Beyond the Evil Stepmother: Crafting Villains with Goals, Vulnerabilities, and Humanity in Children's Literature

HOST REGION: Southern Breeze

CONTACT: Amanda Fletcher [email protected]

WHEN:

Saturday, May 9

1:30 - 2:30 PM Eastern Time  

COST:

• Premium Members: $15 USD
• Preview Plan: $25 USD

Attendees will receive the Zoom link by email about two days before the event.  

DESCRIPTION:

From the scheming Queen in Snow White to the calculating Amy Dunne of young adult fiction, the best villains in children's and young adult literature are never just obstacles — they're the force that makes our heroes worth rooting for. But writing a villain that resonates with young readers, from picture book toddlers to cynical teenagers, takes more than a black cape and a cruel laugh.

In this session, we'll explore what separates a forgettable antagonist from one that lingers long after the last page. You'll learn how to ground your villain in believable motivation, build a backstory that earns reader empathy without excusing harmful behavior, and create confrontations that genuinely threaten your hero's success. We'll look at how the villain-hero relationship works across the kidlit spectrum — and why the best villains in children's literature don't just challenge the protagonist's strength, they challenge their beliefs.

Whether you're writing a picture book bully or a young adult mastermind, you'll leave with practical tools to make your villain as fully human as your hero — and twice as unforgettable.