glitter pen girl in a fountain pen world

It’s not about darkness. It’s about a precise use of habits and small things, their behaviour both when acting the villain and not.

1. Give them a contradiction.

Villains are scariest when they’re almost human. It's alot harder to harm, or even kill, when you can the part of them that is kind.

“He always apologised before hurting someone.”

2. Let them think they’re right.

No moustache twirling ('mustache twirling villain' is often used as a pejorative to describe poor antagonists/bad guys, usually they in comedy) — just conviction. Their ideals and values should stem from something important to them. Doesn't have to be important or make to others, just them.

“I’m not saving the world. I’m correcting it.”

3. Give them a normal habit that becomes unsettling.

• humming off-key

• straightening objects mid-argument

• collecting people’s abandoned pens (this was something I got from primary school where I watched someone collect them and i thought it was evil they were stealing pens😭)

4. Make their kindness selective.

Kind to dogs. Cruel to friends.

Kind to children. Absent to their own.

This really adds to their character and backstory, even if you don't elaborate or tell it.

5. Make their presence change a room.

Not with theatrics — with tone.

“The laughter thinned when he stepped inside.”

Making antagonists who aren’t evil (but still hurt you emotionally)

Some of the best antagonists are just… people.

1. Give them the same goal as the hero — different methods.

Hero wants peace.

Antagonist wants peace.

Hero uses unity; antagonist uses control.

2. Let the antagonist be right sometimes.

That stings.

3. Make the hero almost agree with them.

“You’re not wrong,” she admitted. “But you’re not right either.”

4. Show glimpses of softness.

“He tucked the child’s drawing into his coat.”

5. Let them break their own rules.

Instant complexity, villains change the rules to fit their momentary desires and whims.

(Edit: ive written this up from a book that ive been filling with writing tips and tricks from classes, im putting here a few pages from it

So I get it, I need to change how I format things 😭)

Roy's prose is fire. It melts down the big lie covering so much inequality: that some people just don’t have voices to be heard. This quote is for anyone here who’s been talked over, sidelined, or punished for speaking their truth...or telling any truth at all.

𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 ✨❄️

For the holiday season I really wanted to commission Elain and Lucien enjoying Starfall at the Night Court 🩵

@cedarcia thank you so much for creating this exquisite artwork! Elain & Lucien look so happy and captivated by all the shooting star-spirits!

All the details in this artwork are lovely! From the snow covered roses, the shooting stars, the night sky, the snow covered balcony —everything is perfection!

@cedarcia thank you so much Kat for taking this commission! Thank you for being so kind during this commission process! It’s always a joy to work with you 🩵

Commissioned by me

Artist is @cedarcia

Link to Instagram post