I’m surprised by a lot of the prevailing mindsets I encounter. A lot of inspiring writers truly are writing from a relativistic viewpoint. I understand that it’s the prevailing philosophy of the day, but unfortunately, the post-modern mindset is self refuting and unfortunately wrong.
I read a LOT of writing advice about “Don’t make your antagonist evil because he’s evil – explain what made him that way.”
That’s often well… really bad advice. And I say that with the utmost respect. It’s the “Mommy Dearest” mentality.
Here’s the truth – my antagonists are evil because they choose to be that way.
It wasn’t being scalded by water as a child. It wasn’t from trying to kiss the dog and it bit your face. It wasn’t from running through a plate glass door and being severely cut.
All those things happened to me, and I am a law abiding citizen with a heart of gold.
My antagonists are evil because they choose to be that way. Click To TweetPeople everywhere in the world go through truly traumatizing events and circumstances their entire lives. I know of one who was severely beaten and mistreated, tied to a pole in a basement most of his youth and fed dog food. When his step parents went to jail, he went with a foster family… and ended up graduating from the Air Force Academy with honors.
People choose actions based upon values, weighing them against perceived consequences.
Writers try to excuse why your killer peels the skin off of people. Sick, twisted mother or having a dental issue and cleft palate in an orphanage makes you hunt people and skin them alive.
Insanity is only one reason a person is evil. People often are evil because it seems like the single most effective way of getting what they want, when they want it, and the heck with the consequences.
People choose actions based upon values, weighing them against perceived consequences. Click To TweetDon’t rob your antagonist of this. “Why is he evil?” “Because he wants to be. That’s who he is, that’s what he chose. He wants the benefits of being evil – money, power, ego.
If we turn everyone into spoiled brats who blame it upon Mommy Dearest why they’re slaughtering the innocents, we actually neuter the force of evil, and the impact of the choices we make affecting our characters.
My bottom line argument is this – the sale of personal electronic reading devices is SOARING. Book sales are DWINDLING. That should tell you readers are not exactly thrilled with books on the market. If you make your antagonist light weight or a sympathetic character, it’s memorable or interesting once. After that, people lose interest.
Why did Dr. Jekyll create Mr. Hyde? Jekyll was leading a debauched lifestyle, and the dichotomy of who he was verses what he wanted to be/pretended to be convicted him. So he turned to chemistry to try to find a way to separate the two halves of his nature – and that way he could be blameless.
What happened? He tried to blame it on impurities in the solution, but he began to change without the benefit of the chemicals. Jekyll eventually permanently became Hyde, because that’s who he really was on the inside. No more excuses.
Try reading the classic story by Stevenson, and learn.
