On this episode of the ROI Online Podcast, author Sacha Black shares the key elements of a good villain and how authors can transform their villains from bland to bold.
Sacha began as an indie fiction author. She has a natural ability to craft realistic, deep characters: including villains. One night, she found herself ranting on her blog about how terrible many villains are in modern movies, TV shows, and books. She knew something needed to change. What she didn’t realize was that she would lead that change herself.
After wrestling with the idea of writing nonfiction, Sacha finally decided she needed to take the leap. She wrote her first nonfiction book, 10 Steps to Evil: How to Craft a Super Bad Villain, to help other authors create multi-dimensional villains people love to hate.
One of the biggest difficulties Sacha faced while working on her nonfiction book was staying true to herself. As a self-declared rebel, she’s never been one to stay in line. But she felt the pressure to change her voice because of fear of criticism. In the end, she kept her writing genuine. Now, she feels good about her work and even laughs at the one-star review her book gets because it uses swear words.
While villains might seem like something you’ll only find in a fantasy story, Sacha believes nonfiction writers can also gain a lot from her book. We all face villains, even in our everyday life. Whether your villain is the bully down the street or the cancer you’ve been fighting for years, showing all the sides of your villain makes your story more relatable, realistic, and engaging.
Learn more about Sacha Black here:
sachablack.co.uk
Listen to the Rebel Author Podcast
Listen to the Next Level Author Podcast
Read Sacha’s books:
13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft a Super Bad Villain
10 Steps to Hero: How to Craft a Kickass Protagonist
Read the other books referenced in this podcast:
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder
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