Elizabeth Drakes's Site

Fantasy Romance

villain

Update: I am Back

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You may have noticed the micro fictions have resumed.

I am back.

Mostly.

So many things have happened, but it really is the same story retold. 

I spread myself too thin, then crashed.

While writing is my passion, it has to be to spend hundreds of hours with make-believe characters, it is not my day job. And my day job supports my family. A day job I enjoy. Mostly. It gets a little too stressful from time to time, but I think that is true of all of corporate America.

And true of me.

I strive for perfection and get frustrated when I don’t achieve it.

So, when a slew of things came at me at once, I buckled because I could not do them all to the level I wanted. I needed to step away and take stock.

Finally, I did.

And I recharged myself with time with my family. My daughter and I played the new Legend of Zelda Age of Calamity. If you are a fan of the series, I highly recommend it. I was not expecting it to be so good or so satisfying. And it was fun to be able to play two player with her.

Later, we hooked our laptop up to our TV, and this has opened a world of games for us to explore. My husband has found some interesting indie games, and with Steam, it’s easier than ever to try things we can play as a group.


I have learned we are a family of “pick your own adventure” movie watchers. We like games with story where we can decide what happens, but we want a strong story.

And we want choice. Or at least the illusion of choice.

And we want a happily-ever-after. Do not mess with us on that. Looking at you, Mass Effect. Yeah, I know how long ago it was. And I still haven’t forgiven them.

I was trying to ease back into posting again, and the orb series came to me.

So I wrote it. And now it won’t leave me.

*sigh*

If I had infinite time, it would become its own series. I have some fun ideas for several characters, romances, a hero’s journey, and villains.

I suppose the one thing I’ve never had to worry about is my next project.

Writing Process: I Figured It Out

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After taking a hard if biased look at my current WIP, I figured out what’s been causing the writer’s block.

WritersBlock2.png
But less cute.

You don’t see the antagonist.

At the 45k word point, you still haven’t met him.

I have read a great deal of writing help on making sure you develop your villain. Make them a hero in their own story.

While I know a great deal about the antagonist, everything he has been doing is behind the curtain. It’s something the characters must respond to, but the reader doesn’t see him.

This is partially on purpose as the antagonist doesn’t want you to know it’s him. He wants to stay hidden. He wants you to think it’s someone else, and he’s done a decent job of setting up that person.

Villain
More he loves power. But not too far off.

However, at this point in the story, I really need him to take a more active role. His plans are hanging in the balance. He wouldn’t allow them to fall apart because of inaction.

But, I haven’t shown him yet. It’s hard to do a big reveal when the reader doesn’t know him or anything about him.

At the same time, as a romance story is traditionally only told through the eyes of the hero or heroine, I can’t just jump into his head and show my audience what’s happening.

I need to go back and rework the story. Find a way to show who he is without revealing him.

That means a pretty significant rewrite on a piece of work that isn’t complete.

I try really hard not to do this, but I truly see no way forward. He must step up now and take action.

I suppose I could try the random reveal and then work him back into the story later.

I will ponder both options and see which way has the characters talking to me again.

writers-block-when-your-imaginary-friends-refuse-to-talk-to-24442489

 

It’s My Story. Thanks Anyway.

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I am not very good at listening.

So, as I told you here, my paid editor didn’t like the villain in my current romance novel. She thought the bad guy needed more than just a sense of greed and entitlement.

freegamesgreed
Because no one, especially a great author, has ever used greed as motivator.

So, I added another character that was supposed to be the star-crossed villain, doing evil things out of love. I revamped the original villain to be more sympathetic. I did everything the editor said I should.

And it didn’t work.

Why?

Because now I like the characters, and the new “villain” developed their own character in the process. Becoming a person that wouldn’t actually commit murder.

*throws hands up*

I know. I hate it when characters stop listening to their author-god and go do their own thing.

But see, here’s the thing. People do bad stuff all the time. People are motivated by greed, and fear, and lust. Not everyone is altruistic.

I’m not even sure everyone is a hero in their own story.

Yeah, I know us writers are fed this a great deal. But I’m not sure it’s true.

Not everyone thinks they’re blameless. Some people know what they’re doing is wrong and do it anyway.

I want this thing, so I’m going to take it. Yeah, it’s wrong. So what? Yeah, it may hurt someone, but I’m going to take what I want.

bothmine

Don’t believe me?

How many con artists are scamming people out of their money and justifying it to themselves on some higher moral ground? Because there’s totally heroic reasons to call a grandmother pretending to be her granddaughter in a horrible car accident and beg for money in the form of non-traceable gift cards so the hospital will admit her. *that was sarcasm*

Or calling parents and telling them their child was kidnapped and demanding ransom money or they’re be killed.

So, maybe the villain in this story really is just in it for money. Maybe they’re willing to steal an old man’s retirement savings by pretending to be the love his life. Or maybe they’re willing to kill a scrupulous duke to keep gold flowing.

It’s my story. And while this villain may have had a traumatic childhood on the streets of Aerius, that’s not the story.

I don’t care why he values money over someone’s life. He does. And a flip through the news will show he’s not alone.