Most of us would rightly try and avoid the company of dangerous, violent individuals, whether intimately or from a great distance. If you’ve ever had the misfortune of being around people who wish you harm, you’ll know that it results in a highly stressful mindset that, in the short term at least, can alter your personality—and not for the better.

When writing stories, however, villainous characters can be a compelling draw.

In the crime television series Kin, Bren Kinsella, played by the tremendously talented Francis Magee, was utterly obnoxious. So much so that, while he was a magnetic on-screen presence, I, like many other viewers, longed for him to get his comeuppance. But when he did, I knew that, should a third series be greenlit, the show would be all the poorer for his absence.

Similarly, Jamie Dornan’s character in The Fall, Paul Spector, was for me, and many others, the show’s most compelling component throughout its three series, despite his repellent acts. And what about one of the most recognised villains of all time, Hannibal Lecter, with his penchant for devouring human flesh?

Would as many books be written, and television shows and films be made, about the repugnant Adolf Hitler and Ted Bundy had they been morally virtuous men?

The ongoing fascination with the aforementioned monsters is far from a celebration of their lives. But there’s something in our collective human psyche that compels many of us to return to them whenever they appear on screen or in print. So when writing stories, don’t be afraid to include characters you’d run a mile from in real life; for they have the potential, if well represented, to keep us glued to a screen or to continue to turn pages.

Crowbarring them or, indeed, any characters, in isn’t the way to go. But if they contribute to a story, and sometimes drive its direction, then they could well prove to be an important, justifiable—maybe even crucial—inclusion.

So long as they’re balanced with morally sound, likeable characters, and the plot adds up—for the story itself is always the most significant element in any production—that potpourri of characteristics can work really well and give whatever medium you’re working in the best chance of success. And if fiction’s your thing, and you need some help writing your story, whether it be contributing to an existing manuscript or writing one from scratch, consider hitting us up at United Ghostwriters, where you’ll find a number of us to choose from: https://unitedghostwriters.co.uk/fiction/.