Villains or Heroes: Who's easier to write for?

POSTED BY: MrBlueSun
UPDATED: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 20:44
VIEWED: 2931
PAGE 1 of 1

MRBLUESUN

Monday, March 26, 2007 6:36 PM

Was just wondering which sort of character (original or otherwise)people find it easier to create. The reason i ask is that i am desperately trying to write a villain that will avoid the various cliches and mary-sueisms which plague the villains of my non-firefly fics.
Also i seem to have trouble writing dialogue for the BDH's.

i may wear brown, but theres a little purple mixed in there too.

AGENTROUKA

Monday, March 26, 2007 6:50 PM

First of all, remember that Firefly didn't set the bar too highly when it comes to villains, so anything that's a step above Rance Burgess or Atherton Wing is already well within canon standard. ;)

I don't really write original characters, so I wouldn't be able to tell you from a writer's POV.

Personally, I love villains whose world doesn't revolve around the heroes. Villains who have something going on that's not pride or revenge or "must force self on pretty girl".
Basically, villains who are only villains by the grace of perspective.

Mal4prez has written excellent villainous OC's in her "Easy Tickets"!! Ray, Willy and Ginger.. so much depth there!

KANEMAN

Monday, March 26, 2007 6:58 PM

Not sure if you are only talking about villains and heroes from the 'verse. Either way I wouldn't know, however it must have been fun to write stuff for Al Swearengen on Deadwood.

ALLIETHORN7

Monday, March 26, 2007 7:05 PM

Personaly?
Villians are much fun to write. There is just that depth of perspective that the Heroes of most stories lack.
Heroes, while much MUCH easier to write, but they are much MUCH more explored, so it's harder to actualy get across a point or storyline that hasn't been done a dozen times and again.
I dunno; that's just lil' ol' me's opinion, as it stands. I'm sure lotsa folk ain't too apt to be agreein' with me anytime soon.

-Danny

I wanna take the Bullet,
The one aimed straight for your Heart;
I wanna meet the wolves halfway,
And let them Tear me APART,
But that's not the way they do it here...
THRICE RULES!!!!!!!!!

MAL4PREZ

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 8:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by AgentRouka:
First of all, remember that Firefly didn't set the bar too highly when it comes to villains, so anything that's a step above Rance Burgess or Atherton Wing is already well within canon standard. ;)

OMG! You criticized Joss you heathen!

Actually, I totally have to agree about those two. Not the best. Niska though... I do like him!

Thanks for the complement on my baddies! I'm with you that I like the bad guys to have their own internal life and a human side. I can't get to a enjoyable state of suspension of disbelief if they're obviously made up just to torment our heroes.

MrBlueSun - I'm not sure who's more fun to write. imho, there's not such a strong dividing line between heros and villians in the Firefly `verse. No one is all good or bad... OK, Niska and Jubal are quite rotten - but both have some inner life. I get the feeling that they do what do because they like it, and they don't simply exist to go after the crew.

Anyway, the "heros" aren't really so heroic, which is why I like them so!

OK... maybe, as far as flat out fun to write... I think I enjoy Jayne most. Bad and funny together is so endearing.

And it's incredibly satisfying to feel like I've nailed a Jayne line - he's got such personality, but it's so plain and simple that it's hard to capture.

-----------------------------------------------
I'm the president. I don't need to listen.