ancwritingresources:

Resource: Writing Evil

So you’re writing your villain, the ultimate “bad guy,” the antagonist. Whether you’ve had experience with the world’s evil or not, an antagonist is a must in any story (though “evil” and “antagonist” do have separate meanings). Before you write the baddest bad guy to ever bad, remember that a critical teacher, a political rival, and even nature can present just as much of a contrast to your protagonist as a raging sociopath. Often “too evil” can present far more of a problem than “not evil enough” because the villain, bad as they might be, should still be human. Here are some guides I hope will help in writing believable (but still scary) bad guys:

General:

• Stanford’s Definition of Evil
• Does Evil Exist? Neuroscientists Say No. 
• What Do We Mean by “Evil”?
• The “Scales” of Good and Evil: The Ten “Most Evil” and Ten “Best” People
• How to Make a Purely Evil Villain Interesting
• How to Create a Credible Villain in Fiction
• How to Write Evil, Awesome Villains
• How to Make Evil Characters Complex
• 5 Types of Evil Characters
• Don’t Oversell Your Villain

Often, in hopes of making the scariest villain possible, writers jump to the “insane” to psychopaths and sociopaths, anyone who stands outside of “the social norm.” It should be noted, however, that a very small percentage of sociopaths or psychopaths are violent or participate in criminal behavior. But in case this is the route you choose to go down (which can be written excellently as well), here are some more resources: 

Psychopath Vs. Sociopath Vs. Apathy

• How to Tell a Sociopath from a Psychopath
• Differences (With Chart)
• Differences (With Video)
• Antisocial Personality Does Not Mean Criminal
• Definition of Apathy
• Apathy as a Symptom of Bipolar Disorder of Depression
• How to Detect a Sociopath (And They’re Not All Killers)

How to Write a Sociopath: 

• Tips on Writing Sociopathic Characters
• How To (With Character Examples)

Violence

• Writing a Violent Scene (With Examples)
• Writing Violence (Podcast)
• Write Fight Scenes (With Samples)
• Developing Characters and Violence Comfort Levels
• 5 Things Fiction Authors Need to Remember
• Writing Characters Amid Horrid Violence

Whether your antagonist is the most evil person alive or simply doesn’t see eye to eye with your protagonist, the most important thing to remember is to make sure he/she/other contrasts fully with your main character. They must create an obstacle, a road block, must present complications to your main character’s goal; but don’t forget to give them their own story as well. No one, not even the bad guy, should be two-dimensional.