Bring me to life

Bring me to life

What's a warm up?

Spiritual line

AP Photo/Sergei Grits

The Twelve Sentences of Christmas

Just for grins a fake hieroglyph version of a
snowball poem from an October prompt

Write a twelve-sentence story. Begin with a one word sentence. Increase each sentence length by one word. The twelfth sentence will have twelve words.

It can be a Christmas, winter or holiday themed tale. Or, since the story is already constrained, whatever inspires you.

Everyday glory

Everyday glory

What's a warm up?

Ice castle

IceHotel Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Days and Nights

What's on Day's resume? What's on Night's? What are the requirements of their jobs? How do the jobs differ?

What if Day is sick and Night needs to take over?

Holy diver

Holy diver

What's a warm up?

City in hiding

Shicheng "Lion City"

Cold fusion

With the advent of holodecks, people can visit any place any time any season.

Everyone loves the soft freshness of spring, the vibrant color of fall and the bright warmth of summer. But the only ones who seem to like winter are the sports enthusiasts.

The Winter Council wants to broaden winter's appeal. They want people to appreciate winter for the crisp air, the soft snow, the crystal ice, for what makes winter winter.

Your task is to come up with an ad campaign. Come up with a slogan, or poster ideas, or advertisements. Even an ad that runs in a holodeck.

Where eagles have been

Where eagles have been

What's a warm up?

Mobile home

Click for even more surreal air transport :-)

Dead silent

Homicide victims rarely talk to police

That's the headline. Presumably victims did speak at one time. Now they don't. What happened to stop it? Are the dead responsible? Is someone else? Why? How are the police handling murders now? Is it only homicide victims who won't talk or all dead?

Write a story from the view of a cop in the newly created homicide division.

Or from the view of a Dead Talker who is investigating what has happened.

End of the line

End of the line

What's a warm up?

Handmade

(A video that captures even more.)

caves by Ra Paulette

Thank goodness for Mars

Cake by Yeners Cakes

It's Thanksgiving on Mars. So what are the colonists giving thanks for? What event or dreadful times did they survive and now celebrate? Are there heroes and villains? Was it Human versus Nature? Who survived and who died?

You can write their first Thanksgiving. Or their tenth. Or their hundredth.

What is the meal like? What kind of food do they grow on Mars? What would count as a feast? Are there special foods that tie into the period they're giving thanks for?

---

Something I stumbled across while writing this post: Is Martian soil actually good for farming?

Space station no. 5

Space station no. 5

What's a warm up?

Everywhere women are raving about this amazing new shampoo!

EVERYWHERE WOMEN ARE RAVING ABOUT THIS AMAZING NEW SHAMPOO!

What if this time it really was amazing? What if it did something besides clean hair? What would women actually rave about? What would happen if men used it? Kids? Dogs? What are the cautionary statements in the fine print on the bottle?

Feast of starlight

Feast of starlight

What's a warm up?

Crystalized

Powerslave

Powerslave

What's a warm up?

Cavalry bears

All the wrong ideas

All the wrong ideas

What's a warm up?

Stone cold

photo by Nick Brandt

More lovely photos by Nick Brandt.

KM Weiland's Character Arc series

KM Weiland has written a wonderful series of posts about growing a story from a character's flaws, what she calls The Lie the Character Believes. While she calls it a character arc, if the character is the main character, this is the core of your story. She helps you grow your character from the damage in his past through all the structural aspects from Act 1 to the climax.

At her website, Helping Writers Become Authors, you can check for additional posts and sign up for her newsletter.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 1: Can You Structure Characters? - What if there were a sure-fire secret to creating stunning character arcs? Would you be interested in discovering it? If you care about connecting with readers, grabbing hold of their emotions, and creating stories that will resonate with them on a level deeper than mere entertainment, then the answer has to be a resounding yes!

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 2: The Lie Your Character Believes - People hate change. We may sit around and wish our lives were different, but when the rubber really starts streaking the tarmac, we usually find ourselves wishing we could just hang out here in our safe and familiar haunts. Characters are no different. They resist change just as staunchly as any of us.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 3: The Thing Your Character Wants vs. The Thing Your Character Needs - The Lie Your Character Believes is the reason for all character arcs. After all, if everything’s hunky-dunky, why change? We might think of the Lie as the cavity in a tooth. Everything might look shiny and white on the outside, but inside there’s decay.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 4: Your Character’s Ghost - What is your character’s ghost, and how does it affect his character arc? Once you’ve figured out the Lie Your Character Believes, as well as Thing He Wants and the Thing He Needs, the next question you need to ask yourself is: Why does the character believe the Lie in the first place?

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 5: The Characteristic Moment - First impressions do count. And your protagonist’s Characteristic Moment is his first chance to impress your readers. Now that we’ve got the basic theory of character arc out of the way and figured out how to set up your protagonist’s inner conflict, via the Lie He Believes, the Thing He Wants and the Thing He Needs, and the Ghost, we’re ready to officially begin writing our character’s story.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 6: The Normal World - Who wants to read about a boring old Normal World? The Lost World? Sure! The Exciting, Unusual, Exotic, and Absolutely Thrilling World? You betcha. But the Normal World? Isn’t that a pretty lame way to begin a story? Nope. Not if you want your character’s change arc to make sense, it isn’t.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 7: The First Act - The First Act is one of my favorite parts of any story. Why? On the surface, the First Act seems to be the slowest part of the story—and it often is. It’s just setup, after all, right? True enough, except for that one little word just. It isn’t “just” setup; it’s SETUP!

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 8: The First Plot Point - If the First Act is setup, then the First Plot Point is the point of no return in character arcs. The setup ends, and the story begins “for realz.” At this point the character commits—usually because he has no choice—to a decision that will propel him out of the comfortable stagnation of the Normal World and the Lie He Believes.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 9: The First Half of the Second Act - In the structure of character arcs, the First Half of the Second Act is where your character ventures (or is thrust) into uncharted territory—and gets lost. He may not quite see it that way himself, but this is where he begins to discover that the old rules (the Lie He Believes) no longer apply.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 10: The Midpoint - In a positive change character arc, your protagonist will have spent the First Half of the Second Act blundering around in foreign territory, making mistakes based on false assumptions, and getting his hand slapped for his every wrong move. But he’s also going to have been slowly—maybe even subconsciously—learning his lesson and figuring things out.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 11: The Second Half of the Second Act - The Second Half of the Second Act is where you cue the hero music in character arcs. Thanks to that major personal revelation at the Midpoint, the protagonist now gets it. The puzzle pieces are falling into place. The light bulbs have flashed on. He sees what he has to do to win the conflict.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 12: The Third Plot Point - If you had pick the single most important moment in characters arcs, what would it be? The Third Plot Point, you say? Well, you’d be right. Now here’s the harder question: Why is it the most important moment? The Third Plot Point is the low moment in your story.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 13: The Third Act - Character arcs in the Third Act are all about intensity. On the story’s exterior, the conflict is heating up. The protagonist is a runaway train thundering toward what has now become an inevitable confrontation with the antagonistic force. But, on the inside, he’s reeling.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 14: The Climax - In character arcs, as in plot, the Climax is the dot on the end of the exclamation point. The Climax is the reason for the story. This is where the author reveals what the journey the character just endured was really all about—and, in a positive change arc, why that journey has turned out to be worth all the heartaches and trauma.

