Receiving Feedback

Why You Shouldn’t Write a Masterpiece

Story Not Behaving? Try Going Deeper into Structure

Choosing Your Fiction Genre: The 3 Things You Should Consider First

Comments

[ruric]

From what I can see, most actors are all too excited to play their character going evil

That's a question that's come up a lot in cons that I've been to over the years and the response has mostly been that they love to play evil.

I got the feeling that there was just more of a sense of being able to cut loose with a performance and (as you say) have more fun playing bad than good.

I'm sure many of the actors I've seen answering that were asked why - but for the life of me I can't remember the answers. Just they're unequivocal joy at being allowed to be bad!

[cornerofmadness]

This has been my con experience listening in to the actors. Playing evil is fun in some cases (I would think it has to be harrowing in others like Lou Diamond Phillips playing Richard Ramirez

[dhampyresa]

Thanks for the links!

[cornerofmadness]

you're welcome