Creepy Characters

No, but I write horror so nothing really creeps me out. My "printed" book had a mother who did all kinds of horrible things to her daughter, things you couldn't possibily believe and I never once was creeped out by it. I write the characters as they need to be. If I ever wrote a character that creeped me out I think I would have a helluva a story on my hands.

I'm currently working a period mystery, set about 100 years ago, in which circumstances force an alliance between a really nasty unrepentant villain and an upright do-gooder, in order to accomplish something of mutual interest. The villain is being a good deal of fun, and pretty creepy to boot.

caw.

Everyone's creepy if you catch them in the right light

My 1st beta reader said that about my antagonist...and he used that exact word. The funny thing was, I was going for just plain evil (with a few nuances, sure, and an explanation for her evil-ness that may draw a few bits of sympathy) and wasn't even trying to creep potential readers out. Bonus!

Any beta readers' references to Hannibal Lecter or Norman Bates, and you've got yourself a keeper.

Personally, I think the creepy characters are the most interesting. Judging from the popularity of vampires, Alan Rickman characters and evil wizards out there, I think at least a few fantasy lovers agree!

TheIT said:

and the scary thing is he'd enjoy it if he knew.

Click to expand...

How do you know he doesn't?

creepism...

TheIT:

Congratulations on writing an effective character. I should think that if he's creeping you out, he'll probably do the same to readers, too, which means that he and you both are doing your jobs.

I'm not sure if I've written a character that really creeped me out, but I have written one who has appalled me. He was a living Ouroboros, a guy who sawed off little bits of himself, inside and out, fried them up in a pan, and ate them. This is no doubt not at all an original idea, but it was new to me when I thought of it, and seemed to me delightfully ghastly.

As to the story turning out darker than you originally intended, I think stories become what they need to be, if we let them, and that they are usually better off for it. Forcing a story in a direction it doesn't want to go is the surest way to break it.

Carry on.

Creepy is as creepy does. If he creeps you out, and that was your goal, then you did good...but I don't make creepy. Evil, scrupulous, and wicked, maybe, but not creepy.

I've heard many actors say they'd rather play the villain than the hero. I'm with them. For me, it's always more fun to spend time inside the heads of the baddies--cheap therapy.

Oh my gosh I love creepy characters! I myself have not exctly creeped myself out by any of my characters, but I do have some really evil, ruthless people in my novels.