Creating Stunning Character Arcs, Pt. 15: The Resolution - The Resolution caps character arcs like the cherry on top of a banana split. In some respects, it almost seems to be an extraneous piece of the story. After all, your character’s arc is already complete. He irrevocably proved his devotion to the truth in the Climax. He turned his back on the Lie so completely that he’ll never again be able to surrender to its thrall.

---

KM Weiland mentions 3 types of character arcs: Change, Negative and Flat. The Change Arc is gone into detail above. The following 2 sets dig into how the Negative and Flat Arcs differ.

How to Write a Negative Character Arc, Pt. 1: The First Act - Who in heaven’s name would want to write a negative character arc? Well, how about Shakespeare, Dostoevksy, Faulkner, and Flaubert? Just to name a few small-time wordsmiths you may have heard tell of. Everybody likes a happy ending, but, let’s face it, not all stories have happy endings.

How to Write a Negative Character Arc, Pt. 2: The Second Act - The Second Act in a negative character arc bears a lot of similarity to that in a positive change arc. In both types of arc, the character will be thrust out of his Normal World into a new and strange dilemma, where he will be forced to confront his Lie.

How to Write a Negative Character Arc, Pt. 3: The Third Act - In a word, the negative character arc is about failure, and this becomes nowhere more clear than in the Third Act. If the positive change arc is about redeeming self and the flat arc is about saving others, then the negative character arc is about destroying self and probably others as well.

How to Write a Flat Character Arc, Pt. 1: The First Act - Next to the positive change arc, the flat character arc is the most popular storyline. Also called the “testing arc,” the flat arc is about a character who does not change. He already has the Truth figured out in the beginning of the story, and he uses that Truth to help him overcome various external tests.

How to Write a Flat Character Arc, Pt. 2: The Second Act - The Second Act is the beating heart of your story—and that’s just as true in a flat character arc as it is in a change arc. The Second Act is all about loosing the character into an unsettled world.

How to Write a Flat Character Arc, Pt. 3: The Third Act - The Third Act is where we find arguably the greatest similarities between the flat character arc and the positive change arc, since in both types of story the protagonist will have a full grasp on the Truth by this point.

---

These aren't specifically part of the series, but are related. (There may be more at her website by the time you're reading this.)

The Impact Character: Why Every Character Arc Needs One - When we think of necessary characters, we tend to come up with obvious choices such as the protagonist, the antagonist, and maybe the mentor, love interest, and sidekick. “Impact character” probably isn’t at the top of your list. But it should be. Because you can’t create a character arc without one.

Can a Character’s Arc Be a Subplot? - You’ve written an amazing story. Your premise is high concept. Your plot structure is brilliant. The whole thing is killer. But the main character’s arc seems to be, well, lacking. It’s there all right. It just doesn’t get much screentime. It’s more of a, ahem, subplot. Is that even possible? Is it workable?

How to Figure Out WHAT Your Character’s Arc Should Be - Over the last six months and three series, you’ve gotten a pretty good idea of how to structure your character’s arc–whether it’s positive, flat, or negative. But what you may still be wondering is how to figure out which arc you should choose for your character.

Should All Your Minor Characters Have Arcs? - If your protagonist’s character arc has the ability to deepen your story, then just think how much more depth you can create if all your minor characters have arcs! Dizzying concept, isn’t it? And it raises the (somewhat trepidatious) question: Should all your minor characters have arcs? It’s a fair question.

The All-Important Link Between Theme and Character Progression - Theme is a slippery concept. The prevailing wisdom among writers is that if you apply any deliberate force to your theme, you’ll end up with a heavy-handed Aesop’s fable. On the other hand, a story without a theme is shallow escapism at best and an unrealistic flop at worst.

It is not in my nature to admit defeat. -- Alexandra David-Néel

Alexandra David-Néel

She has such a forthright gaze. She has secrets. She challenges your own secrets, hinting that she can see them whether you choose to see them or not.

Take ten minutes to craft a story of this woman. Who is she? What were the circumstances of her life? What prompted her to embark on the events that made her notable?

Don't edit. Just let the ideas flow and take you where they will. :-)

---

Her own story is possibly even more inspiring than her photo, and may spark a female character who won't be constrained by her times for you.

Alexandra David-Néel was born in 1868, hardly a time when adventurer and woman could be one and the same. Even from an early age her heart was drawn beyond the garden walls and fortunately had the spirit and determination to follow it.

"Ever since I was five years old, a tiny precocious child of Paris, I wished to move out of the narrow limits in which, like all children of my age, I was then kept. I craved to go beyond the garden gate, to follow the road that passed it by, and to set out for the Unknown."

She was a Belgian-French explorer, spiritualist, Buddhist and writer. She is best known for her 1924 midwinter trek across the Himalayas to the holy city of Lhasa in forbidden Tibet. Accompanied by her adopted son Lama Yongden, she disguised herself as a beggar to elude soldiers and brigands. David-Néel wrote over 30 books about Eastern religion, philosophy, and her travels.

Of Tibet when she had left the first time, "Truthfully, I am 'homesick' for a land that is not mine. I am haunted by the steppes, the solitude, the everlasting snow and the great blue sky 'up there'! The difficult hours, the hunger, the cold, the wind slashing my face, leaving me with enormous, bloody, swollen lips."

She began her adventurous life as an opera singer, traveling to far corners of the world. At 36 she met and married a French railroad engineer though she was shortly off for India. Her husband would be her friend and supporter for the rest of his life while she explored the world.

"It is a funny and inconceivable idea that people attach to a place like oysters to their bench, when there is so much to see in this vast world and many walks of life to enjoy."

At one point she befriended and perhaps took as her lover Sidkeong Tulku, a young, dashing progressive Maharaja of Sikkim. His life ended tragically by poison in 1914. Afterwards, she retreated into the Himalayas to live and study with the Gomchen of Lachen, the hermetic master of the Buddhist monastery near the Tibetan border from whom she deepened her knowledge of mystical Buddhist practices. After studying for two years she and her adopted son left to work their way into Tibet.

There is more to her story at her Wikipedia page. The following two webpages, though still brief, go into more detail.

A Mystic in Tibet - Alexandra David-Neel
The Amazing Tibetan Adventures of Alexandra David-Neel

Her books and a couple of biographies are also listed at her Wikipedia page.

The lucky spirit

The lucky spirit

What's a warm up?

