Month: May 2018

Are Bookstores Dying Out?

Riddle me this: can you name an independent bookstore in your area? How far from you is the closest Barnes & Noble? To be honest, I cannot even answer the first question. I know there’s a small bookstore–used books, I believe–on the drive to my PCP’s office. I don’t even know its name. The closest Barnes & Noble is about 16 miles from my house. If there are any other bookstores nearby, I don’t know about them. This raises an interesting question: are bookstores dying out?

I’m sure that my American readers at least remember the closure of the Borders bookstores back in 2011. Today, it seems, Barnes & Noble is struggling as well. The corporate giant Amazon has stolen many of this classic bookstore’s customers, and not without reason. Amazon is, overall, more convenient than traditional bookstores. After all, you can shop from home, get a hold of some indie and harder-to-find books not offered at brick-and-mortar stores, and you can buy a lot of other necessities and luxuries while you’re at it. But is Amazon the only reason for the decline of stores like Barnes & Noble? Certainly not.


Image retrieved from Tyler Shores

First of all, Amazon is far from the only mega-store that includes books in its inventory. Every physical Target store seems to have books as well as those found on the website, and Walmart recently entered the eBook industry by teaming up with Rakuten Kobo. (To be honest, I don’t really find the latter a big threat, considering the pathetic book display at my local Walmart.) Of course, none of these hold the same sort of weight as Amazon, but they are contributing factors.

Second of all, eBooks and audio books have changed the game. Yes, eBook sales are not holding quite as strong as when they were first introduced. However, audio books are on the rise, especially thanks to services such as Audible. Both formats have made electronic book consumption much more convenient than buying books at a physical store or even ordering physical books from online stores. Why wait a couple weeks or even a few days for a book that you can instantly have on your phone, tablet, or computer?

Finally, and perhaps the saddest factor of all, is that people just aren’t reading as much as they used to. I’m not sure about other first-world countries, but the United States has certainly hit an all-new low in regards to our disinterest in books. In fact, a recent Jimmy Kimmel segment showed that no American they asked could name even a single book truthfully or with any confidence in their answer. (Maybe it was just camera shyness, but it does illustrate the current reading crisis in the United States.) However, a recent study from Pew Research Center reveals that 1 in 4 American adults admit to not having read a book in the past year.

To be fair on that last cause, it probably isn’t just disinterest which has caused this decline in reading. As the study points out, many factors such as education level, race, and economic status also play a role. These factors also point to a larger cause of the decline in both reading and the survival of bookstores: the economy.

Economic disparity and hardship cause potential readers to spend less on books. Let’s be honest, even the most diehard book worms are going to choose food and shelter over books, if it comes down to that. An opinion article from The New York Times has also suggested that mega-stores like Amazon are crushing the life out of bookstores like Barnes & Noble with their lower prices, which are only meant to lure customers in so they will buy non-book products from them as well. The worse the economy gets and the more one-sided the competition gets, the more likely bookstores are to go out of business.


Image retrieved from The Mercury News

Do I really think bookstores are dying out? It’s possible. I personally shop more at Amazon than at Barnes & Noble. (Although, when the price is lower, I need a specific edition, or I just want the bookstore experience, I certainly go there.) I’ve even found myself buying directly from publishers more often than traditional bookstores. The times, they are a-changin’, and it’s getting harder for bookstores to keep up.

Do I think that their death is an inevitability? At this point, no. Nostalgia has begun to play a huge part in shopping habits lately. Hopefully, that will be enough to send people back to their favorite bookstores. (Unless their favorite store was Borders. Unfortunately, those people are out of luck.) The push to buy locally might also give bookstores a boost. Only time will tell. Until then, the entire bookstore industry will be on the rocks.

What do you think? Are bookstores doomed? Are they being crushed by the economy and corporate giants? Or can bookstores make a comeback? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Writers on Writing: Yiyun Li

Happy Manic Monday, everyone! I think the best way to start this crazy week is with some words of writing wisdom from another well-praised author. Today, I want to switch gears to Chinese American writer Yiyun Li.

Yiyun Li is a novelist and short story writer, winner of such awards as the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, the PEN/Hemingway Award, and the California Book Award. In 2010, she was named one of The New Yorker‘s 20 under 40 and a MacArthur Foundation fellow. Her best-known works include her short story collections Gold Boy, Emerald Girl and A Thousand Years of Good Prayers and her novel The Vagrants. For more information, be sure to check out Li’s Wikipedia page.


