Writing fiction, you often inhabit your protagonist’s shoes. But what if you slipped into the boots of the villain—or better yet, into the claws or claws‑equivalent of the “monster?” Shifting your narrative lens to the antagonist’s point of view opens up fascinating creative terrain. It allows you to explore motivations that terrify, fascinate, and challenge readers. In this post, we’ll explore why writing from the villain’s perspective works, how to do it well, and key pitfalls to avoid.
Why write from the villain’s point of view?
There are several compelling reasons to give your reader access to the monster’s mind:
- Fresh perspective: Most stories deploy the hero’s viewpoint. By contrast, a villain POV flips the mirror. It offers novelty and surprises.
- Greater empathy and complexity: When we hear a villain’s inner voice, we begin to see the logic (twisted though it may be) behind their actions. As one writing coach puts it, “the more we understand where a character is coming from, the more sympathetic they become.”
- Heightened tension and stakes: Knowing the villain’s goal, fears, and plans creates dramatic irony—readers see more than the hero does. That accelerates suspense.
- Thematic richness: Villains reflect what heroes could become if they made different choices. Writing from the monster’s mind gives you an avenue to explore moral ambiguity and the thin line between good and evil.
When does it make sense to use the villain’s POV?
Switching to the antagonist’s mindset isn’t appropriate for every story. Here are some markers and considerations:
- If your story is about the villain’s transformation (or fall), then their POV is natural.
- If your antagonist is more than a caricature—if they have complexity, motive, depth—then a POV shift can enrich the narrative.
- If you want to challenge readers by making them root for someone they know is “evil,” or at least someone operating outside the traditional moral compass.
- On the flip side: if the villain is purposely mysterious—perhaps a force of pure chaos—it might be better not to give them voice. As one guide explains: “If it’s only fear you want the reader to feel, then it might be better to create distance and deny them the POV.”
Getting into the monster’s mind: 5 practical strategies
Here are concrete techniques you can apply when writing from the villain’s POV:
1. Define the villain’s very human wants
Even monsters have desires. What do they want? Power? Revenge? Validation? Survival? The clearer the villain’s goal, the more compelling they become. According to the “Building a Better Monster” guide: “What does your villain want? How does their goal conflict with that of the protagonist?”
2. Make the villain sympathetic (not necessarily good)
Sympathy doesn’t mean the reader supports the villain—but that they understand them. As one article suggests, exceptional antagonists are “justifiable, relatable” rather than flat‑evil. The Writing Cooperative Use backstory, inner conflict, or wounded psychology to humanize them.
3. Choose the right voice and tone for villain POV
The villain’s voice should reflect their worldview. If they see themselves as a liberator, a martyr, a beast, an aristocrat—let their diction, metaphors, and internal logic embody that. Also, decide how much self‑awareness they have: do they realize they’re villainous, or do they believe they’re the hero of their own story? Many villains believe the latter.
4. Show how the villain mirrors or twists the hero
The most memorable antagonists reflect the hero in some way. They might start from the same point but diverge. The idea of the “foil villain” describes this dynamic—where the villain takes the hero’s traits to a darker extreme. Writing from the monster’s mind lets you highlight that twisted mirror.
5. Embrace moral ambiguity and rationalizations
Monsters justify their actions. They don’t necessarily see themselves as evil. Let your villain rationalize. Let them believe their cause is righteous—even if we the readers disagree. Also, avoid clichés: writing guidance warns that “a psychopath isn’t always a man in black in a dark alley with a sharp knife.”
Structuring a scene from the villain’s POV
Here’s a simple scene‑formula you can adapt:
- Establish internal goal: What the villain is thinking right at that moment.
- External conflict: What’s stopping them from reaching that goal—or what they’re about to do to reach it.
- Justification: Reveal why they act as they do—fear, sting of rejection, vengeance, twisted morality.
- Consequences: Show the emotional weight of their actions (guilt, excitement, regret, numbness).
- Reflection and feed‑forward: What they’re anticipating next. How this decision changes them.
When written in first person (or close third person) from the antagonist’s perspective, the reader lives inside the monster’s thought process. This can deepen character, raise stakes, and engage readers on a new level.
SEO & audience‑focus: tips for you
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Potential pitfalls when writing from the monster’s mind
- Over‑justification: If you spend too long making the villain sympathetic, you risk losing their menace. Balance empathy with tension.
- Lack of stakes for the hero: If the villain is in focus, don’t forget the hero’s story—the threat still needs to feel real.
- Villain voice too similar to the hero: If the POV voice is neutral or too heroic‑sounding, you lose the unique viewpoint. Let the monster think in its own terms.
- Too much exposition: Don’t use villain POV as a dump of backstory. Let the character think and act, rather than telling the reader.
- Audience confusion: If you mix hero and villain POVs inconsistently, you may confuse readers. Be clear when shifts happen.
Unique advice for writer‑audience (you)
Since you’re writing a blog for creators and writers, here are some extra tips tailored to your workflow:
- Try writing a mini diary entry from your villain’s perspective—five hundred words of unfiltered thinking. It will help you inhabit their mindset.
- Then convert one scene (that you’ve already written from the hero’s viewpoint) into the villain’s POV. Compare which is richer, more surprising, more emotionally charged.
- Use contrast notes: list where the hero and villain overlap (goal, fears, past wounds) and where they diverge. This helps you build their dynamism.
- Incorporate sensory detail that aligns with the villain’s world. For example: a high‑born tyrant smells leather of fine gloves, hears the clink of chains, tastes the bitterness of power. A subterranean monster smells iron and death, sees magma glow, hears bones crack. These details anchor you inside their mind.
- Don’t shy away from inner contradiction. Your monster might feel the wrongness of what they do, yet believe they must do it. That tension makes them compelling.
Case‑in‑point: what this looks like
Imagine you’re writing a chapter from the POV of the villain in a fantasy novel: The Conqueror. Write: “The map lay sprawled, the ink already bleeding into the fine grain of parchment. I tasted ash in my throat — the fortress had burned overnight. Good. They will remember my name. I—who was born in the shadows of defeat—will build a kingdom of ashes where resilience bows before me.”
This short snippet puts you in the villain’s shoes: you smell the ash, you feel the hunger, you rationalize the destruction. That’s what writing from the monster’s mind does.
Writing from the villain’s point of view is a powerful tool. It lets you explore conflict from the “dark side,” deepen character, and surprise your readers with a perspective they rarely get. But it demands care: define the villain’s wants, craft their voice, keep stakes high, and ensure the hero still matters. With the right balance, your monster becomes more than an obstacle—they become a story in themselves.
Happy writing. And remember: even monsters believe they’re the hero of their own story.
Sources:
Building a Better Monster: How to Craft an Effective Villain
Turning Heroes Into Monsters: How to Write a Foil Villain
5 Ways to Build Admirable Protagonists
How to Write Better Villains: 5 Ways to Get Into the Mind of a Psychopath