From the inside out

Villafane Studios

Quadrival Quandary

At Quadrival Quandary you're given four unusual words and challenged to use them not just in a sentence but in one illustrative sentence. As the guidelines at the site state, "Your sentence should do more than use the words in a grammatically acceptable way, it should show what they mean. If someone didn't know the meaning of a word, could they make a good guess from how it's used in the sentence?"

The definitions are given on the page for each new day's set of words. If you dig into the archives or the randomizer (which digs further back to when the site was contributed to regularly), the sentences others crafted are there to inspire you.

From February 13, 2012:

• promethean
• ventripotent
• mutt
• exoteric

"Dr Atkins decided to confront the elephant in the Obesity Task Force conference room by asking, 'If it’s already a promethean task to convince people that their ventripotent mutts need more exercise and less food, how will we ever mount an effective exoteric awareness campaign for their masters to change their ways as well?'" (by wordgirl)

Metal Gods

Metal Gods

What's a warm up?

The waterbear

AKA Moss Piglet or Tardigrade

Snowballing

A Snowball is a poem in which each line is a single word, and each successive word is one letter longer. If you're metrophobic, try writing a sentence. Though poetry might be easier since it doesn't need to make as much sense ;-)

I
go
now
into
under
ground
tunnels
carrying
bodacious
starstruck
jackrabbits
backflipping

Two sites that list words by length are Your Dictionary and Best Word Lists.

---

If you would like to see a prolific snowballer in action, check out Snowball Poetry on Twitter. (The beginning of mine came from one there.)

Snowball was created by the Oulipo (Workshop of Potential Literature). They gather together to create constrained writing challenges. It's also called a chaterism which Wikipedia defines as "where the length of words in a phrase or sentence increases or decreases in a uniform, mathematical way." (I'm guessing since snowballs get bigger when rolled, the word originally referred to poems with words that increased. Chaterism is a broader concept.)

There is a Snowball Poetry Generator for Windows.

Wedding nails

Wedding nails

What's a warm up?

Red rockets

Tripartite soul

Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr said, "Every man possesses three characters: that which he exhibits, that which he really has, and that which he believes he has."

Describe your character's three characters.

One eye to Morocco

One eye to Morocco

What's a warm up?

Noisy castle

Servant in Heaven

Servant in Heaven

What's a warm up?

Frantic tangle

For each set of 5 words create a sentence about fall or your favorite fall holiday. (Feel free to tamper with word forms.)

hunger   early  frantic rattle   incredible
quality  tangle mist    sweet    fallow
absolute drench jolt    tremble  heartache
hamper   shard  might   yearn    bicker
obscene  meager freak   malign   incredible

Blind faith

Blind faith

What's a warm up?

Well seasoned

Autumn, Spring, Summer and Winter walk into a Starbucks. They all sit down with their favorite seasonal beverage, each with a twist. (They're special. They can get their seasonal beverages any time of the year.) Describe what each is drinking in seasonal terms.

If you're familiar with Starbucks menu, use that to inspire you. If not, make stuff up.

Feel free to substitute you're favorite beverage joint.

Paragons of innocence

Paragons of innocence

What's a warm up?

The path to it ...

Dance with the devil

Dance with the devil

What's a warm up?

Path of yellow bricks

Blue blood

"She had ice water in her veins."

Literally.

What kind of creature is she? What kind of environment does she need? Does she need a cold environment? Is she able to keep her body cold?

Why is she meeting with your character? Who is she? What does she want?

Erase/Replace

Erase/Replace

What's a warm up?

Silver spiral

Angel's eye

Angel's eye

What's a warm up?

Right under your feet

I dare you to write ...

On the I Dare You To Write Tumblr you're dared to write "a recipe for a dream," "like you've just woken up as your 3-year-old self," "someone with red eyes," "include the phrase 'dragons make everything better.'"

Here's one of those "I wish I'd thought of that!" ideas :-)

I DARE YOU TO WRITE ABOUT A GOD VISITING THEIR LAST FOLLOWER Be creative with it. The god will die with this follower’s death, what will they say? Will the follower be pleased to meet their god? Or will they be angry they stayed hidden so long?

I ain't your savior

I ain't your savior

What's a warm up?

Long distance calling

Behind blue eyes

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -- Ian Maclaren

What are the secret battles your character fights? What does she struggle with behind her mask? Where is she vulnerable that she doesn't want anyone to know about? What must she keep hidden deep inside her? What frightening truth must she keep locked up inside?

The guardians of mankind

The guardians of mankind

What's a warm up?

A whisper in your ear

by Eugène Thirion

A grumpy retired baseball player and a sassy hotshot Japanese lawyer ...

A writing block breaker idea from my daughter. :-)

Get a big stack of colored index cards.

Write down your story’s characters on one color of cards, one character per card. (This is good to get the feel of your characters by throwing them into random scenarios! But if you want a more generic game, write down different characters like “princess” “retired baseball player” “hotshot Japanese lawyer” etc.)

On another color of cards write down some basic emotions like “sad” “angry” “grumpy” “sassy”.

Scenarios! On a third set of cards write down any scenarios you can think of. From basic things like “fight” and “trapped in a thunderstorm” to “abducted by aliens."

Keep the piles separate, but shuffle each individual stack.

Draw as many characters as you want (even just one!) and then one emotion card for each one (everyone’s gotta feel something!), then one scenario card.

Say you get:

Auto Mechanic, Soccer Dad and Yankees Fan. For their emotions you get angsty, volatile and numb. And for a scenario you get Lost At Sea.

For the scene you’re going to write, an angsty auto mechanic, a volatile soccer dad and a numb Yankees fan are lost at sea together. (You can decide if these emotions are how they feel about the situation or maybe that’s just how they’re feeling when they get on the ship!) And go with it!

As she then mentions, it's a lot like the popsicle game we played when she was a kid so colored popsicles sticks will work too. That's described in the Dragon Writing sticks prompt.

Imagine the swan

Imagine the swan

(Imagine the swan surfing)

What's a warm up?

Soneva Kiri

Soneva Kiri

The exchange

Pick one and expand on it:

The one on the left is the head of state. The other her closest adviser.

They are very old vampires come to challenge the city's current leadership.

One is an assassin and the other has just passed on the next assignment to her.

They are jewel thieves.

They are co-rulers of a small but wealthy country. A scruffy scientist has come to persuade them to finance his expedition to the Dark Continent.

One is the newly hired body guard and investigator after the other's life was threatened.

One is an android, the other her creator. Tonight the android must flawlessly perform as a human to prove she is more than just a machine.

Or come up with your own. :-)

Soul stripper

Soul stripper

What's a warm up?

Hole in the sky

"My mother never ..."

"My mother never ..."

Set a timer for 3 minutes. (Try the Write or Die one in the sidebar to the right.) Finish the sentence in as many ways as you can. It needn't be the same mother. Don't worry about quality. The goal is quantity. Practice sending your inner editor off on vacation so you can let the ideas flow like a flash flood :-)

Send me an angel

Send me an angel

What's a warm up?