Image retrieved from Writers Write

The reason I’ve chosen to focus on some insight from Li is twofold:

  1. My Master’s program just read and discussed The Vagrants.
  2. I had Li as a professor for a short story literature class when I was getting my Bachelor’s degree at UC Davis.

One of the most striking elements in Li’s writing is her characters. They’re raw, real, and all a little bit ugly yet, somehow, relatable. That’s why I think it would be a good idea to focus on how she views the development of good characters:

Writing fiction is this kind of staring, too. You have to stare at your characters, like you would a stranger on the train, but for much longer than is comfortable for both of you. This way, you get to know characters layer by layer, until any dishonesty is stripped away.

–Yiyun Li

This quote, part of a longer article comprised of several writers’ advice, presents an interesting perspective on character development. It suggests that characters are not just constructs of our minds. Rather, they have a sort of life and consciousness of their own. They can lie to us, hide their pasts from us, and mislead us about their stories; it’s only by watching them and spending an inordinate amount of time with them that we can find the truth and write the real story.

Admittedly, as I type this, it sounds a little crazy. After all, characters are fictional. They shouldn’t have lives of their own because they aren’t real. Of course, there’s a reason that a lot of writers joke about being bombarded by the voices inside their heads. (Or, during writer’s block, the voices in their heads not speaking to them.) But is there any validity to this approach to character development?


Image retrieved from Writers Write

Many people would argue that the characters they create are composites of many different people they know, that they are based on historical figures, or, in some cases, that the writers are the characters. These claims might be right. All writers, I think, slip some traits of friends, family, bosses, etc. into characters, even if it’s subconsciously. However, does that mean that we don’t “stare” at our characters to get to know them better? Do we just passively put together some traits in the hopes that a realistic character will come out on the page?

I cannot vouch for every writer, but I lean towards Li’s way of thinking. Our characters may be an extension of ourselves, historical figures, or people we know. Still, that does not mean we don’t have to get to know them. Personally, my stories evolve the more time I spend “observing” my characters. My current fantasy WIP has been in the tube for years, and it’s only thanks to the time I’ve spent with the main character that I finally know in which direction the story needs to go.

My only problem with Li’s assertion is that it implies the characters begin as strangers. While logically that should be the case, I never feel that way with my characters. Even new characters feel very familiar to me. It’s a bit like when you make friends as a child; you have a lot to learn about them, but from the first moment you play together, it’s as though you’ve known each other your whole lives.

Either way, I doubt that most characters pop up fully-developed in the writer’s mind. It takes time and patience to get to know them. Often, it takes multiple drafts of one story to figure out who they really are. Even then, even after publication, you might find yourself returning to that story in future years and realize that you had a character entirely wrong. If they do appear to you fully-developed, you’re either very lucky or have the brain of a super computer with Artificial Intelligence. In the latter scenario, you might have something bigger to worry about than character development. (World domination, anyone?)

What do you think about Li’s insight? Do you have to “stare” at a character in order to get to know them better? Or should you be able to understand them rather quickly? Are they strangers when you first think of them? Or do you have the nagging feeling that you’ve met them before? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Update 11/25/2022: This article and other pieces of my writing, from The Writer’s Scrap Bin articles to original stories and poetry, can be found on Vocal.


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Clever Covers: Combining Artistic Vision with Marketability

Don’t judge a book by its cover, that’s what we’ve always been told, but we do it anyway. Why lie? Covers draw our eyes, pique our curiosity towards those books, and, in theory, give us an idea of what we will encounter inside. They depict the books’ artistic visions and boast their best qualities in an attempt to attract readers. But what is artistic is not always marketable and vice versa. Writers, designers, and publishers will, at one point or another, clash over how the covers should look. The question becomes: is it possible to make a cover that matches the writer’s vision and will satisfy the publisher’s need for marketability?

To be honest, I don’t think it’s possible to be perfectly satisfied with a cover. It’s possible to compromise and come up with a cover that everyone is comfortable with, but it’s rare that everyone is 100% happy with it. After all, we repeatedly come out with new editions of books with new covers (often by new artists). The re-releases refresh the book’s commercial appeal and sometimes drifts more towards the writer’s vision, although just as many times they drift away from this vision.


Different covers, same book.

Image retrieved from The Fox is Black

Sometimes the writer’s artistic vision wins, sometimes the designer’s artistic vision wins, and sometimes the publisher’s bottom line wins. In a perfect world, everyone involved would reach a compromise which keeps all of them semi-happy. Yet we do not live in a perfect world, and the publisher typically has the final say.

