How Can I Write A Villainous Character And Convey That They Do Truly Horrible Things, Without Worrying

How can I write a villainous character and convey that they do truly horrible things, without worrying about triggering my readers?

I might not be the most popular person with this answer, but here we go.

Hannibal Lecter gives no fucks.

While I don’t know of any author who purposefully sets out to trigger a reader, you cannot worry about triggers when you’re writing a villain. You just can’t. Otherwise, you end up with a straw man for a villain and your story goes to hell. Seriously, do you think Hannibal Lecter worried about triggering people? How shitty would Silence of the Lambs have been if he did?

Instead of triggers, you need to focus on that character’s motivations. What is driving him or her? Why are they doing what they do? Rarely do people kill/torture/rape for the lulz- and if they do, there’s probably pathological issues at work. Above all else, that character’s motivations need to be crystal clear to you.

Many people starting out don’t develop their villains because they don’t want to think about those motivations. It’s uncomfortable at best, agonizing at worst, and your mind goes to some very dark places. In a way, they become more terrifying the more relatable you make them. I know because one of my villains is a pedophile/serial killer*. I wince when I write that he likes orange marmalade and Earl Grey tea, or that he insists on punctuality.

Now, if you’re looking for an author who develops phenomenal villains, I think Thomas Harris is right up there. He’s the mind behind Hannibal Lecter, “Buffalo Bill”, and “The Tooth Fairy”. It’s safe to say he has penned some of the terrifying and vicious characters in fiction in the past 30 years. His villains have quirks, charisma, and can make you laugh or even experience a fleeting moment of sympathy. They have tremendous depth and are a joy to read. Find an author that can make you hate to love a villain and aspire to that.

Coming back to trigger warnings. Please do not misunderstand me. I’m not saying don’t have them. They are an invaluable heads up to your readers that there’s graphic/intense content ahead, but they do have their limits. One simple reason is anything can be a trigger. I knew people who’s triggers include the sound of a telephone ringing, the smell of coffee, and lawnmowers. You simply can’t tag everything that might set someone off, and I’m saying this as someone with triggers of her own. What I find helpful in addition to a warning, is a rating and summary. I include the rating because what causes a trigger warning in a YA novel has a different threshold for something that is geared towards Mature audiences. That way, readers have context and can make an informed decision. 

In case you haven’t noticed, I really like talking about villains. In fact, my MC’s are all villains in their own right. My challenge was to dream up villains so bad, they’d make the MC’s look like heroes. And you know what? I loved every, freakin’ second of it.

-Graphei

*yes I said villains (plural- i made more than one) and if you think there isn’t a Rogue in Batman who fits that description, you haven’t done your homework.