The Villain's Voice — Writing From the Bad Guy's Perspective

writing craft

I want to write (all or part of) a story from the antagonist’s perspective and point of view.

How to write in the Villain’s Voice? Let’s use the acronym BRAVURA:

Backstory - delve deep into my past, what shaped me?
Reasons - what’s my worldview, my wants, needs, rules?
Animal - what animal (or two) can I be compared to?
Voice - find your own ‘evil’ voice, make it compelling
Understanding - make me human, relatable, believable
Repercussions - what are the consequences of my acts?
Arc - what is my emotional arc, my character transformation?

This article is SPOILER-FREE, so don’t worry, you can rest assured that we did NOT include examples that would ruin your favorite book or movie by revealing their villain. At the end of the article there is a series of links to examples of great villains where there are spoilers, so beware before you click on any of those links (in the “Resources” section of the article).

Before we start ...
do you want to write fiction faster,
while practicing your craft and your writing process to consistently get better?

Check out this link to the FREE "Write Fiction Faster ... and better" guide and workbook,
which comes with a FREE companion course
with 23 bite-sized video lessons and 4 worksheets.

Showing the World Through the Villain’s Eyes

By showing the world through a villain’s eyes, we can delve into the complexity of human psychology, explore moral gray areas, and delve deeper into the contrasts between the villain and the other characters in the story.

A well-developed villain not only adds depth to the story but also helps readers gain insight into the hero’s struggles and growth.

So, listen closely to that wicked whisper within, and let’s make our villain into a BRAVURA masterpiece, a compelling and memorable character that our readers will love to hate!

BACKSTORY — How I Became a Villain

Who am I? What made me the way I am?

I was not born an antagonist, but my life experiences have led me to become one.

To understand the villain within me, you must look into the nuances of my backstory. You must delve deep into those moments that created a fissure in my life — the moments that changed everything and set me on this path of destruction.

Maybe it was a betrayal by someone close, perhaps an abusive relationship or a period of intense suffering at the hands of another person.

These difficult times in life have also allowed me to gain insight into what motivates others and how they can be maneuvered towards choices beneficial for me.

Whatever it may be, these experiences form part of the antagonist’s story and should be explored with detail to make him or her believable and relatable to readers.

By taking time to craft compelling backstories for your villains you will add depth to the antagonists, which promotes a sense of realism and prevents them from falling into a stereotypical “bad guy” trope.

REASONS — What the Villain Wants

What are my reasons — my worldview, my wants, my needs, my rules?

I have my own set of wants, needs, and rationales. My worldview may be one of power and control. I want to be in charge and call the shots. Or I may feel helpless or betrayed when someone stops me from achieving my goals, so I do whatever it takes to gain back the control I crave. Or both!

My motivations are often deeply personal and rooted in my past experiences—experiences that have shaped who I am today (see my backstory). Although some may see me as evil, there are still aspects of myself that are relatable and understandable to the reader.

My needs are often highly specific and driven by what I believe is right or wrong in any given situation.

Even though I may be labeled a ‘villain’, it doesn’t mean that these needs aren’t real or valid — my motivations come from a place of necessity rather than malice (at least in my own mind). Perhaps I am trying to protect those close to me. Or maybe my motivations simply align with my beliefs. Whatever the case, these wants and needs will allow readers to empathize with me on some level: no matter how ‘bad’ someone is perceived to be, there is always something underneath worth exploring.

Consider how my actions may be driven by personal needs, desires, or fears that align with the reader’s own experiences. This allows the reader to better understand and possibly empathize with the villain.

ANIMAL — The Villain’s Spirit Animal

So, I’m an animal? Go ahead, compare me to one. Perhaps then you can understand me better.

Animals are simple and pure with clear, strong drives. So am I.

Here are some examples:

Fox: I am like the fox, cunning and sly. My moves are methodical and calculated, and my mind is always one step ahead of my opponents. I know how to adapt quickly when plans go awry, finding new ways to get what I want. I can be manipulative when it suits me, using others to do my bidding while keeping myself out of harm’s way.
Wolf: I am like the wolf - powerful and protective. My loyalty lies with those closest to me and I will do whatever it takes to safeguard them from danger. I have an alpha mentality that allows me to take charge of any situation; no one else can lead without my consent or direction. My strength is unparalleled, allowing me to stand firm against any adversary who stands in my way.
Snake: I am like the snake - devious and deadly. My strikes are silent yet effective, often catching foes off guard with a surprise attack before they even know what hit them. Some may call this a cowardly tactic but I know it’s the only way to get results — they’ll never see me coming until it’s too late! I bring down anyone who gets in my way; no mercy for those foolish enough to oppose me.
Rat: I am like the rat - persistent and resourceful. Obstacles don’t stop me; instead they challenge me to find creative solutions that will help me reach my goals. No matter how difficult things seem, I never give up until I’ve achieved what I set out to do. When the odds are stacked against me, you can almost guarantee that there is something deep within that will drive me forward no matter what happens next!
Spider: I am like the spider- patient and calculating. Before making a move I bide my time, observing my opponents as if mapping out their weaknesses. Like a webmaster weaving intricate webs around its prey, I plot carefully before I strike.
Pig: I am like the pig - determined and relentless. Nothing can stand in the way of achieving my goal . When there’s something worth pursuing, nothing can stop me from getting it. My morals may not align with those of others, but ultimately this only serves as fuel for pushing forward despite what society deems acceptable or unacceptable behavior.
Cat: I am like the cat - independent and mysterious. Unlike most people, I prefer working alone, relying solely on myself for motivation and guidance. Although cats are often seen as aloof creatures, they possess an inner strength that allows them to keep going even when facing uncertainty or danger — much like myself!
Rabbit: I am like the rabbit - shrewd and agile. The rabbit is quick on its feet. I can also be crafty when necessary; manipulating situations so as best suit myself without getting caught up in needless drama or “playing nice” with those who don’t deserve it .

