Characters: The good bad guy

Okay, I know that it seems a little weird to see 'good bad guy', but think about it. You've seen bad bad guys and you knew it when you saw them. They are the cardboard stand up figures that are there just to present a problem for the hero and don't... well, they don't have a purpose either in the story or anywhere else.

They are flat figures that are often stereo-typed into existence. The villain with the long waxed mustache and beady dark eyes that slinks around in a cape and ties damsels to train tracks. The tall burly thug with a broken nose that works for the head bad guy. You can think of a number of such bad bad guys. Now, can you think of some good bad guys?

How about the little old ladies that feed arsenic to people and bury them in the basement in Arsenic and Old Lace? I saw a local high school production of it years ago and enjoyed it greatly. I recall that there were quite a few things about them that make you want to like them, but you know that, whatever else you may feel about them, they should not be doing what they are doing. They are bad ladies, but... they're good bad ladies. They have character and reasons for what they do and can draw the viewer in and give the viewer a glimpse into the way they see things.

A good bad guy should give your reader the sense that the bad guy has a reason for what they are up to. They should not simply want to kill the hero because they are bad, they should have a reason that goes beyond the basic plot point for what they are trying to do. Do they have reason to believe that the hero cause the death of someone they care about and are seeking revenge? Do they believe that the hero is the one that is the bad guy?

As you create your bad guys place yourself in their role and look at the story through their eyes. Imagine for a moment it was about them, that you want the reader to connect with that character, not your protagonist. Discover the side of your story that drives the bad guys and you will have good bad guys.

0 comments: