Some find it hard to do, but I love writing about evil. I see several of you widening your eyes right about now. If you know me personally, you know that I’m not a mean, or evil person. But that’s why it’s so fun to write about evil. It’s the exact opposite of what you’re used to, which can be a lot more fun than simply taking boring aspects of your life and trying to make it interesting.
For those that have read Aluria, you know that I make it abundantly clear that we all have darkness in us. I don’t care who you are, it’s there in you. And it may be in many different forms. Selfishness, jealousy, a thirst for power, you name it. It only takes one small, defining moment that unleashes the darkness within us.
What people do when that darkness is unleashed varies. Some drown in it, destroying themselves from the inside. For others, it’s degrading themselves, or something else. And then there are those unfortunate cases where people unleash that darkness on others. How much the darkness is released is up to us. We can act irritated, or we can work to set the world on fire. Everybody reacts differently.
I touched on this theme several times in Aluria, but I go into it much further in Vigilante. No, I’m not going to give you a sneak peak, but know that it’s something that always pops up in my writing. I think it adds another layer to the superhero storyline. No, Aluria doesn’t turn evil, but you already know that he has his vulnerabilities, and its a small choices that he makes, that any of us make, that defines who we are and the road that we go down.
Do I think the world is evil? That’s probably the question that you’re asking right now. Depends on the day that you ask me, but ultimately, I believe there are a lot of good people in this world, with evil people among them with louder voices and actions.
Although I don’t always write about it, I have a particular interest in characters that are evil and have no redeeming qualities. Like Lord Voldemort, for example, or Raiz, in my book. I love knowing that there is nothing that can be done to bring them back to the light, but learning of their back story and finding out that there is a defining moment where everything changes. An act of desperation, perhaps. But, once that character gets a taste of darkness, they want more, and suddenly, they forget the reason why they turn to darkness in the first place.
I don’t know how this top came about. I guess it’s because I’m writing some good content in Vigilante, and when I also talk about it with friends and family. I think we can all relate to these characters, even though most of us are less likely for follow the examples, like some would.
For the authors out there, do you enjoy writing dark storylines/characters? And readers, do you like characters with nonredeemable qualities? Does your opinion of them change once you learn why they turn to darkness?