She condescends. She interrupts people. We see this kind of behavior all the time. The scene below offers our first glimpse at the twisted sensibility Umbridge brings to the classroom.
Instead, she abuses her power, patronizes her students, and represents a perversion of how a professor is supposed to behave. And it is amazingly effective at making us dislike her. Like Umbridge, she uses her power and authority to cruelly destroy those below her.
We hate her for this even before we know that her actions here will spoiler alert drive Billy to commit suicide. One thing I notice about all these hated villains is how much the writers and directors put into character details.
Similarly, attention to character detail is important in bringing out the rage in your readers. How many teaspoons of sugar she puts in her tea. Her love of cats. Her obsession with pink. The beautiful moment when she adjusts the pen on her desk. None of these details suggest evil. But we do know people who behave like Umbridge.
We have Umbridge teachers, Umbridge bosses, and Umbridge politicians. Rowling wrote about how she mined ordinary details from a real-life teacher whom she did not care for in order create Umbridge. What sticks in my mind is her pronounced taste for twee accessories. I particularly recall a tiny little plastic bow slide, pale lemon in colour that she wore in her short curly hair. I used to stare at that little slide, which would have been appropriate to a girl of three, as though it was some kind of repellant physical growth.
Great novelists have a gift for paying attention to little real-life — but not-obvious — details like these and using them to fuel our dislike for a character even before that character has committed any crimes. It also can take us into the realm of the weird, since a lot of insane screen villains are very unlike insane people we may know in the real world. Hating her is satisfying enough.
But there are characters who are despicable and terrifying. But there is one trait that can make a character both loathsome and terrifying, and that trait is a penchant for unpredictable outbursts of brutal violence. Unpredictability is key. Not the kind of unpredictability that comes with a jump scare, but the kind when you feel that the slightest thing can set your villain off.
You have to be careful with your acts of violence, however. But violence does exist in the real world, and when we read about or see realistic violence, especially when coldly and brutally inflicted upon helpless people, it can fill us with fear and disgust. Most often we see this kind of violence in scenes of domestic abuse.
These scenes can be powerful and can trigger strong emotions in readers and audiences. Make sure those desserts are memorably delicious. In general, evil women are much more hated than evil men. Even non-evil women are hated if they are sufficiently powerful. Just look at politics. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.
Learn how your comment data is processed. Reading — in addition to being plain fun — can make you a better smarter, more informed, satisfied person. In my experience successful people are often voracious readers. Good Writing Habits.
The Book Professor - November 4, 0. With the right tools, even busy people can make time to write a book. So how long can you expect to be at the keyboard before your manuscript is complete? From setting expectations to understanding SEO, there are things you can do as a writer to launch and succeed in a career writing for digital publications.
It's easier to find flaws in someone else's work than it is in your own. There's a lot you can do to minimize errors and make your writing shine, but another set of eyes on your work is always a good idea. Reviewing your writing from an editor's perspective can be a challenge, even for experienced writers. Here are strategies that can help you bring fresh eyes to your written work. Does My Book Need Editing? Steven Spatz - May 25, 2. Only one kind of magical spirit can pull off such wizardry — professional editors.
Whether you complete or 50, words in 30 days, you owe it to your Self to see your words through in a process that leaves you feeling accomplished and alive. We're all looking for a connection — and that includes your readers. How do you connect with your readers? Draw them in with sensory language. Hope Clark - September 17, 7. Scrivener is a powerful writing program that has been my software of choice as I write and revise my first novel. Book Promotion. Industry News. Authory is a utility that consolidates your published works from multiple websites, organizes and customizes the results, and gathers other useful data.
How To Self-Publish. BookBaby News. These are challenging times for retailers and manufacturers, but BookBaby is uniquely positioned to print and deliver your books this fall and beyond. Book Design. Steven Spatz, BookBaby president and self-published author, talks about the four essential things you need in place to achieve self-publishing success.
Overnight Success As An Author? Steven Spatz - September 24, 0. Overnight success takes years of work, just like bamboo takes years before it sprouts. Whether your plan is to self-publish or land a publishing deal, patience is a cornerstone for success as an author. Book Distribution. When it's time to really get your holiday book marketing and sales going, these actions can help you get the word out during the prime gift-shopping season.
BookBaby designers share stories of some of their favorite book cover designs to give insight into the creative process of making your book cover stand out from the crowd.
There's more to getting a great book cover design than just hiring a professional. You need to communicate the essence of your story and find a way to inspire your designer. In part two of our four-part series highlighting effective strategies to score holiday book sales, we focus on getting your book distributed and reaching readers. Is BookBaby Legit? Steven Spatz - October 6, 1.
When looking for the right self-publishing company for you, ask the following questions to make sure you're getting the best fit. This is the sixth entry in a series in which I detail the entire experience of self publishing my book.
The goal is to offer tips and strategies so you can learn from my successes and mistakes. But just beneath the surface fester the qualities you can access in yourself if you allow yourself to.
But giving him motivation will make him more than a cardboard cutout. So conjure a backstory for your villain. Make him real and believable and credible—even attractive in many ways. The more that apply, the more successful your novel is likely to be. Because the more worthy his opponent, the more heroic your hero will appear.
Before you go, be sure to grab my character arc worksheet. Just tell me where to send it:. What Makes a Great Villain? Share Pin Share 8. Nothing makes your hero more heroic than a worthy opponent. Need help writing your novel? Click here to download my ultimate step guide. Related Posts. Participating in NaNoWriMo ? Unlock Your True Writing Potential.
Take this free assessment now and learn to unlock your true potential:. Take the Free Writing Assessment. Here's a FREE guide Send Me The Worksheet!
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