When the publisher gets what they want, the cover might be marketable but clashes might also occur. The most recent example I can think of is Terry Goodkind’s reaction to Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme’s cover design for Shroud of Eternity, which Goodkind called “laughably bad” and “sexist”.

Now, I could say a thing or two about Goodkind choosing to publicly shame Lecouffe-Deharme, but that’s best saved for a post about the illustrator/writer relationship in particular. What I want to point out here is that Lecouffe-Deharme worked according to direction he was given by the publisher. The publisher had to approve the cover. And, in the end, Goodkind didn’t think that the publisher-approved cover matched his work. Such is the risk when trying to design book covers. It’s beautiful and marketable but sacrifices the writer’s visions.

Sometimes, though, the stars align and the perfect book cover comes along. The other day I saw such a cover for a beloved dystopian classic.

As I am apparently behind the times, I just recently came across an eye-catching design for a Fahrenheit 451 cover from 2013. This cover, designed by Elizabeth Perez, has a spine made from a matchbook striking paper surface and has a match within the front cover. It’s an incredibly potent representation of the main message of the book. Not only that, but the simplicity of the design portrays enough mystery to draw the reader’s attention, thus making it marketable.


Image retrieved from Buzzfeed

Clearly, self-published writers have a very different experience with covers. Self-published writers don’t have publishers hijacking the book and its cover design. However, that also means the writer must track down a talented artist and create an acceptable cover themselves. This could involve countless revisions (and, often, a lot of money). Then, if readers don’t react well to the initial cover, the writer must start the process all over again. The balance between artistic vision and marketability is as tricky to maintain for self-published books as for traditional publishing; the problem is that the writers must carry most of the weight themselves.

Is it possible to find a happy compromise for covers? Of course. Many writers, publishers, and artists are so perfectly matched that the result pleases everyone. Most of them are matched well enough that they at least find the cover acceptable, even if it’s not their vision of a perfectly artistic and marketable cover. Still, some people are not so lucky. As with most things in life, someone has to give. Unfortunately for us, it’s usually the writers. Nevertheless, if we persevere and communicate with the publishers and/or artists, we can create a cover which we are proud to have on our books.

What has been your experience with book covers? For those who have been traditionally published, did you have difficulties agreeing with your publisher on a cover? Or were they willing to take your vision into account? For self-publishers, did you have a hard time communicating with your cover artist? Did you have to change the cover after release as a result of reader feedback? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Friday Fun-Day Writing Prompts: Unlovable Characters

TGIF, everyone! Sorry for another week of radio silence and erratic posting; deadlines for my portfolio and essay for grad school are coming up pretty quickly and it’s taking everything in me not to freak out. (Actually, I am freaking out, but that’s another story.) Anyway, this week is also my program’s discussion of Yiyun Li’s The Vagrants, and I think that one of the threads has brought up a very interesting topic: unlovable characters.

Unlovable characters are those whom you absolutely cannot love because they are despicable human beings. Most likely, they’re also mentally disturbed. Think pedophiles, psychopaths, and other deviants. These characters are perhaps the trickiest to write, especially if they aren’t clear-cut villains. To make them real people with real thoughts and emotions, someone with whom the reader can empathize a little without really loving or even liking them, takes a lot of imagination. As disturbing as it is, you have to put yourself in this character’s shoes and bring the good, the bad, and the ugly to your writing.

That’s why I want to focus on unlovable characters for this writing prompt.


Image retrieved from Pinterest

The prompt,  as always, is straightforward. Write a scene for a short story or novel from the perspective of an unlovable character. The scene must be written in first person. It can be for an existing WIP, something entirely new that you will pursue, or just a scene to flex your writing muscles. It doesn’t matter so long as it is in first person from the unlovable character’s POV.

The goal is to write an unlovable character who is still relatable and believable as a human being. It must also be clear that they are deviant and what kind of deviant they are. You must get into this person’s head and entirely understand them before writing this scene. Then, while you’re writing the scene, you must be careful to show the humanity in your character while allowing the reader to still hate them for what they do (or have done).

I know this sounds easy. In fact, it sounds like how you should approach any character. However, most of you will find this task…uncomfortable. After all, you’ll be diving into the mind of a deviant, someone whom I assume is not like you, someone whose acts disturb you. I have a hard time with it and should probably do this prompt myself. Still, if you can successfully create a well-rounded unlovable character, you should have few problems with writing other characters realistically.

