It’s pretty uncommon that someone does something without motive. The goal of creating a villain is not to make them purely evil; the goal is to use a realistic character to push the plot further.
Without motive, a character seems to be one-dimensional. In writing, all characters should be 3D.
Motives could be almost anything, including money, power, fame, pride, fear, or lust. Just make sure your character’s motive fits their personality!
2. Give them a backstory
This is the “what went wrong” part of your book. Every character needs a backstory, but I would argue that the villain’s backstory is more important than any other character’s.
A good backstory doesn’t excuse a villain’s actions, but it may explain them. Backstories can open up doors to the reasons behind a villain’s thought process, actions, and relationships.
A loss, such as the death of a loved one or an argument that ended a long friendship, is one example of part of a backstory that can show a lot about a villain.
3. Give them both good and bad traits
I cannot stress this enough. Everyone has both good and bad traits.
No one is 100% evil or 100% good. Sure, sometimes it’s difficult to see the good side to a villain, but every villain must have one. The best way to show this is through an interaction with someone they care about, or by putting them in a situation that plays to their emotions.
4. Look at situations from their perspective
Even if you aren’t writing from the villain’s perspective, try to think about their POV in every situation.
What is their motive? How are they feeling? What are their thoughts? Do they want to be doing this?
These questions should all be ones you can answer, and the answers should reflect in the actions and words of your villain.
5. If all else fails, give them a sense of humor
Have you ever noticed how some of the best villains are also the funniest?
That’s because humor is seen as a positive trait! When you’re struggling to find something positive about your villain, humor is a good start. This can make them frustratingly likable, and turn them into a 3D character.
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