Lost in the grass

Ghost light

It's your first night as the newest member of the resident company of the Black Rose Repertory Theater. It's 2114. Only a week ago you emigrated from a colony on Mars to San Francisco, the city of your ancestors.

You enter the backstage where several members of the cast are chatting, tablet scripts of Little Shop of Horrors in hand. As you approach a woman steps from the shadows. Oddly she's dressed in full costume. Even more oddly she's dressed in a costume from the 1800s.

"Ah, excellent!" she says when your gazes meet.  "You can see me. It's been too long. We have much work to do."

"Aren't we doing Little Shop of Horrors?" you ask. "I didn't think it was a dress rehearsal so soon."

From the middle of the stage the lead actress calls out, "Come on over. Read for Audrey until Lannie gets here."

The costumed woman shakes her head with a smile. She passes her hand through your arm. So, not flesh and blood. Ghost? Hologram? Practical joke of initiation?

Whitewashing villains, part 5

And the final set of Whitewashed villains. These are just the one's I chose from the first page of villains. There are more on that page and lots more on the other 6 pages at Villain Whitewashing at TV Tropes.

................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ Daring to look beyond the norms of the world in which he had spent his life, this visionary tried to bring technology into a world that was locked in a medieval Dark Age, all the while enlisting the help of a minority so oppressed that its members were killed on sight. He was driven from his home by a mob unwilling to make sacrifices in the name of progress, and was eventually executed as a common criminal. Saruman from Lord of the Rings. -- Blazar
................................................................................................................................................................
They are a wealthy and influential family, respected as pillars of the community. Despite their lofty status, however, they are very close and loving towards each other and are paticularly protective towards their women. This is due partly to the fact that they suffer from a tragic condition which has forced them to adopt practices that society would frown upon in order to survive - practices which they must keep secret lest they be ruined. They have recently faced a crisis in the form of a self rightous busy body who kidnapped one of their childeren as part of a schene to turn her against her family and the traditions that have insured their survival. They were able to rescue her, but can they undo the damage done to her impressionable mind? The Kuhoin Family from Kure-nai. -- Bradley
................................................................................................................................................................
All he wants to do is to Set Right What Once Went Wrong, give the human race its free will back, depower a dangerous god, and save his sister from an unknown yet terrible fate. Fujiwara, Suzumiya Haruhi series -- Brendan D Rizzo
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ An idealistic young woman who overcame torture from the The Fair Folk and attempted execution from the resident Knight Templars to learn magic and assist the city's guardian in his work. Even when her beloved mentor was assassinated, she remained devoted to protecting Chicago's people, undergoing traumatic Training from Hell so she could become strong enough to do so. She's a bit of a Well-Intentioned Extremist, but at heart, she just wants her life to go back to how it used to be. Molly Carpenter (aka "The Ragged Lady") from The Dresden Files. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A confident, fiercely intelligent atheist in a devoutly religious society where there was no room for non-believers. The courage with which he refused to conform to their dogma won him more than a few followers, and even the series' protagonists found themselves swayed by the strength of his argument. Sol, of Warrior Cats. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ Though her culture, friends and homeland were ravaged in a horrific war, this teenager refused to give up her struggle for survival. After watching her family nearly starve to death, she vowed to never let it happen again- even if she had to break the misogynistic, illogical laws of her time to do so. Scarlett O'Hara, from Gone with the Wind. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A swarm of foreign animals invaded their home, ate their prey, and killed their kin. Of course they fought back- what sane creature wouldn't? The badgers of Warrior Cats- the group of them that attacks the Clans in Twilight. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
A brilliant woman bringing justice to those who tried to murder her as a child. Akane Kurashiki of Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ A frail, elderly woman who was the victim of age discrimination. Her crusade against the country's tyrannically egotistical emperor saved the homes and livelihoods of an entire village of people, and the concoctions she brewed in her private laboratory would have revolutionized science. Yzma, of The Emperor's New Groove. -- Argon2

Whitewashing villains, part 4

More Whitewashed villains. :-)

................................................................................................................................................................
A young boy whose whole family was killed by a money-hungry assassin now has the heavy responsibility of running the family business. The one thing he wants the most in the world is for the assassin of his parents to face some poetic justice! Jasper Batt Jr, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A pair of enterprising inventors (with great singing skills) attempt to solve a crippling cider shortage problem with the use of their revolutionary machine. Opportunity in this very community! Flim and Flam, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ In a country where oppressive order reigns supreme, this fun-loving goofball was subjected to a Fate Worse than Death by a pair of oppressive monarchs for attempting to add a little spice to the world. Discord, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
Suffering from a debilitating illness that confines her to a bed, this girl would do anything for playmates and a normal life. Ellen, The Witch's House -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ An obedient child who is proud of his heritage and just wants to make his selfish father proud of him. Pride from Fullmetal Alchemist. -- A Xavier B
................................................................................................................................................................
All she wants is to be reunited with her brother. v-13 from BlazBlue. -- Arutema
................................................................................................................................................................
A guardian who, after being abandoned by his parents, made a vow to protect everybody from going through what he had to suffer. Rey from Mega Man Starforce. -- Bass Blues
................................................................................................................................................................
All he wanted was to finally have friends after years of being alone. Coyote Starrk, Bleach -- BDK
................................................................................................................................................................
A brilliant scientist and surgeon who worked to create a world of perfection and equality, only to be exiled by opportunist reactionaries and betrayed by the love of his life. After spending nine millennia sealed in a forsaken dimension, he carried out his more than just revenge, trying at the same time to improve the planet that saw him as a monster. Even this time, he was stopped by a selfish, arrogant eugenicist and its ragtag crew. Yawgmoth from Magic: The Gathering. -- Belfagor

Whitewashing villains, part 3

Third set of Whitewashed villains.

................................................................................................................................................................

✳️ He just wants to go home. The Smoke Monster, Lost -- Animenutcase (Though really could apply to loads of villains and heroes.)

................................................................................................................................................................

He wants to avenge the death of his emperor and save his country from an incompetent sovereign. Wang from Irresponsible Captain Tylor -- Aniuch

................................................................................................................................................................

All he wants to do is get revenge on those who separated him from his beloved, and ease the suffering of the rest of the world in the process. Count Bleck, Super Paper Mario -- Anomalocaris20

................................................................................................................................................................

