Villains can be the most difficult characters to create. Unless they’re entirely psycho, they need motivation and yes, a human side. They need to be believable, just like everyone else in your story, with strengths and weaknesses. About the only exception would be if you’re writing a fantasy or a comic book with superheroes. Then extremes are more acceptable.

I find villains difficult to create because I try to find the good in people. I’m also not emotionally driven, but lean more toward logic. This doesn’t mean I get along with everyone or even like them, but in general I don’t associate with anyone I would categorize as a villain. There are enough of them on TV or the news.

This could easily go off on a tangent on the definition of a villain, but I’ll keep it relatively short. For your story’s purposes, it’s whoever is standing in the way or actively undermining your hero or heroine, keeping him or her from what they want. It doesn’t have to be an ax murderer, just someone with evil or unkind intent.

To be honest, I kind of wonder about authors who can create horrific villains! One author who absolutely excels at it is Mary Higgins Clark. I get the shivers just thinking about some of hers, so if you need some good examples, check out her books.