Or perhaps I am a combination of two animals. Here are some examples:

Fox and Spider: Just like the fox, I possess cunning and slyness, as well as an ability to adapt quickly when plans go awry. And, just like a spider, I am patient and calculating when making important decisions. With cold precision, I bring down anyone who stands in my way. My moves are methodical and calculated, and my mind is always one step ahead of my adversaries. I can be manipulative when it suits me, using others to do my bidding while keeping myself out of harm’s way. Before making a move, I bide my time observing opponents as if mapping out their weaknesses in anticipation for a strike later on down the line.
Rat and Pig - persistent, determined, and relentless. My resourcefulness allows me to find solutions to problems that others may overlook; this coupled with my determination means that I never give up until I’ve achieved what I set out to do. Nothing can stand in the way of achieving my goals and when there’s something worth pursuing, nothing can stop me from getting it. My strength lies in being able to adapt quickly while keeping focused on the bigger picture — one step ahead of everyone else!
Wolf and Rabbit - fierce yet agile, determined yet cunning. With strength and adaptability, I can take on any challenge that comes my way and find a way to come out on top. My wolf-like qualities allow me to be relentless in pursuit of my goals; no matter how difficult things become I remain unshaken in my commitment to achieving greatness. My agility is similar to that of the rabbit; quick on my feet and always one step ahead of my adversaries in any situation. I possess an inner strength that allows me to keep going even when facing uncertainty or danger. My ability to maneuver through difficult situations with confidence makes me an incredibly formidable antagonist.

VOICE — Channel The Villain: Find Your Own ‘Evil’ Voice

Now that you understand me better, can you speak in my voice?

First, you need to find your own ‘evil’ voice, but not a caricature cartoon voice — no twirling moustaches, please, and no cackling maniacs! Make my voice true to who I am, and make it compelling and interesting.

My voice is my own — it’s distinct, powerful, and unyielding. To truly channel me, you must understand that I am more than just a villain — I’m a catalyst for change and an antagonist who stands firm in the face of adversity.

To understand why I do what I do, you need to know where I come from and why my worldview is what it is, so immerse yourself in my backstory, my reasons for what I do, and my identity (channeled through my “spirit animal(s)”).

Now, let me speak my truth.

Every decision I make goes back to my core beliefs - no matter how difficult things become or how much opposition stands in my way, nothing can break my spirit or rid me of my desire to achieve my own aims at any cost. This single-minded focus should come out in the way I narrate my side of the story.

To channel me correctly, you must also understand my motivations and reasons for doing what I do. My morals may not align with those of society’s but they’re mine, and I voice them in everything I think and say.

My voice is strong, determined and unapologetic. I may be soft spoken, manipulative, or domineering —regardless of its volume or intensity, my voice carries the weight of conviction behind it.

Ultimately, voicing me requires blending together all these elements - from understanding where I come from to understanding why I do what I do. Give me a distinct, unforgettable tone that suits my personality and background.

Don’t be afraid to toy with the reader’s emotions and make them feel a bit uneasy. After all, an unforgettable story is one that dances on the line between good and evil, pulling the reader in with every devious turn of the page.

Sometimes, to craft a compelling story, you have to dive deep into the dark corners of your imagination and give life to those malicious characters lurking in the shadows. Finding your “evil” voice and writing from the perspective of a villain can be both challenging and exhilarating.

Embrace your sinister side and let it be the guiding force behind creating the voice of that multifaceted antagonist that’ll haunt your readers long after they’ve closed the book.

UNDERSTANDING — The Villain is Relatable (Yes, Even the Bad Guy/Girl is Human)

I may be seen as a villain by some, but I’m still human.

Despite my bad behavior, I have emotions like any other individual — just like hero, just like the reader.

Ultimately, I’m driven by my motivations; be it financial security, power or influence, protecting those dear to me, love, hate, revenge, justice — it all comes back to achieving something meaningful and worthwhile in life (from my perspective).

My antagonist role may not be relatable to most readers on a personal level, but they can still appreciate the struggle towards achieving something meaningful in life — making me more than just an antagonist but also relatable and believable on some level.

REPERCUSSIONS — The Villain’s Actions Have Consequences

The word “repercussion” is derived from the Latin root “percussio,” which means a strike or a blow.

