If you’ve been on Quora, you know that the site has people who ask questions and communities with experience who answer them. It’s supposed to come off as subject matter experts giving in depth answers to the many questions people ask. I’ve taken to answering some questions on Quora and have certainly asked a few in my time.
Since starting the Starweather Press, LLC YouTube to discuss writing, I’ve posted some questions in video form on the channel. One question, posted here – https://www.quora.com/What-sort-of-villain-or-conflict-could-I-use-for-my-fantasy-novel-I-don-t-want-a-Lord-of-The-Rings-type-villain asks writers to provide their knowledge on writing a villain that isn’t a Lord-of-the-Rings-type.
In a world of fantasy, who can blame the querier?
My answer considers creating a round character. Someone with actual goals and motivations that are clear. Someone or something that has flaws and qualities, knowledge and things to learn. Sometimes a villain is simply an antagonist who doesn’t learn the lessons and grow as a character in contrast to an MC or protagonist. This can make a villain empathetic, similar to Regina in Once Upon a Time. This can show just how hard it is to change in comparison to the protagonist who does make a change and learn the lesson.
Let me know how you write a villain. Do these tips help? Thank you for reading.
Heather A Busse
