The Great Villain Blogathon: Waldo Lydecker, Laura, 1944

This post is part of the Great Villain Blogathon hosted by Ruth of Silver Screenings, Karen of Shadows & Satin, and Kristina of Speakeasy  — see all the movie baddies at any of these three blogs. YES, there will be SPOILERS. "I don't use a pen. I write with a goose quill dipped in venom." - …

Writers, Know Your Archetypes: The Shadow

I will be participating in The Great Villain Blogathon next week, so what better way to set the tone than a post about the shadow archetype? 1. I've already done a post with tips for creating a great antagonist, but shadow characters don't necessarily have to be antagonists or villains. As I will demonstrate with …

Great Villain Blogathon Reminder!

I will be participating in The Great Villain Blogathon next week! My subject is Waldo Lydecker from the classic film noir Laura. Please take a moment to check out this AMAZING line-up of bad guys and gals!

9 Tips For Creating A Great Antagonist

1. Think of your antagonist as the potential outcome for your protagonist. We hear a lot about how antagonists should contrast with your protagonist, but few people recognize how many great antagonists are actually very much like the protagonist. General Zod is exactly what humanity fears Superman COULD become (an alien out to dominate and/or …

My Favorite Female TV Villains

Note that I'm saying "favorite" instead of "best" female TV villains. I haven't seen every TV show, and it's mostly a matter of opinion, anyway. Here are my top five favorite female villains on TV, past and present: 1. Gillian Darmody, Boardwalk Empire: I'll admit I'd never been that impressed by Gretchen Mol as an …

Reality TV Show Villains – Real Or Not Real?

I'm not one of those people who seek to trash reality TV or their viewers. Mainly, because I like some reality TV a lot. Mostly the competition shows, like The Amazing Race, Top Chef, Face-Off (my personal favorite) and Project Runway. The ones featuring celebrities who weren't celebrities until they got a reality show aren't …