Did you find this exercise helpful? Do you think it’s possible to write unlovable characters that still seem human? Or do the writer’s morals and bias interfere too much? Leave your thoughts and experiences with this exercise in the comments below!

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Special Announcement: Gangs of Stockholm by Luke G. Dahl

I have some exciting news about an author whose work I have reviewed on this blog before, Luke G. Dahl. Dahl has just recently released a new book called Gangs of Stockholm, a true psychological thriller about a teenaged boy who becomes a member of one of Stockholm’s infamous gangs. In an exciting twist, Gangs of Stockholm has even been dubbed the #1 New Release in Amazon’s Teen & Young Adult Literary Biography eBooks category!


Check out Gangs of Stockholm on Amazon.

Eric is an ordinary boy with an ordinary life in Stockholm, Sweden. Then one day, a well-intended act of bravery leads him down a one-way road straight into Stockholm’s underworld. Seduced by the adrenaline and secrecy of gang life, it doesn’t take long for gang activity to become the driving force of Eric’s life. But what causes great excitement can also cause great pain–how will he survive it? Will he be able to keep his secret double-life from his family? And will Eric ever have to face the consequences of his choices?

Like Daddy’s Curse, this book is both heart-wrenching and compelling, most especially as it is based on real events. Eric is a very relatable character, and it’s hard to not feel for him when things begin to fall apart. Of course, I feel that there could be more to the story than what is told in this novel, but I suppose there’s only so much that can be done when a book is based on a true story.

Also, if you don’t like violence or can’t stomach it, you probably won’t want to read this. After all, it’s about gangs; there’s bound to be violence, and a lot of it. And if you don’t like emotional reads, this book isn’t for you, either. Eric is not only part of a gang but is also on the verge of adulthood; emotions run rampant, and there isn’t exactly such a thing as a “happy ending” in this world.

Regardless, if you like crime stories and coming-of-age novels, you’ll find Gangs of Stockholm to be very engaging and captivating.

You may have noticed another name on the Amazon page. Yes, I worked as editor for this novel and other works by Luke G. Dahl over the past few months. After I reviewed Daddy’s Curse, Dahl offered me some editing work in the revision of Daddy’s Curse and a couple of his other works. I am very grateful for this work, especially since I really enjoyed these stories and am glad to have been able to make them the best they could be.

In addition to the new book, one of Dahl’s other books, Daddy’s Curse, has just been named an Amazon bestseller in the Teen & Young Adult Literary Biography eBooks category.


Check out Daddy’s Curse on Amazon.

Please join me in congratulating Luke G. Dahl in the comments below.

Do you have a new book coming out? Know of another small-print or indie author releasing some new work? Drop a line in the comments or e-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and I might announce it in a future post.

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Writing Tools for the Modern Age: Final Draft

Happy Hump Day, my loyal followers! You’ve probably noticed that I haven’t posted in a few days once again. Well, this time I was helping one of my clients rewrite a script of theirs; I’m sure you can imagine how much time and energy that takes. (I like a good challenge.) It’s worth noting that this experience did introduce me to software which the screenwriters in the audience might want to know about: Final Draft.

Final Draft is the bestselling screenwriting software in the world. It’s used by studios such as BBC, Paramount, ABC, Disney, and Warner Bros. Testimonials for it come from writers of such movies and shows as Black Swan, Lost, Mad Men, and The Social Network. Needless to say, this software is popular. But what exactly is Final Draft?

Here are some basics about the software:

  • It provides over 100 templates for screenplays, teleplay, and stage plays;
  • Final Draft works on Windows, Macintosh, or on the Final Draft app for iPhone or iPad;
  • You can plan out acts, scenes, and sequences using Story Map;
  • You can collaborate with a writing partner in real-time;
  • The software formats your script to meet entertainment industry standards;
  • The software for the computer costs (Final Draft 10) costs $249.99, and the app (sold separately) costs $19.99.

You can learn more about the software and its costs on the company’s website.


Image retrieved from Writer’s Store

Now, if you aren’t seriously considering getting into screenwriting, I do not recommend this software. Why? The cost. For screenwriters who also work in other genres, this software can be a regular all-in-one package. It’s great for screenwriting and even has some options for books and other forms of writing. However, if you aren’t interested in writing scripts, teleplays, or stage plays, there are many other, more affordable, programs and websites available for the rest. There’s also the snag that you can only open Final Draft files in Final Draft, i.e. you cannot convert it to Word doc or PDF, so it’s rather inconvenient for those outside of scripts and screenplays.

