One of the things I love most about suspense novels is the interaction between the heroine and the villain. I love feeling the goosebumps appear when I know the villain is hiding and the heroine charges madly into the situation. I cringe at the villain’s inner thoughts and wish I could warn the heroine somehow.
What do you think makes a good villain?
What makes a great heroine?
Here’s my list…
GREAT VILLAINS
1. Some form of weakness that hinders them in some way
2. A strong motivation for what they are about to do
3. More dimension as a character than just being a villain
4. Some small tidbit of backstory that perhaps asks for just a teensy bit of empathy
GREAT HEROINES
1. The ability to be strong when/if necessary
2. Not a damsel-in-distress
3. A character who reads like someone the reader could have as a friend
4. Someone who sets a good example as a woman
5. A soft side
Who are your favorite heroine/villain pairs? Two of mine are:
1. Annie and Paul (Misery)
2. Clarice and Hannibal (Silence of the Lambs)
Please feel free to comment. As a writer, I’d love to know what makes readers like certain heroines and also which villains creep them out the most.
