What makes a villain an actual villain?

Indeed, this bothers me a lot whenever I am writing. Saboteur was the book I was thinking of when I decided to become a writer. I was determined to develop an image of a villain as a positive character that was not simply evil for the sake of it. I didn’t want them to be your typical bad guy. I wanted them to have a reason for everything they did, even if that reason didn’t always make sense to everyone else.

Here’s the thing: villains aren’t born bad. They usually have something in their past that makes them who they are. The villain in Saboteur is not just engaged in random non-sense. They have a mission, a purpose and that purpose is personal. It’s all about revenge! It’s about making things right for some injustice that they believe to have been put on them. It’s a dangerous kind of motivation, but one I think a lot of people can relate to. Right?

This villain isn’t messy or out of control. They are the opposite of it, and they are so systematic. They plan every move, every detail. They know exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it. For them, it’s not only the power by which they are motivated; it’s also walking in the shoes of those who have wronged them. It’s about making the world pay for the wrongs done to them.

Here is a catch – every villain has flaws. As much as they may seem in control, they have their own weaknesses. Maybe it’s a fear of losing something significant, or maybe it’s a past secret they can never escape. It’s those cracks in their armor that make them human, and those cracks are what make them interesting.

Writing Saboteur got me inside this supervillain’s personality, and now I get why he/she is doing what he/she is doing. It wasn’t about turning them to the bad side for the sake of it, and it was about presenting what motivates them to behave this way and why they believe they are right. Believe me, they are convinced they are.

If you want to experience what it’s like to be in the mind of someone like this, to walk through their twisted journey, then grab your copy of Saboteur. The villain’s world is darker than you think, and once you step inside, you won’t be able to get out.

Don’t miss your chance to buy Saboteur and step into the villain’s mind. Happy reading😊