How do you write bad guys so bad? For example, Joe from "Dolores Claiborne"?

[Brenda Kennedy]

I know some of your background and I have never seen mentioned you being treated badly as a child. You seem to really know what a mean drunk is like and how chilling they can be. I have just noticed throughout your writings that you are a master at bringing out such deep character, and the mean ones just jump off the page. It's like you actually knew them or were around them. I find it fascinating that you can do that. Thank you for all my favorite scary stories. I started reading for fun right around the time you started cranking out stories. It's been really great.

 

[FlakeNoir]

Welcome to the site, Brenda.

Stephen has always been very good at pinning down human nature in his stories, it's what makes him so good I think. He has also faced his own demons with alcohol and drugs so isn't a stranger to their effects. Mostly I'd say though, he just knows people.

 

[HollyGolightly]

Welcome to the board! I agree - he really gets it - he characters are so believable and real to me every time!

 

[Haunted]

I know some of your background and I have never seen mentioned you being treated badly as a child. You seem to really know what a mean drunk is like and how chilling they can be. I have just noticed throughout your writings that you are a master at bringing out such deep character, and the mean ones just jump off the page. It's like you actually knew them or were around them. I find it fascinating that you can do that. Thank you for all my favorite scary stories. I started reading for fun right around the time you started cranking out stories. It's been really great.

 

[king family fan]

Welcome. Glad you are joining us.

 

[Dana Jean]

Welcome Brenda

 

[GNTLGNT]

Welcome to the site, Brenda.

Stephen has always been very good at pinning down human nature in his stories, it's what makes him so good I think. He has also faced his own demons with alcohol and drugs so isn't a stranger to their effects. Mostly I'd say though, he just knows people.

...precisely...

 

[GNTLGNT]

...and many welcomes!!!...

 

[jchanic]

I still think one of King's baddest (human) guys is Norman Daniels in Rose Madder. That is one BAD dude.

John

 

[Brenda Kennedy]

I still think one of King's baddest (human) guys is Norman Daniels in Rose Madder. That is one BAD dude.

John

Him, the Dark side of George Stark, Jack turning on his family in the Shining, Joe-that effing guy reminded me of my step dad, the drunk neighbor in Silver Bullet, Randall Flag, all these characters are just brutal. It's like he had a mean drunken person in his life. It's amazing accuracy.

 

[Gerald]

What I know about bad guys in stories, is they don't think they're bad themselves. They have no moral compass and there is something sad about them as well often (some were abused themselves too and that has become the norm for them to progress through life) - although it's our own compassion that makes us feel sad for them - it's exactly what they most likely don't experience themselves.

I suppose King's very good about getting in their heads. Just following their thoughts and how they make other connections between things they see and experience as more compassionate people do. And then the culmination is the horrible things they do. But I think it's important to follow their line of thought, and not just show people doing worse and worse things - it has to be rooted somehow in their psyche.

 

[blunthead]

I know some of your background and I have never seen mentioned you being treated badly as a child. You seem to really know what a mean drunk is like and how chilling they can be. I have just noticed throughout your writings that you are a master at bringing out such deep character, and the mean ones just jump off the page. It's like you actually knew them or were around them. I find it fascinating that you can do that. Thank you for all my favorite scary stories. I started reading for fun right around the time you started cranking out stories. It's been really great.

I've noticed he writes pretty much everybody very well.

 

[Neesy]

I know some of your background and I have never seen mentioned you being treated badly as a child. You seem to really know what a mean drunk is like and how chilling they can be. I have just noticed throughout your writings that you are a master at bringing out such deep character, and the mean ones just jump off the page. It's like you actually knew them or were around them. I find it fascinating that you can do that. Thank you for all my favorite scary stories. I started reading for fun right around the time you started cranking out stories. It's been really great.

His Dad left when he was quite young, so I don't think he got the knowledge of what a "mean drunk" is from his own father. I think like @blunthead said, he just has an exceptionally good imagination!

 

[Kitten]

Him, the Dark side of George Stark, Jack turning on his family in the Shining, Joe-that effing guy reminded me of my step dad, the drunk neighbor in Silver Bullet, Randall Flag, all these characters are just brutal. It's like he had a mean drunken person in his life. It's amazing accuracy.

Silver Bullet is an excellent story. It's hard for me to watch. I cry at the end every time.

 

[Kitten]

What I know about bad guys in stories, is they don't think they're bad themselves. They have no moral compass and there is something sad about them as well often (some were abused themselves too and that has become the norm for them to progress through life) - although it's our own compassion that makes us feel sad for them - it's exactly what they most likely don't experience themselves.

I suppose King's very good about getting in their heads. Just following their thoughts and how they make other connections between things they see and experience as more compassionate people do. And then the culmination is the horrible things they do. But I think it's important to follow their line of thought, and not just show people doing worse and worse things - it has to be rooted somehow in their psyche.

Gerald, I think you hit it on the nose - getting into their head when he writes. In a sense, when we read what Stephen King writes, we are getting into Stephen King's head --- because of the way he writes. He doesn't plan anything, the story just flows out from his imagination. Stephen King must have had an awesome mother to encourage such wonderful, {{{ skary }}} imagination. Just sayin'!

 

[Grandpa]

One of my favorite bad guys was Harold in The Stand, because you could relate to him so well, even admire his smarts, pity him for his choices, all the while being revolted by his actions.

 

[Kurben]

I've noticed he writes pretty much everybody very well.

Correct. I cant really think of a really bad character of his(Bad as in badly written i mean, He has written a lot of bad boys and girls)