A compelling villain doesn’t exist merely to “be bad.” They challenge your hero, force them to grow, and often embody the darkest mirror of the protagonist’s internal struggle. Villains are not obstacles—they are catalysts. If your readers remember your villain as vividly as your hero, you've done your job right.

This isn’t about romance alone (though it often is). It’s about belonging. About safety. About seeing and being seen. When a character finds that safe space in someone else, we as readers feel it. We crave it. And we remember it. Let’s explore how to write characters who find home—not in a house or city—but in another soul.