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| Don't mind my mother-in-law |
When was the last time you had to befriend a total douche-kabob? Your Witchiepoo mother-in-law, or your clueless, "I'm boinkin' the boss" manager?
If you're a writer, your answer should be, "Every. Day."
As an amateur horror / thriller writer, I am parts word fairy, story ninja, editor (the fun parts), but also part mediator (the not-fun part). Playing mediator means I must befriend all my characters, even the s****y ones.
With some characters, I gush, “I adore her...we just traded organic Pinterest desserts over skinny soy lattes!” Other characters warrant justification, “Just because he skins people for pleasure doesn't mean he's banned from book club.”
But that's just what we do as writers - justify our characters' actions as we mediate their conflicts. Meaning you should be close to each of your characters. Like, MySpace Top 8 close. But how about that one character who pains your rectum?
Behold, 3 tried-and-true methods to befriend your most abrasive character:1. Take Your Douchey Character On A Date
Not trying to get all fetish cosplay here (unless you want to). What I mean is that as an author, you should spend time with your characters in places they love. Take your protagonist to her favorite Italian restaurant, go for a beach stroll - she's a water sign.
You might cringe at your antagonist's fever for human flesh, but there must be SOMETHING you have in common. Does he like drive-in movies, the local microbrewery, long walks in the park at night? All perfect places to tap your baddie character's brain. Bring mace.
2. Interview Your Other Characters
What better way to get close to your villain than to interview your other characters about him? Don't settle for a thirty-second red carpet interview. No, get the exclusive sit-down with your other characters and Barbara Walters that s***.
Find out what makes your villain tick. After all, he might be lying to you. Doing so will also help you construct a "relationship web"...like a family tree, just creepier.
3. Let Your Text Describe, Not Deride
Every character (nice or crappy) should feel vindicated, not wronged, by you, the creator. Allow your characters to run free with their own opinions, and keep your opinion from flooding the text.
By approaching the text less biased, your characters are empowered to speak for themselves and mediate rights and wrongs on their own rather than be puppets.
Your villain should feel like he has been written in a light that does not tsk tsk, but rather, showcases his self-perceived best attributes fairly.
Wrapping Up:
Being a writer is balance - take the wrong turn down Preachy Lane and your villain becomes a "squeaky-wheel" archetype whose truth gets ignored. Instead of taking shots at your villain, kick back and take shots with your villain, then get jiggy to a bad nineties rap song. This does your story, your characters, and most importantly, your readers, the most justice.
--Zeke
--Zeke