✳️ Originally content with his teaching job, he soon discovered a soul in trouble. He took this critically injured man into his care, searching for what he would need to nurse him back to his old self. He braves a long series of challenges and attrition from one of his fellow teachers, only to be stopped and brutally murdered by a lying preteen who won't assist him. Professor Quirrel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone -- Anomalocaris20
................................................................................................................................................................
A cleric devoted to his god and his cause. Will give anything, even his own life, to win equality for his people. Redcloak, Order Of The Stick -- Ansem Paul
................................................................................................................................................................
A man in black who respects his employees and works to protect the city from a callous God. Kitanjia Megumi, The World Ends With You. -- Ansem Paul
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ A Holocaust surviour, who simply seeks to create a world where he and others like him will not be oppressed. Magneto, X Men. -- Ansem Paul
................................................................................................................................................................
A simple-minded magical girl, with somewhat out of the ordinary eating habits and unorthodox power, causing her to be oftentimes seen as evil. She actually deserves some pity. Her poor control over her power oftentimes gets her hurt, and she is the laughingstock of the entire world, beaten up by everyone and anyone who is able to do so at every possible occasion. She spends her days in permanent hunger. She is also quite curious and willing to question the world. Rumia, Touhou Project. -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A group of deeply religious men doing everything within their power to try and save the world from the most terrifying plague to ever exist. The Scarlet Crusade, World of Warcraft. -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
A young boy whose whole family was killed by a money-hungry assassin now has the heavy responsibility of running the family business. The one thing he wants the most in the world is for the assassin of his parents to face some poetic justice! Jasper Batt Jr, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle. -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A pair of enterprising inventors (with great singing skills) attempt to solve a crippling cider shortage problem with the use of their revolutionary machine. Opportunity in this very community! Flim and Flam, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ In a country where oppressive order reigns supreme, this fun-loving goofball was subjected to a Fate Worse than Death by a pair of oppressive monarchs for attempting to add a little spice to the world. Discord, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
Suffering from a debilitating illness that confines her to a bed, this girl would do anything for playmates and a normal life. Ellen, The Witch's House -- Arachinos
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ An obedient child who is proud of his heritage and just wants to make his selfish father proud of him. Pride from Fullmetal Alchemist. -- A Xavier B
................................................................................................................................................................
All she wants is to be reunited with her brother. v-13 from BlazBlue. -- Arutema
................................................................................................................................................................
A guardian who, after being abandoned by his parents, made a vow to protect everybody from going through what he had to suffer. Rey from Mega Man Starforce. -- Bass Blues
................................................................................................................................................................
All he wanted was to finally have friends after years of being alone. Coyote Starrk, Bleach -- BDK
................................................................................................................................................................
A brilliant scientist and surgeon who worked to create a world of perfection and equality, only to be exiled by opportunist reactionaries and betrayed by the love of his life. After spending nine millennia sealed in a forsaken dimension, he carried out his more than just revenge, trying at the same time to improve the planet that saw him as a monster. Even this time, he was stopped by a selfish, arrogant eugenicist and its ragtag crew. Yawgmoth from Magic: The Gathering. -- Belfagor
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ Daring to look beyond the norms of the world in which he had spent his life, this visionary tried to bring technology into a world that was locked in a medieval Dark Age, all the while enlisting the help of a minority so oppressed that its members were killed on sight. He was driven from his home by a mob unwilling to make sacrifices in the name of progress, and was eventually executed as a common criminal. Saruman from Lord of the Rings. -- Blazar
................................................................................................................................................................
They are a wealthy and influential family, respected as pillars of the community. Despite their lofty status, however, they are very close and loving towards each other and are paticularly protective towards their women. This is due partly to the fact that they suffer from a tragic condition which has forced them to adopt practices that society would frown upon in order to survive - practices which they must keep secret lest they be ruined. They have recently faced a crisis in the form of a self rightous busy body who kidnapped one of their childeren as part of a schene to turn her against her family and the traditions that have insured their survival. They were able to rescue her, but can they undo the damage done to her impressionable mind? The Kuhoin Family from Kure-nai. -- Bradley
................................................................................................................................................................
All he wants to do is to Set Right What Once Went Wrong, give the human race its free will back, depower a dangerous god, and save his sister from an unknown yet terrible fate. Fujiwara, Suzumiya Haruhi series -- Brendan D Rizzo
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ An idealistic young woman who overcame torture from the The Fair Folk and attempted execution from the resident Knight Templars to learn magic and assist the city's guardian in his work. Even when her beloved mentor was assassinated, she remained devoted to protecting Chicago's people, undergoing traumatic Training from Hell so she could become strong enough to do so. She's a bit of a Well-Intentioned Extremist, but at heart, she just wants her life to go back to how it used to be. Molly Carpenter (aka "The Ragged Lady") from The Dresden Files. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A confident, fiercely intelligent atheist in a devoutly religious society where there was no room for non-believers. The courage with which he refused to conform to their dogma won him more than a few followers, and even the series' protagonists found themselves swayed by the strength of his argument. Sol, of Warrior Cats. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ Though her culture, friends and homeland were ravaged in a horrific war, this teenager refused to give up her struggle for survival. After watching her family nearly starve to death, she vowed to never let it happen again- even if she had to break the misogynistic, illogical laws of her time to do so. Scarlett O'Hara, from Gone with the Wind. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A swarm of foreign animals invaded their home, ate their prey, and killed their kin. Of course they fought back- what sane creature wouldn't? The badgers of Warrior Cats- the group of them that attacks the Clans in Twilight. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
A brilliant woman bringing justice to those who tried to murder her as a child. Akane Kurashiki of Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors. -- Argon2
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ A frail, elderly woman who was the victim of age discrimination. Her crusade against the country's tyrannically egotistical emperor saved the homes and livelihoods of an entire village of people, and the concoctions she brewed in her private laboratory would have revolutionized science. Yzma, of The Emperor's New Groove. -- Argon2

1000 ships of the Underworld

1000 ships of the Underworld

What's a warm up?

A big name

2 miles of Hamad

Whitewashing villains, part 2

Second installment of Whitewashed villains.

................................................................................................................................................................

A man who wishes to avenge his best friend's death, while stopping a god-like being from destroying all of humankind. Richter Abend from Tales Of Symphonia Dawn of the New World. -- Airship Canon
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A half-breed despised by both races he descended from, he took over his father's prestigious position in the church, gaining respectability from that station. Underwent a terrible pilgrimage at a young age so that his beloved, dying mother would always be with him in spirit. After this lifetime of sorrow, he swore to put an end to suffering in the world, only to be taken down by the woman he married. Seymour, Final Fantasy X -- Allronix
................................................................................................................................................................
A group of people, horribly mutated to the point of being unable to fit in with humanity, seek to put a stop to the manipulative bastard who did it to them so he can't destroy anyone else. The Brotherhood of Evil, Doom Patrol -- Allronix
................................................................................................................................................................
A historian and philosopher, she saw the pointlessness of a war fought for 25,000 years between religious factions after having served both. She sought to purge the galaxy of the evil entity behind the conflict and break its will, freeing the galaxy from its endless tyranny. She took many students over the years, and all betrayed her in the end. Her final and greatest finally killed her - dooming the galaxy to more of the evil she spent her life trying to destroy. Kreia, Knights of the Old Republic. -- Allronix
................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A devoutly religious woman who uses every ability she has in the name of God to keep control over her backward, superstitious, and borderline heathen country. Nessarose, Wicked. -- Allronix
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ Believing that the world was past saving, this man made an elaborate Deal with the Devil to prevent another horror like the World War. He invested his entire fortune, all his skills, and his incredible intellect to sweep away the corruption and sadness surrounding him. Ivo Shandor, Ghostbusters. -- Allronix
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ A self-made man who escaped from a horrific homelife, this multibillionaire has brought hundreds of jobs to a small town by making his home there. While his relationship with his son is rocky, he has hope that the boy will turn out to be a proper heir someday. Smallville's Lionel Luthor -- Ambar Son Of Deshar

................................................................................................................................................................

