If you’ve ever studied any form of visual art, such as photography, you know that light and shadow are equally important to making a well-balanced image.…
You’re probably familiar with all the typical tropes: monster under the bed, outside the dark window, etc. But each of these examples have certain qualities in…
Villains are, quite literally, the embodiment of a love-hate relationship. We hate the way they terrorize our favorite main characters, but we also love how dramatic…
Great villains make great stories. They may be more loved than the hero. But what cocktail of devious traits and nefarious schemes makes the perfect monster?…
A dream may be motivation. It may be a vision, and ideal, or a character all its own. How do you use them in your story,…
Video games – more than tools of procrastination? Yes, actually. Today’s video games tell stories like no other media can. They engage directly and deeply with…
Q: What career, besides politics, gives you complete authority to treat others badly? A: Fiction Writing! Crafting villains is your opportunity to explore diabolical tendencies in…
Maleficent. Hannibal Lector. The White Witch. Literature and movies are rife with villains. Villains keep your protagonist on their toes. They keep the story moving. They…
We love to hate them. Maybe we also – secretly – just love them. They stalk in the shadows, twirl ugly mustaches, and make the story…