My actions have consequences, landing like blows:

My actions create the tension and conflict that drive the story by pushing others — my victims, the protagonist — to the brink. It’s this pressure, this conflict, that forces them to take action in order to protect themselves from me, ultimately creating a sense of urgency and driving the plot forward.
I am able to weave chaos into the narrative — testing the strength of those around me while simultaneously seeking my own goals. I leverage this power by manipulating situations, taking calculated risks and using clever tactics to keep my victims off balance.
My ambition and resilience might even lead readers to root for me (at least a little bit) despite my antagonist role — after all, everyone wants to see a “hero” succeed (even when they’re the villain.)

Inevitably, my choices come with a price and a risk of repercussions that I must be prepared to face:

If I make missteps, it could lead to serious repercussions for me as well — whether its retribution from those that have suffered due to my actions or fierce opposition from other characters.
On a more subtle level, even if my enemies don’t retaliate against me directly, the way I conduct myself and interact with others can create ripple effects of mistrust and fear. Even if I’m able to get away with wrongdoings in the short term, people may become suspicious of me and stop trusting me in the long run.
I may also come to understand that my actions are harmful, and I may go through a character transformation (but this change, if it happens, needs to be true to my backstory, my reasons, and my identity)

As a writer, you need to strike a delicate balance between providing the inevitable (in most stories) comeuppance for the villain while also keeping it unexpected and surprising.

A well-executed consequence for a villain not only leaves the reader feeling a sense of relief and satisfaction but also reinforces the core themes and messages of your story. It’s essential to understand your villain’s motivations and flaws, so you can devise consequences that feel organic and believable.

Of course, there is also the bleak, downbeat story where the villain wins. If you feel that is right for the story, go ahead. But be aware that that this can leave many readers feeling unsatisfied. So, be mindful of reader expectations in your genre or style of story.

ARC — The Villain’s Road to Ruin or Redemption

What is my emotional arc, and do I have a character transformation in the story?

First, do you know where this story is headed for me? What's the final outcome for the villain? If I’m going to get my comeuppance, then this will end in a bleak way, a tragedy (from my perspective), so my emotional arc will be one that ends in a “fall”, one of these three emotional arcs:

FALL - like Romeo & Juliet, where I start high, what appears to be an emotional triumph. I’m on the top of the world from the beginning, with all power seemingly in my hands, and in the catalyst (inciting incident) it appears that I will achieve my ‘bliss’. But my bliss comes with the seed of my fall, which in retrospect will seem inevitable.
RISE-FALL - like Icarus, where I start at a low point, but through my evil plans I lift my way out of the bad situation, and everything seems to be going my way — until the bad turn happens (from my perspective), perhaps due to some flaw in my character or a major mistake in my approach.
FALL-RISE-FALL - like Oedipus, where I start at a high point, but I get the feet knocked out from under me. Perhaps it’s this initial fall that motivates me to use any means, even ones that others will consider evil, to get back on top again. But in this apparent triumph there’s a seed of my eventual fall, maybe because I have made the immoral choices, or because of the protagonist I’ve chosen to pick a fight with, and I come crashing down again.

One of the three emotional arcs that end in “fall” is the most frequently seen — in commercial fiction — because it is the mirror opposite of the protagonist’s overall “rise” outcome.

If, on the other hand, you are writing a story where I, the villain, “wins” in the end, then my emotional arc would one of the three that end in a “RISE” — the RISE (Rocky), the FALL-RISE (DIE HARD), or the RISE-FALL-RISE (Cinderella) emotional arcs.

There are two ways that you can have my story end on a “Rise”:

The protagonist’s emotional arc is the bleak tragedy, and I’m the antagonist who is (at least in part) to blame for the protagonist’s demise.
The protagonist will triump, but in the process I will go through a transformation and make a turn from the villain, the bad guy/girl, to redeem myself and renounce my evil ways.

My character transformation — whether positive or negative — can be mapped using the character method:

Before - who was I before?
After - who did I become?
Turning point - what happened to make me change?

This could be in the past (i.e. part of the backstory), so that I don’t actually go through a character transformation in this story — I just act out my “after” character consistently throughout this story.

Or it could be a transformation that occurs as part of this story.

Regardless, make me real, let me have my believable, human reasons for being and acting the way I do.

Resources

This article was spoiler-free, so as not to ruin your favorite book or movie by revealing their villain.

HOWEVER, the articles listed below do include MAJOR SPOILERS, so click at your own risk.

MY FAVORITE ALL-PURPOSE RESOURCE

The Writer's Treasure Chest - everything in one place, curated, organized, this is a great reference for all things writing craft, with tons of prompts, plot/character generators and other tools to inspire you to write a great story with a memorable, believable, and compelling villain.

Your great villain is only one aspect of your story. Here are some articles that will be helpful as you write:

FREE COURSE, GUIDE AND WORKBOOK

Do you want to write fiction faster, while practicing your craft and your writing process to consistently get better? Check out this link to the "Write Fiction Faster ... and better" guide and workbook, which comes with a companion course with 23 bite-sized video lessons and 4 worksheets.

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