She only wants to prove that her late adopted grandfather was right and fulfill his last request. Miyo Takano, Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni -- Animenutcase

................................................................................................................................................................

A creature seeks out young girls in order to give them power and grant their wishes, only asking that they use their new powers to defeat monsters threatening mankind. Kyubey, Puella Magi Madoka Magica -- Animenutcase

Whitewashing villains, part 1

Often times the villain is more interesting than the hero. Villains are driven in pursuit of ideals they're passionate about. The hero, on the other hand, is relegated to doing the right thing by stopping them.

Here are tales of villains written from the villain's point of view, where he or she is, of course, the hero. Pick one as the inspiration for an actual hero.

These are selected from the first page of Villain Whitewashing at TV Tropes. (There are 6 more pages!) Like the listings there, I've blocked out the names of the villains because the reveal can be surprising and fun! (Reveal them by highlighting.) Unfortunately, most are not from mainstream entertainment so you probably won't recognize most of them. But if one of them inspires you, that's a good thing! Your inspiration won't be blocked by ideas from the original story. (I've marked mainstream ✳️ and popular ✴️ sources.)

I'll release the ones I selected a few at a time over the next few days. There is also Paint the Hero Black if you want heroic inspiration for villains.

................................................................................................................................................................
✴️ A loyal, selfless, hardworking man who will do anything to assist his abusive master and get revenge on the man who injured him, even if it means sacrificing his own life. Legato Bluesummers from Trigun -- 2writeis2life
................................................................................................................................................................
She just wanted to be loved by the one person in the village who wouldn't pick on her for being strange or different. Megumi Shimizu from Shiki -- 2writeis2life
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ She only ever loved two things: her pets and the man of her dreams. Catwoman, Batman -- Absynthe
................................................................................................................................................................
A wizard who fled civilization for the sake of forbidden love, and defied Death itself to guide the footsteps of his powerful young son. Ipslore the Red from Sourcery. -- Acacia
................................................................................................................................................................
This great knight was betrayed by his best friend simply for believing in a fair balance of power. He escaped the attack on his life to befriend a young boy and instruct him in the ways of knighthood. Together, the master knight decided, they would change things for the better and return a metaphysical balance to the many worlds. Master Xehanort, from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep -- Agent S 7

................................................................................................................................................................
A man who wishes to avenge his best friend's death, while stopping a god-like being from destroying all of humankind. Richter Abend from Tales Of Symphonia Dawn of the New World. -- Airship Canon
................................................................................................................................................................
This former miner started a revolution against the corrupt, segregationist government and will sacrifice anything for the sake of peace throughout the galaxy, even his own home planet. Though he sometimes feel it necessary to be harsh, he has (apparently) endless forgiveness for his traitorous second-in-command. Megatron, G1/IDW comics -- akisawana
................................................................................................................................................................
Four Angels who have watched over humanity for ages, protecting us from harm, and only wish to prevent the destruction of our protection. The Peacemakers in Scrapped Princess. -- Airship Canon
................................................................................................................................................................
✳️ A heart-broken man who lost his family because of a corrupt warlord, and now dedicates his life to destroy all corrupt systems in the world. His only daughter does not see him as a father figure because of his failure to protect her (and her mother). His best student betrayed him and burnt down his home and people to ashes. He risked his life to destroy a city he deemed corrupt, only to be stopped, and indirectly killed, by his former student. Ra's al Ghul from Batman Begins. -- The Adept Rogue

Way too many good reasons to murder someone

by Joyce A. Fetteroll, Version 1.1, July 2014 -- Updated

Or kill someone. Depends on your point of view. But murder does have a more dramatic sound to it.

This list of reasons to murder someone is just the tip of the blade poking out of the black trench coat.

I've divided them into categories. Some clearly belong in one category. Some I've duplicated and put in more than one category. Some are duplicates with different wording. Some could go either way depending on what is gained and whether someone gains greater control or merely freedom from being mauled.

And it is all about personal gain. It may, for the killer, be gaining freedom from an attacking monster, gaining greater control, gaining peace and quiet, gaining money, gaining a sense of having made the world a little bit better ....

There's even an aspect of personal gain in mercy killings. The murderer gains the freedom of not having the memory of his/her victim suffering through his/her inaction, even if he/she also gains the knowledge that he/she has done something he/she can't live with having done.

Update, July 2014

I came across a great post, Murderous Motivations, that delves into what are considered the 4 motivations for murder: love/sex, greed, revenge, and madness. My list is obviously much longer! But I would be very surprised if my categories wouldn't fit neatly into the 4 broader categories, especially since she says Ed McBain had a sleuth driven to discover a new motive for murder who failed. She also lists the FBI's 4 categories of murder. And finally she gives a selection of the motives -- way more than mine! -- in The Encyclopedia of Murder and Violent Crime by Eric W. Hickey. You can see the full list of motives in the book's table of contents at Google Books. (As she mentions, the list price for the book is outrageous, but the used ones are quite affordable.)

(Any) - An extra layer tacked onto one of the other reasons

1. imagined they were someone else/delusional/insane
2. mistaken for someone else
3. was about to die but recovered unexpectedly (and no one knows yet)

Annoyance - Often to gain peace. The murderer will return to regular life, not take on power or control. Most of the reasons indicate a severe need for anger management training.

1. "road rage"
2. 57 years of irritation
3. android malfunctioning in an annoying way
4. annoying habits
5. arrogant
6. bad taste
7. beautiful
8. better at everything
9. charming popular personality who is actually clueless about the subject he/she is an "expert" at
10. cheater
11. disgusting habits/repulsive
12. dreams too big, makes others who've accepted lot in life look like failures
13. dumps garbage on property
14. famous person whose attention, fans, etc. are destroying peace of neighborhood
15. greedy
16. inexplicable dislike, sets teeth on edge
17. irritation
18. jealous of privilege
19. jealous of the free, easy life someone has when others have had to work so hard
20. jealous of their success
21. maker of annoying jingles that get stuck in peoples' heads
22. mentally or physically challenged
23. messenger with bad news
24. no longer necessary for goal
25. obnoxious little kid
26. once famous person who won't shut up about it
27. out of control animals (loud, killing livestock, pooping in yard, attacking)
28. overly ambitious
29. owner of annoying business (loud, smelly)
30. paparazzi
31. peeping tom
32. phobic/unreasonable fear of person
33. practices or holds opposing beliefs/values (Hummer driver)
34. recovered from mourning too quickly
35. represents what someone hates
36. slob
37. smug winner
38. spammer
39. steals services (water, electricity, gas, phone, cable, internet, etc.)
40. stinky (e.g., fish monger)
41. tabloid reporter
42. taunting/embarrassed on purpose
43. too happy
44. too happy that someone died/was punished/suffers
45. too intelligent/nerdy/know it all
46. too loud
47. too lucky
48. ugly
49. vain about privileges
50. weaknesses that are embarrassing
51. wrong color shoes

Instrument - Commanded or compelled to; not done for personal reasons toward target, though sometimes done for personal gain (money, regard of god, freedom from being vaporized for not doing it).

