​Backstories are a powerful writing tool because they intrigue and hook readers, investing them in a world or character with quick glimpses of history or motivations. However, there must be a balance; too much backstory threatens to drown out the current action. Too little backstory can leave the characters wooden or unsympathetic. So, I’ve created this series on how to write backstories to help us bring just enough of what is hidden onto the page.  In my Villains series, I’ve covered why your villains need a motivating backstory and how to develop one. So here, I will review ways to rev ..read more

​Backstories are a powerful writing tool because they intrigue and hook readers, investing them in a world or character with quick glimpses of history or motivations. However, there must be a balance; too much backstory threatens to drown out the current action. Too little backstory can leave the characters wooden or unsympathetic. So, I’ve created this series on how to write backstories to help us bring just enough of what is hidden onto the page.  The Power of Why ​We ask our readers to suspend their disbelief when we write about heroic characters, especially in the sci-fi and fantasy ..read more

Backstories are a powerful writing tool because they intrigue and hook readers, making them invested in a world or character with quick glimpses of history or motivations. However, there must be a balance; too much backstory threatens to drown out the current action. Too little backstory can leave the characters wooden or unsympathetic. So, I’ve created this series on how to write backstories to help us bring just enough of what is hidden onto the page. ​ I’ve used a few techniques for thinking up and writing backstories, including daydreaming, randomizing, and retrofitting. You can also manag ..read more

Science fiction villains are unique due to their many avenues to enact villainy. Evil robots, bioweapons, clones, nano-tech, A.I and so on. Some of these even combine. Maybe the antagonist is a highly developed rogue A.I. who uses virus-infected nano-bots to mass murder an army of clones. Often, featuring futuristic tech is the story's catalyst. And that’s not wrong. After all, who would Dr. Who be without time travel, or where would the Star Trek Enterprise go without warp speed. They’d be stuck in our boring solar system, trying to get water from rocks. No fun. ​ However, the plot and the c ..read more

Before I finish my Villains blog series, I wanted to give a quick note on why I vanished for six months from my blog and social media. I had a family emergency in March that’s still ongoing, so it’s moved from a crisis to a situation. Then, I started a new job in May doing technical communication for a civil engineering firm. I’m still teaching college courses, but I’ve reduced my course load. I’ve been working on a schedule where I can fit my writing because I’m working on the edits for the next book in my Jade and Antigone series. Unfortunately, that has left blogging and social media dead ..read more

​Some villains are exclusive to the fantasy realm or the sci-fi multiverse. Although, their powers and gadgets are what give them this designation, not their character traits. So, you can have an evil genius wizard or an artificial intelligence who is a supervillain. In my last two blogs in the series, I will discuss the villainy unique to these two genres. Sword & Sorcery  Evil magicians and terrifying creatures are often the antagonists in the sword and sorcery fantasy subtype. However, a simple predatory creature often isn’t enough to be the main antagonist. Otherwise, they are ju ..read more

Supervillains loom larger than life while cackling manically and plotting to take over the world or even the universe. These villains populate many forms of modern storytelling, including fantasy and sci-fi. However, supervillains are most often seen as foils to their counterparts, superheroes. Occasionally, the supervillain’s plans for takeover are so ruinous that other villains switch sides, helping the superhero or even becoming a hero themselves.  World Domination is a Tough Gig The problems with supervillains who just want to take over the world are twofold. First, world domination ..read more

There are much more than three types of villains I’m going to discuss in the following few blogs, but many infamous villains can be sorted into one of these categories. There’s also some overlap, and many villains can fit into more than one category.  ​Sympathetic villains have two subtypes, but each one has something in common. The evil acts are something that many people would do, given the situation.  ​The Villain Who Cares too Much Sometimes villains are justifiably selfish in trying to protect themselves and the people they love. Due to circumstances out of their control, they ..read more

There are much more than three types of villains I’m going to discuss in the following few blogs, but many infamous villains can be sorted into one of these categories. There’s also some overlap, and many villains can fit into more than one category. The Evil Genius Subcategories of evil genius include the mad scientist, the hacker, and the magic adept. Sometimes they are the ones who make the murderous technology used by criminal organizations, or they could be the designers of doomsday devices. On the other hand, their area of expertise might be politics or manipulation, leaving them the le ..read more

A good, bad guy (or gal) adds intrigue and excitement to any story, especially in sci-fi and fantasy settings. This series explores how to write memorable villains who add spice and life to any narrative. I'll Show You... I'll Show You ALL Poorly written villains aren’t necessarily over-the-top evil or too traditional. You can have a mustache-twirling scoundrel who ties a lady to the train tracks and still offer personality and memorable dialogue. No, the worst villains are vicious for no reason, have evil as their only personality trait, and often commit crimes for dim reasons, such as “tak ..read more