That being said, the software was very helpful in the process of rewriting this script. Also, it’s rather fun to toy around with if you already needed it for another project. There are many options for formatting, dialogue, page and scene numbering, notes and revisions for scripts, etc., more than I could list here. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve discovered even half of what the software has to offer, and I will be sure to keep you updated if I find out anything noteworthy in the future. (I will also let you know if I discover any glitches or other issues.)

I should also mention that this software could come in handy for those looking to turn a novel into a screenplay or vice versa. With templates available for both formats and the ability to have multiple files open at once, it would be relatively easy to switch between the two formats while working on the adaptation.

Like I said before, if you’re not into screenwriting, Final Draft isn’t for you, especially not at this price. However, if you are serious about screenwriting, you should give it some consideration. In the long run, it could save you time, keep you organized, and make your work look more professional.

To the screenwriters out there: have you used Final Draft? What has been your experience with it? Do you know of any other programs–for screenwriters or writers overall–that can help writers organize and compose their works? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Book Reviews: Skooter Girl by Darielle Mac

I haven’t reviewed a graphic novel in quite a while, so I figure it’s time that I dabble in that genre/art form again. The one I picked up recently is a YA, fantasy/superhero sort of story with a combination of prose and illustrations which gets an immediate hold on the reader and will not let go. With robots, selkies, and enchanting music, there’s a little bit of everything for all the speculative fiction fans out there. For this review, I will be discussing Skooter Girl, written by Darielle Mac and illustrated by Dell Barras.

Amber is a beautiful, confident, and talented young woman living on the Tir Na Nor (the magic Isle) with her father, a prophetic music instructor and prominent member of their village. Her birthday has come and she is finally turning sixteen; as is the tradition in her village, she is now, technically, an adult. Little does Amber understand, reaching adulthood comes with adult responsibilities. So when Amber learns that her father’s plans for her are different from what her heart is telling her is right, she must make the most difficult decision of her life so far: stay with her father and follow through with his plans, or go out into the world and discover what she wants out of life.


Image retrieved from Amazon

Will Amber make the right choice? What adventures await her as she enters womanhood? And what is the mysterious disease infecting the wine grapes of the nearby land of Colorfulnation?

Darielle Mac has created a magical world with elements of the futuristic and the mythical. I’m just dying to learn more about it, and not just the magic or how it works; I want to know more about the socio-political structure, the geography, and the history. I especially want to see more about the selkies. I love the original selkie legend—The Secret of Roan Inish is one of my all-time favorite movies—and I wonder what Mac will do with this increasingly-popular topic. All that might be a little overwhelming for the targeted audience, but when stretched over a series of graphic novels, I’m sure that we’ll learn much more about all these areas by the final book.

Dell Barras’s illustrations also pair perfectly with Mac’s world. They are beautifully vivid and eye-catching, incredibly high quality. I got a very good idea of the flora, fauna, and other natural wonders of Mac’s world, and Barras brings the characters to life. I found the scenes at sea to be especially well-illustrated; the shading and realistic depictions of the ocean and its creatures are astounding.

Each of Mac’s characters is unique and well-developed: Finn, the overprotective but loving father; Carin, the friend who always has Amber’s back; Bran, the love-struck and perhaps delusional son of the banker; and Pete, the goofy but well-meaning robot are just a sample of the wide range of people you will meet in Skooter Girl. They are all a little too cheery for me at times, but I can understand Mac wanting to start this series on a more positive note in order to encourage readers to continue with the rest of the series.

Amber is, in my opinion, a great role model for YA readers. She’s spunky, confident, and take-charge as well as the best friend anyone could ever want. She grabs the future by the horns, and not because of some guy like certain princesses we know (I’m looking at you, Ariel). Instead, Amber is determined to do what is right for her as a well-rounded, successful, and happy person. She shows YA readers, especially young women, that you can’t just wait for someone to hand you a destiny; you must go find it.

While Amber is an excellent character and I’m sure she will make a great hero for this series, my favorite character is Uncle Luc. He’s the cool uncle who will let you do what you want so long as you don’t hurt anyone and it’s in your best interest. It also doesn’t hurt that he reminds me a lot of Belle’s father from the Disney cartoon Beauty and the Beast. He’s inventive, funny, a little eccentric, and over-the-top when it comes to his gifts—just what anyone would be looking for in a long-lost relative. I am looking forward to seeing how he might help, or hinder, Amber’s adventures.