1. directive/must obey (android or other creature programmed/genetically encoded to obey its maker)
2. fulfill a dying wish or promise
3. law says to (perhaps ancient laws/rules that don't have a meaning now, just need obeyed)
4. order from ancestral spirit
5. ordered to by superiors
6. ordered to under duress (self or loved one/thing will be harmed or released)
7. prophecy said to
8. spell/hypnosis/mind control/chip in head/evil spirit
9. told to by God/Goddess
10. tricked into killing person by someone else who made it seem like the right thing to do
11. voices in head said to

Law - Not personally threatened. Threat is to society. Just a sampling of common reasons for execution or justifications for killing a criminal. Past societies have turned some petty crimes into capital offenses, like cutting down a tree. You can too! Littering? Sure! (Some of the reasons listed under other categories could be turned into laws creating a legal justification for, say, executing someone wearing Nikes instead of Adidas.)

1. abortionist
2. adulterer
3. alien/foreigner
4. amoral
5. arsonist/blows up buildings
6. assassin
7. assisted suicidist
8. avenger
9. behaving in a dangerous-to-others manner
10. blasphemy
11. breaker of rules
12. carrier of infectious disease
13. criminal who can't be caught or escapes conviction
14. deformed/mentally or physically challenged
15. embezzler
16. escapee from prison
17. escapee/deserter from group
18. evil dictator responsible for many deaths
19. false prophet
20. fleeing arrest
21. half breed
22. illegal business
23. illegal/forbidden talent/knowledge
24. indebted
25. kidnapper
26. magic user/wizard/sorcerer/witch/psychic/astrologer/fortune teller
27. mass murderer
28. member of outlaw/forbidden religion
29. member of royal line that has been exiled
30. more children than allowed
31. murderer
32. outsider who committed a small crime
33. pornographer
34. practices forbidden (magic/scientific/religious/artistic) ways
35. rapist/sex criminal
36. resisted arrest
37. resurrectionist
38. self-appointed executioner of those who don't deserve to live
39. slaver
40. sniper
41. terrorist
42. thief/pirate/outlaw
43. threat to the government/leaders/king
44. too much/too little intelligence
45. too old, reached age that law dictates people must die by
46. touching/looking at one forbidden to touch
47. unrepentant law breaker
48. weapons possession
49. "ruined" according to customs (as warning to others not to do the same)

Maintain control - Eliminate threat to own control or way of controlled life. Some seem like punishment or revenge, like killing an escapee, but ultimately it's about providing a little lesson to others thinking along the same lines.

1. ability to translate some ancient knowledge want kept secret
2. alien/foreigner in a closed nation (feel threatened by different ideas)
3. alienating loved ones/followers/customers/fans
4. amoral person
5. arrogant, loose cannon who challenges authority
6. astrologist who gave "wrong" reading (as warning to others not to do the same)
7. avatar of opposing god
8. avatar who is speaking the truth of god's wishes that is opposite of what religious leaders have been saying
9. challenging control
10. changed beliefs
11. child born out of wedlock/from unapproved father/from man other than husband
12. claimant to throne/inheritance/position
13. conspirant
14. cryogenically frozen person/embryo who threatens inheritance
15. cult hero of cult have no control over
16. cult hero who has become an embarrassment
17. deflowered the one wanted kept virginal (as message to others who might try)
18. desecrater of sacred place/person
19. deserter
20. disgusting morals
21. distracting someone from fulfilling duty/prophecy
22. dreams too big, makes others who've accepted lot in life question
23. embezzler
24. embodiment of morals who is amoral (e.g., womanizing priest)
25. escapee from closed society
26. ex-spouse who has taken children
27. famous retired person coming out of retirement (who will gather a following)
28. follower or outsider who is more talented/more (potentially) powerful/has bigger weapons
29. freeing those someone wants confined
30. group member becoming too famous and drawing regard and attention of group members
31. group member growing in intelligence and questioning what everyone else accepts
32. has special knowledge that could stop defenses from working/androids or mind-controlled minions from obeying
33. has special knowledge to revive ancient enemy
34. helper of runaways
35. hero with feet of clay (who would disillusion followers)
36. informant/seller of information
37. innocent bystander/peeping tom/reporter (covering a different story) who saw/heard incriminating things
38. keep people fearful
39. keeping self alive unnaturally (against morals)
40. last of royal line with claim to throne
41. leader of faction who is trying to take over
42. leaders in war who are negotiating for peace that would threaten arms/war magic business
43. left group/cult when it's forbidden to do so
44. liberator who will end person's power in a closed society (prison, controlled community)
45. loner/not a team player
46. lost in contest/failed at task (as lesson for others who might lose)
47. lover/bride/groom/spouse of hated being
48. memorizer of forbidden knowledge
49. mourner of death that clan/group wants celebrated
50. murdered to make it look like illegal practices done to person or that took deadly turn were done by unknown murderer
51. new/rival belief system that will put an end to one's job
52. obnoxious/amoral/embarrassing/criminal/deformed/untalented/illegally talented/wrong believing family/group member reflecting on others
53. one who knows person's past and can expose who person really is/as a fraud
54. one who will awaken power in another (love/sex/knowledge) before it's time/ready to control
55. painter of amoral pictures/writer of amoral stories
56. person who could prove an accusation (that would weaken an enemy) is false
57. practitioner of forbidden knowledge
58. pregnant with another's child
59. previous spouse presumed dead who has returned/been resurrected
60. prove that one still can
61. raising doubts that could split group apart to put fear into others
62. random business owner/family member to reinforce power of extortion racket
63. random person to maintain control through fear and intimidation
64. rescuer of sacrifices to gods
65. resistant to being controlled
66. resurrected holy one who will gather following away from current leaders of religion
67. returned vanished/"dead" revered leader who will take back leadership
68. ruler/heir/leader who returned "from the dead"/resurrected from the dead who will gather following
69. runaway/escapee
70. seller/distributor of information that is dangerous
71. spirit of dead leader/ancestor who won't stop meddling
72. taunting and causing those under control to laugh and question authority
73. threatening divorce
74. too intelligent, could discover secret
75. weds against will of parents/those in control
76. woman carrying last of royal line with claim to throne
77. woman pregnant by man unapproved by head of clan/family
78. innocent photographer who inadvertently shot incriminating photos/video
79. suicide turned to look like murder to save face/rally followers

Mercy - Put an end to or prevent someone from suffering.

