How to Write a Villain Readers Love to Hate
A great villain wants something, makes sense on their own terms and scares us on the page. How to build motivation, logic, menace and the mirror that makes your hero shine.
A section2 pieces · Updated October 2026
The Chapterly JournalCharacters
Heroes, villains, and the people in between. How to make readers care, and how to name them while you're at it.
Every piece in Characters
How to Name a Character: 12 Rules Writers Actually Use
How to name a character so the name fits the era, the culture, the genre and the person: 12 practical rules with examples, the common pitfalls, and tools to help.
Chapter one starts tonight.
Open a blank page, write the first line, and see where it takes you. Your readers are out there.
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