A few months ago, I noticed that a lot of my patients were
all watching the same show. I only saw bits and pieces, and I didn’t really
know what it was, but it looked interesting. Recently, my interests have kind
of shifted from sitcom type shows to more criminal investigative shows.
Turns out the show was called Criminal Minds, and I found it
on Netflix and started watching. I really love it, and I absorbed more than I thought
I did. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the show, it’s about a group
within the FBI that investigates serial killers, rapists and kidnappers by analyzing
their behavior to determine what kind of person would commit that crime and
why.
Several weeks ago, while revising Hooked, I was struggling
with one of my main villains. To me, it seemed like he kept switching his
personality, depending on who he was with, but it seemed within his character.
Finally, I had that lightbulb moment.
My villain had the God-complex. And the only reason I knew
that was because of Criminal Minds. I started to profile my villain, his
background, and the reasons behind what he does and it started to make so much
sense. Suddenly, I could write him without even questioning his motives,
because not only did I understand the why behind it, but I also understood the psychological
part, the stuff that even he didn’t know.
From now on out, I’m going to profile every one of my
characters. It’s a fantastic way to determine what really makes them tick, and
to put together their background, their family life, and their environment to
put together a whole person, not just a villain. Someone who has a desire for
something, or a need to be fulfilled.
I love it when random things in my life connect like that.
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