Skooter Girl is an excellent introduction to Amber and her world, especially for teenaged and young adult readers. That being said, I have a minor complaint about the book. The first is where it ends. I know it’s part of a series, but I was so wrapped up in the plot that when it suddenly stopped, I was disappointed. It seemed as though the story had just picked up and then cut off during what could have been a build-up to the climax. Still, I feel as though I can forgive Mac this flaw because I know it’s “to be continued.” I just want it to continue immediately! I love that Mac throws us right into the world without too many explanations to slow down the narration, but the abrupt ending almost killed me because I was so absorbed in it.

Overall, I highly recommend Skooter Girl by Darielle Mac. It’s great not just for YA readers or graphic novel enthusiasts; fans of fantasy and science fiction, along with a little mystery, will find this book right up their alley. It’s a story about magic and technology, love and corruption, and, most of all, discovering oneself outside of how others define us. You won’t be able to put it down until you’re finished, and the end will leave you anxious for more.

You can buy Skooter Girl as an e-book and in print on Amazon. As with most illustrated stories, I suggest buying a print copy in order to best experience the wonderful images.

Do you know of any books I should read? E-mail me at thewritersscrapbin@gmail.com and let me know!

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011

Developing Believable Villains

Happy Friday, and May the 4th be with you! I apologize for my absence over the last week or so; I’ve been handling some projects which are taking a lot more time than I had originally estimated. Then today I was watching the Star Wars marathon on TBS. (I have officially fallen in love with John Boyega! Too bad they stopped with The Force Awakens; no spoilers for The Last Jedi, please.) Watching these movies have gotten me thinking about a part of writing which can be incredibly difficult, especially for genre writers: developing believable villains.


Image retrieved from YouTube

In the Star Wars movies I’ve watched, I’ve seen examples of believable villains, unbelievable villains, and some that are in between. Darth Vader: believable. Kylo Ren: in between. Jabba: eh. The Emperor: unbelievable. With plot-driven movies like Star Wars and their literary parallels, it’s easier to get away with characters like The Emperor; they’re over the top and relentlessly evil but at least they drive the plot forward.

Still, relying on such villains can grow tiresome. They have virtually no depth and are evil just to be evil. No emotional connection forms between the reader (or viewer in the case of movies) and this antagonist. They only cheer for their deaths or other forms of downfall because it means the hero/heroine is triumphant.

So, what does make a well-developed villain?

Well, they’re like any other character. They need a unique, complex personality and a strong backstory; there needs to be a reason they do what they do. Readers must be able to understand the rationale behind their actions while not necessarily agreeing with them. At the least, we should see some sort of emotional arc to their part of the story, something that shows they aren’t just a villainous caricature.

Let’s switch gears from a fanatic film franchise to a fanatic literary franchise: Harry Potter. The main villain in the Harry Potter books is, obviously, Lord Voldemort. For the first several books, Voldemort seems to be quite the unbelievable antagonist. Is he villainous and someone whom our hero should fight? Of course! In that way, he is believable. However, in the beginning we know little about him except for the fact that he’s done horrendous things and he’s out to kill Harry.


Image retrieved from heatworld

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, though, Voldemort leaps from a flat character to well-rounded as we learn more about his background. His hatred of Muggles starts to make sense as does his heartlessness; we even find several parallels between Voldemort and Harry, a possible psychological reason for why Voldemort decided to go after Harry instead of Neville when they were babies. Readers certainly do not feel that his actions are justified, and thus he remains believable as an evil character. Still, we understand him better, which makes him more believable as a character overall.

We see similar development in the Star Wars prequels with the creation of Darth Vader from Anakin Skywalker. We see him go from an innocent little boy to a promising young Jedi and, finally, the broken, sad, and angry Darth Vader we know and hate in the original Star Wars trilogy. Even before the prequels in the original trilogy itself we see complex emotional development for Darth Vader, a glimmer of humanity which makes us want him to come back to the Light Side.

When push comes to shove, humans are complex emotional beings. We constantly fight with the dark side within us–and sometimes the light side if we’re already immersed in our darker tendencies. As readers and viewers, we want to see that struggle reflected in fiction. That’s why a believable villain can be a genre writer’s greatest secret weapon as well as their biggest challenge. Make readers feel emotional attachment to your villains while still rooting against them and you’re golden. Neglect to develop your villains and you can still have a successful story; you will just lose some potential depth and genius material.

What do you think? Do you prefer villains that are believable as people? Or do you prefer for them to just be a physical embodiment of the evil the heroes are fighting? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

 


Designed by Stephanie Hoogstad circa 2011