July Third Thursday: “Men and Monsters: Writing Compelling Villains”

For our July Third Thursday, join us for a discussion of the intricacies that go into constructing compelling villains within your stories, from defining villainy for yourself and for your readers to exploring all the ambiguities within the definition you construct. What humans find frightening and monstrous are direct results of our lived experiences and the value systems we’ve constructed because of them. Whether a monster in the dark, a tragic figure, or a character you love to hate, compelling villains can truly make a story live and breathe, taking root within the imagination of our readers’ lives well after The End. In this discussion, we’ll explore subjects such as eliciting fear or horror within your work, the spectrum of human to inhuman in the creation of villains (and monsters), and how to draw your readers into monstrous perspectives. Join R. J. Joseph (My Monsters Ain’t Like Yours) and Xiran Jay Zhao (Iron Widow and Heavenly Tyrant) to deep dive into writing what we find villainous – and why we are compelled to do so.