Characters Behaving Badly
Everyone has behaved poorly at least once in their life. Sometimes, we are oblivious to our actions, and other times, we choose to continue our deceitful activities, even though we know they are wrong. This bad behavior ranges from murder to a gentleman tipping his hat to an unescorted lady. Of course, we consider ourselves well within the normal range, and bad behavior rarely occurs in our daily lives.
Yet, I know that my definition of normal is not the same as other “normal” people. For example, I occasionally drink beer. I do this activity, knowing that even small amounts of alcohol will damage my body, beer contains empty calories, and drinking impairs judgment. Does this make me a bad person? Recall that many people abstain from alcohol for health or ethical reasons. In their view, I have corrupt morals, and I require a significant life change. So, yes, I am a bad person in some people’s view.
Why am I bringing this up? I wanted to explore characters with morally questionable actions. In my stories, the villains fall into three categories. First, I push my characters right up to, but not over, the line of being evil. For example, Stan is a drug dealer. He occasionally sells at raves and works at a supermarket. Stan thinks of himself as a good person who is providing a service. Still, he knows what he is doing is wrong. Ordinary people might enjoy talking to Stan.
The second type meets the definition of evil. Joe is also a drug dealer. He sells anything to anybody and manipulates addicted kids into getting their friends into the game. Normal people would run away from Joe and call the police.
The third type lands in the middle. A coworker who eats yogurt in the office break room refrigerator. Note that this is different from an evil coworker who steals a dollar from a desk. On the surface, they appear to be the same because the yogurt costs a dollar. Yet, one coworker has crossed a big ethical line.
Plots often revolve around all kinds of inappropriate behavior. The moral character behaves poorly and then regrets their offenses, or the mean character takes pleasure in pestering the good one. The concept of bad behavior encompasses various possibilities, including the anti-hero.
My rule for creating villains is they must be oblivious to the harm they cause. Take, for example, the coworker who steals yogurt. I am sure they have all kinds of justification in their minds. “I thought you brought yogurt for everybody.” Their twisted logic is riddled with internal inconsistencies, providing readers with juicy elements.
Another rule is not to imbue my villains with positive qualities, as I do not want readers to connect with them. Thus, the villains must be clearly on the wrong path of life.
What about the bad/evil villain who wants to better their lives? For example, the bully who sees the harm they cause. I try to avoid this character type because a well-designed character must have a clear foundation. Without this, readers get confused. Steve hit Sally and smiled. So, we are supposed to like Steve? Nooooo. Send Steve to jail!
I was about to write that I have yet to explore anti-hero characters. Such characters require a light touch, as exemplified by the police officer who breaks the law to catch the criminal. In movies like the recent Deadpool series, humor is used to bridge the gap between the audience and the characters. However, this concept can wildly fizzle, as seen in the movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. (The anti-hero was a jerk.) Another problem with the anti-hero is that they often break the law, which can lead to unresolved issues. (The police are supposed to arrest people who break the law.)
As I wrote this article, I realized that my first book had two anti-heroes. They murder for the benefit of society (from their viewpoint). I find it amusing that I had not considered this to be the case. Wow, this exercise taught me something.
In my anti-hero characters, I want them to show their weaknesses and feel regret for their actions. After they fail, they reconcile with their decisions and attempt to rebuild their lives, which means that they grow in a good way but still have failings.
Inappropriate behavior is fun to explore, but I treat it with caution. A writer can go too far into a bad story. Readers have firm limits. In life and in the story, there are many pitfalls.
You’re the best -Bill
October 21, 2020 Updated June 01, 2025
Yet, I know that my definition of normal is not the same as other “normal” people. For example, I occasionally drink beer. I do this activity, knowing that even small amounts of alcohol will damage my body, beer contains empty calories, and drinking impairs judgment. Does this make me a bad person? Recall that many people abstain from alcohol for health or ethical reasons. In their view, I have corrupt morals, and I require a significant life change. So, yes, I am a bad person in some people’s view.
Why am I bringing this up? I wanted to explore characters with morally questionable actions. In my stories, the villains fall into three categories. First, I push my characters right up to, but not over, the line of being evil. For example, Stan is a drug dealer. He occasionally sells at raves and works at a supermarket. Stan thinks of himself as a good person who is providing a service. Still, he knows what he is doing is wrong. Ordinary people might enjoy talking to Stan.
The second type meets the definition of evil. Joe is also a drug dealer. He sells anything to anybody and manipulates addicted kids into getting their friends into the game. Normal people would run away from Joe and call the police.
The third type lands in the middle. A coworker who eats yogurt in the office break room refrigerator. Note that this is different from an evil coworker who steals a dollar from a desk. On the surface, they appear to be the same because the yogurt costs a dollar. Yet, one coworker has crossed a big ethical line.
Plots often revolve around all kinds of inappropriate behavior. The moral character behaves poorly and then regrets their offenses, or the mean character takes pleasure in pestering the good one. The concept of bad behavior encompasses various possibilities, including the anti-hero.
My rule for creating villains is they must be oblivious to the harm they cause. Take, for example, the coworker who steals yogurt. I am sure they have all kinds of justification in their minds. “I thought you brought yogurt for everybody.” Their twisted logic is riddled with internal inconsistencies, providing readers with juicy elements.
Another rule is not to imbue my villains with positive qualities, as I do not want readers to connect with them. Thus, the villains must be clearly on the wrong path of life.
What about the bad/evil villain who wants to better their lives? For example, the bully who sees the harm they cause. I try to avoid this character type because a well-designed character must have a clear foundation. Without this, readers get confused. Steve hit Sally and smiled. So, we are supposed to like Steve? Nooooo. Send Steve to jail!
I was about to write that I have yet to explore anti-hero characters. Such characters require a light touch, as exemplified by the police officer who breaks the law to catch the criminal. In movies like the recent Deadpool series, humor is used to bridge the gap between the audience and the characters. However, this concept can wildly fizzle, as seen in the movie Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. (The anti-hero was a jerk.) Another problem with the anti-hero is that they often break the law, which can lead to unresolved issues. (The police are supposed to arrest people who break the law.)
As I wrote this article, I realized that my first book had two anti-heroes. They murder for the benefit of society (from their viewpoint). I find it amusing that I had not considered this to be the case. Wow, this exercise taught me something.
In my anti-hero characters, I want them to show their weaknesses and feel regret for their actions. After they fail, they reconcile with their decisions and attempt to rebuild their lives, which means that they grow in a good way but still have failings.
Inappropriate behavior is fun to explore, but I treat it with caution. A writer can go too far into a bad story. Readers have firm limits. In life and in the story, there are many pitfalls.
You’re the best -Bill
October 21, 2020 Updated June 01, 2025
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