My Villain Needs Some Help

[Esther]

@booksbyjayna

I know nothing about dystopia, and it looks like you’re getting some good answers already. But one thing I would suggest regarding Len’s title is to take a look at other books in your genre and see what the standard practice seems to be. If fans of dystopia are used to this type of character having a title, they’ll probably expect it. If they aren’t, the extra name may be confusing (and multiple extra titles even more so). Just something to consider.

Thanks for the insight! That’s a really good idea! I’ll have to do that. (I’ve actually never read dystopia before… 😐 So… XD)

@thearcaneaxiom

Cool! Very nice allegories!

Thanks! I’m starting to like writing subtle or small allegories, instead of a whole novel that’s purely allegorical. (Besides my Queen Esther retelling of course.)

Ok, so I’m still a little lost as to how he handles things. Is he some kind of mix between anarchist and socialist? He wants the people to be undivided, and show himself as one of them, but no enforcement of law? Unless your suggesting that he doesn’t do trials, but takes care of the offenders silently instead?

Yes… I think so… He tells them he is equal and one of them, but really he is not and is not treated as such. The peace he was able to achieve caused the people to love him. That enabled him to rule with an iron fist. He makes his own law and changes it as it please him. When the people started to find out that he was ruling with an iron fist, most didn’t like him anymore. Only his most loyal followers still loved him. And his number of followers keep growing. Like I mentioned above, he makes his own laws. Very rarely (and I mean very rarely), does he allow a trial to be held. He punishes the offender how he sees fit and most people don’t hear about what happens. It is based off of socialism, but it’s not entirely the same. For example, he allows private businesses and private property, but he can take them away whenever he wants. So he gives the impression that the people he rules over are free, but they really aren’t.

Does that make more sense?

Ok, so if his parents were the perfectionist types, turning Derek into a perfectionist, making him feel like a failure, then could that perhaps be correlated at least to him, to their deaths? He sees his parents perhaps in conflict with some other group or individual, then he not liking the conflict, tries to intervene. He tries to play the role of peacemaker, tries to be enough to help his parents, but either it didn’t work, or it strait up backfires. The other party kills his parents, leaves him behind. He failed, he could feel the disappointment of his parents, and obviously just feeling the loss of them as well, but he failed them as a peacemaker, thus, he promises himself that he would make it up to them, he would be perfect, and he would become the ultimate keeper of peace. That’s just the narrative my mind creates, but I don’t know.

Ooooh. I like that! 🤔 I’ll definitely keep that in mind. 🙂

So maybe he would want a friendlier name to appear their equal? Isos in greek is equal, and friend in latin is Amica, Otium in latin means peace, and in greek it’s Erini. Something along those lines I think would make sense for his personal narrative, but likely many of his followers would give more domineering, and worshipful names to him.

Ok. That’s a good point. That’s kinda where I came to my predicament, choosing whether he would have a title of lordship or something. That’s why I think I have to flesh him out more. He’s a lot more complex than I originally thought. 🙃 I may have two different titles that his followers and his “non-followers” call him, like you suggested.

Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende

[Jayna Baas]

Thanks for the insight! That’s a really good idea! I’ll have to do that. (I’ve actually never read dystopia before… 😐 So… XD)

@esther-c You’re welcome! To be honest, reading in your genre is one of the first “rules” of good writing, partly so you’ll understand what readers expect and partly so you’ll know what’s out there (major themes, tropes, etc.) and avoid repetition. So yeah, you might want to start there. I do personally think having more than one or two titles for him could get confusing, especially if you have a lot of other characters.

​Jayna Baas
Christian Author/Editor
www.booksbyjayna.com

[Esther]

@booksbyjayna

To be honest, reading in your genre is one of the first “rules” of good writing, partly so you’ll understand what readers expect and partly so you’ll know what’s out there (major themes, tropes, etc.) and avoid repetition. So yeah, you might want to start there.

Yep… I know… I just really need to do it. 🤣 (And I’ve read in like every other genre. 😂) I’ll try to find some dystopia to read soon! 👍

I do personally think having more than one or two titles for him could get confusing, especially if you have a lot of other characters.

Ok. That’s a good point. I do have a lot of other characters. Even though I’m looking for a title for him, all my MCs and the side charries they travel with all call him by his last name cuz they don’t really care. Lol

 

Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende

[Light Warrior Pen]

@esther-c

You’re welcome! 😄 I can’t wait to see what else you cook up.

This girl is armed with books, coffee, and writing accoutrements!

[LandriC]

Hi @esther-c!

I’m a little late to this conversation, but I just came to chime in on titles names. I’m a collegiate Latin student who studies a good bit of ancient languages. Like Jayna Baas mentioned, the old languages might feel too strange in a dystopian setting, but here are some options for you…

1. Princeps (“leader”)

2. Princeps Fortis (“strong leader”)

3. Ducibus debebantur (“governor”)

4. Audax or Mananimus (“courageous”)

Hope it’s helpful! If not, completely disregard it 😉

 

"To death or to victory"

[Esther]

@landric

So cool that you study Latin! Thanks for the suggestions!! 😀

Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende

[Author]

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