tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post2525949580097162170..comments2024-03-28T05:34:42.670-05:00Comments on MAKE MINE MYSTERY: Villains and the Nature of EvilMorgan Mandelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-57282008689660405672014-02-20T12:25:31.169-06:002014-02-20T12:25:31.169-06:00We are capable of good, bad, or even evil behavior...We are capable of good, bad, or even evil behavior, and it's the writer's challenge to showcase that in our writing. Good post, Janis.Carole Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12878208750636105503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-89373424233526638352014-02-20T10:23:01.253-06:002014-02-20T10:23:01.253-06:00An interesting post, Janis. I'm not a mystery ...An interesting post, Janis. I'm not a mystery writer, but I agree that motivation is crucial for all characters.Sydell Voellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02862642258281995462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-76345357483655532062014-02-20T10:22:45.728-06:002014-02-20T10:22:45.728-06:00An interesting post, Janis. I'm not a mystery ...An interesting post, Janis. I'm not a mystery writer, but I agree that motivation is crucial for all characters.Sydell Voellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02862642258281995462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-29886250979487481112014-02-20T08:30:13.564-06:002014-02-20T08:30:13.564-06:00Great post, Janis. I like cartoons, too, esp. Rock...Great post, Janis. I like cartoons, too, esp. Rocky & Bullwinkle. :) If we accept that everyone is the hero of his/her own story then the villain is a hero in his own mind. To be great, a hero needs to battle a great (strong) villain. Diane Burtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03754105332297068271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-80133426676533285552014-02-19T14:18:56.499-06:002014-02-19T14:18:56.499-06:00a thought I've projected as well. even if rati...a thought I've projected as well. even if rational human beings don't understand the reason, there is one behind their actions even if it's nothing more than to see if he can outwit everyone and get away with it.Larion aka Larriane Willshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05044089414209140043noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-75393031804474870802014-02-19T11:41:02.346-06:002014-02-19T11:41:02.346-06:00A good topic, Janis, and a subject mystery writers...A good topic, Janis, and a subject mystery writers need to consider. Evil is committed for various reasons.Marilyn Levinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10424778692932139865noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-88282568058806770072014-02-19T11:30:54.347-06:002014-02-19T11:30:54.347-06:00My favorite type of villian is one's whose goa...My favorite type of villian is one's whose goals almost mirror the heros, just the steps taken to achieve it are different.Linda Andrewshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07290703660068761055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-2689852686139307082014-02-19T10:18:16.600-06:002014-02-19T10:18:16.600-06:00Wonderful thought-provoking post. One of the thing...Wonderful thought-provoking post. One of the things I like about balancing my evil guys against my good guys is in real life evil sometimes wins. In my fictional worlds, good triumphs in the end. Rose Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04429566802562925080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-46199682013858564732014-02-19T10:13:08.255-06:002014-02-19T10:13:08.255-06:00In creating villains, the first rule is this: no...In creating villains, the first rule is this: no one, however evil or nuts, ever thinks of himself--or herself--as evil or nuts. This idea should inform the writer's development of all such characters. Doing so puts the reader up close and personal with the villain, which makes it harder to be detached from his crimes. Otherwise, the villain is a stereotype, and easily viewed as an object, not a person. <br /> Barry Knisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03191575373788669991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-40401153094811239782014-02-19T08:47:05.395-06:002014-02-19T08:47:05.395-06:00This is very thoughtful. I usually have a visceral...This is very thoughtful. I usually have a visceral reaction to evil but it's hard to get the behavior as well as the reaction into a story. I remind myself as I begin a story that we are all human beings and we are all capable of the same behavior, good or bad or evil. And then i focus on the victims, and what has been done to them. That brings the behavior into focus. Good post.Susan Oleksiwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02693057997469296068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-67991119820745699302014-02-19T08:38:06.326-06:002014-02-19T08:38:06.326-06:00Evil is very much a part of our world. Unfortunate...Evil is very much a part of our world. Unfortunately, the urge to destroy exists alongside the urge to create. So as authors we must balance one against the other if we are to create meaningful fiction which is realistic.Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-44630806917176624042014-02-19T08:10:38.269-06:002014-02-19T08:10:38.269-06:00Interesting discussion on evil. I would add that e...Interesting discussion on evil. I would add that evil can be in the eyes of the beholder. We, in the West, consider Jihadists who hijack and fly aircraft into the Trade Center or blow themselves up in the middle of a crowd of innocent shoppers as the epitome of evil. However, following the guidelines of their (twisted?) religion, they are "heroes" who are just killing "infidels" even if some from their own religion die in the process. Perhaps it is the religion itself that is evil and the real root of their evil is their religion & their society. Vamp Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08126630095173460665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7041804343600978883.post-7490569371832292362014-02-19T08:03:58.976-06:002014-02-19T08:03:58.976-06:00Nice post, Janis. I agree that evil for the sale o...Nice post, Janis. I agree that evil for the sale of evil makes no sense. The best mysteries give the reader at least a glimpse of how the villain came to be so bad - or what his/her goal is.Sandy Codyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02824301408180614516noreply@blogger.com