The Worth of the Wicked

Sometimes writers mistakenly devote most of theirsense of what's good in the world.
attention to developing the main character whileTorment plagues most protagonists from time to
leaving the antagonist flat and underutilized. Yet sotime. Bad guys should experience torment as much
much of the meat of a story can be found in theas, if not more than, the good guys. Torment is
doings of a well-written bad guy who experienceswhat keeps that dark flame of hate burning like a
hatred, pain, torment, and even the opportunity forwildfire. Maybe it springs from letting a girl he truly
rehabilitation.loves slip through his fingers or from the investment
A character's hatred can be triggered by a variety ofhe scoffed at that has made others millions. True
circumstances, big or seemingly insignificant. Perhapstorment lies deep within, and it's something he
someone once neglected to offer him a ride homerefuses to acknowledge even when faced with his
from work, or kicked his dog, or even killed his sisterown demise at the hands of the hero. It is the
in an unforeseen accident. Whatever the hatred is, itdriving force that keeps his goals at the front of his
must be visible to the reader right from the start.thoughts at all times.
Even if the antagonist is able to maintain theKeep in mind that the antagonist doesn't always have
subterfuge in outward appearances that he is a goodto be the one readers love to hate. Maybe as the
guy, writers should weave in hints of his true shadystory progresses so does his rehabilitation from hate.
character for readers to detect. It is never a goodHe might find himself helping others because of an
idea to blindside an audience with an action thatexperience he had, or nagging thoughts at the back
seems to have no actual potential of happening untilof his mind. Gradually, a begrudging hero could
BOOM, it's there.emerge. He becomes the guy readers hate to love,
Be it mentally or physically, we have all felt pain atyet can't help but admire anyway.
one time or another. It is up to the writer whetherNo matter what the root causes of the antagonist's
or not the antagonist shows his pain. The pain couldactions are, it's important to develop them as much
be pushed down deep inside, thus helping to fuel theas the protagonist's. Readers then can find things to
ember of discontent into a bright flame of hate.hate and relate to in both types of characters. They
Maybe an accident several years ago left him alone,can contrast each character's motives and decide for
or with a defect that has made getting a decent jobthemselves whom to root for. Likely they'll choose
difficult. Perhaps at a young age he was bitten by athe hero, but who knows? If you've developed the
rabid raccoon, or forced to care for an ailing parentantagonist well enough, probably they'll find something
that had no hope of recovery. There are countlessin the bad guy worth cheering for after all.
painful reasons why a person could lose his or her