1. "ruined" according to customs to prevent a life of being shunned/outcast/abused
2. android/creation who thought they were human/biological but realized they'll never (naturally) die
3. as an alternative to suicide (which person's religion claims will doom one's soul)
4. avatar of one god about to be fed as sacrifice to another god
5. before can become (painful) sacrifice
6. being tormented with no release
7. child who would be taunted for being different (half breed)
8. disgusting habits/repulsive/no fashion sense (person thinks they're putting them out of their misery)
9. doomed/about to go to fate worse than death
10. dreams too big in hopeless situation, can only lead to a life of misery
11. dying slowly and painfully/unpleasantly
12. escapee from controlled society who can't survive on own and will soon die painful death
13. forced into marriage
14. has forbidden/illegal abilities (magic/artistic/mechanical/religious/psychic/alien/alien to group (vision among the blind)) to protect them from torture and execution
15. has talent desired by enemy/those in control in order to prevent them from exploiting person
16. hero who has been weakened by enemy/lost what made him/her heroic to prevent followers from becoming demoralized
17. immortal who won't naturally die but can be killed (who is in pain, injuries that won't heal, etc.)
18. in pain (from disease)
19. infested by disease/aliens/alien devices
20. insane
21. intelligence growing beyond ability to relate to others/falling beyond ability to care for self
22. kept alive as a resource/food/incubator/egg sac/body parts
23. kept alive unnaturally/against will
24. loser in a contest/competition/task before they're tortured as an example to others
25. overthrown child heir/ruler before enemy can kill to eliminate any rivalry for throne
26. physical or mental vegetable
27. physically damaged
28. physically or mentally challenged
29. predestined to die in a horrible way or become evil
30. prevent someone from having a secret tortured/drugged/spelled out of them
31. sold into slavery/prostitution
32. transforming into something else
33. under unremovable enchantment
34. zombie/living dead/vampire/werewolf

Personal gain - To gain status or benefit through, often any target will do.

1. #100
2. anger/convenient outlet for negative emotions
3. as a distraction to stop an event or draw attention away from something else
4. as a substitute for person was assigned to kill
5. as a test to challenge a detective
6. assigned target in job as assassin/done for money
7. become them and live their life
8. being whose death is required proof (dragon/demon etc.) that one (still) has what it takes to hold title
9. best warrior to test self against
10. blockade to advancement
11. business owner in order to take over their business
12. business owner in order to take over their customers
13. cannibalistic practices/to gain their power by eating them
14. criminal/own group member who committed a crime wanted by group want to maintain peace with
15. dying too slowly for those who would benefit from death
16. evil ruler/ruler one strongly disagrees with so new one will be found
17. famous person to become infamous for having killed them
18. fits some profile of group an insane person is trying to eliminate/punish
19. for food/to process for food
20. for fun/felt like it
21. for some part of body that's needed (magical body part/ingredient for spell/use in an experiment)
22. gain regard of those in control by eliminating one they find threatening
23. heir to fortune so will be split fewer ways
24. heir to throne to take heir's position
25. heir who will or is squandering a fortune
26. inherit their money
27. inherit their position
28. make a statement -- Kat F.
29. make the world a better place -- Kat F.
30. marry their spouse (for love/gain their property/power/influence)
31. obsession that one can't possess or who spurned
32. on a dare
33. paragon, long retired, who others never stopped comparing replacement to
34. part of advancement to next level to kill fellow students
35. person forcing loved one into marriage
36. person loved one's family wants him/her to marry
37. person who caused strict rules on all to be imposed
38. person who will satisfy masses as being the criminal sought, to gain public confidence and praise
39. possess something (loved one/property/possession/title/business) that rival has always wanted
40. possess their home/land
41. possesses something murder feels should rightly be his/hers
42. powerful/intelligent person to prove more powerful/intelligent
43. prove that one can
44. replace with copy/imitation/pretender/actor
45. resurrect previous leader to regain power
46. return person to spotlight
47. rival for belief system to be accepted as authority
48. rival for translation of ancient manuscript so can twist meaning of it
49. sacrifice to a god for good favor/prevent bad favor
50. set someone else up as the murderer
51. spouse (who won't divorce) so can marry another
52. stop something being sold to someone who would ruin it/mistreat it
53. strike fear into those who thought themselves well protected
54. test weapon on
55. to gain their power through killing them
56. too smart person who is ruining the grade curve
57. usurper (to take control)
58. wanted person for bounty
59. woman tricking loved one into marriage with claim of pregnancy
60. won't tell secret (to frighten others who also won't tell)
61. wouldn't agree to political/business arrangement (want to get someone who will agree into negotiating position)
62. wrong sex baby

Remove obstacle - Someone, often deliberately, who's blocking “rightful" progress.

1. ancient ruler who won't change for the times, rules as though society hasn't changed
2. android/creature/computer programmed to enforce ancient laws that no longer apply
3. boss who won't allow to advance
4. controller of needed scarce resources (medicine, water, food, air, protection against something deadly in the environment ...)
5. guard
6. holder of information/material/object needed to complete own project
7. holding onto old ways, holding others back
8. in way of heart's desire
9. one preventing rebuilding of sacred place
10. roadblock between people and king
11. someone who would stop one from completing an objective
12. standing in way of goal
13. standing in way of progress
14. suppressor of knowledge/progress

Revenge - Just a sampling. Many of the reasons listed under other categories could be for revenge if they're changed to the past tense.

1. abandoned as a child
2. abused self or loved one as a child
3. accuser who ruined life
4. adulterous spouse
5. always got best grades, best girl/boy friends, awards
6. banished
7. betrayed group
8. betrayed personal trust
9. bigamist
10. broke up family
11. brought [the person who kills him/her] back to life as an experiment (gave new body)
12. created person against his/her will
13. deceived
14. descendent of one wanted revenge on
15. desecrated one wanted kept virginal (in revenge for spoiling plans)
16. deserted group to fend for self
17. destroyed or responsible for destroying (e.g., made decisions) family/clan/way of life
18. destroyed what one values (dams Venice, blocks view from home)
19. distracted someone from fulfilling duty/prophecy
20. dumped for someone else
21. embarrassed (accidentally)
22. exploited young and talented
23. exposed secrets
24. failed to promote a career properly and ruined life
25. family member of one wanted revenge on
26. harmed loved one (physically or mentally)
27. humiliated
28. ingenue who ousted from limelight
29. internment camp leader
30. liberator who brought person's power in a closed society (prison, controlled community) to an end
31. lover who spurned
32. pay back for insult
33. possesses something that rival/hated one always wanted (loved one/property/possession/title/business)
34. prevented suicide (causing life of pain, loss of face for family)
35. prosecutor who ruined life
36. rejected (love, creation, job application)
37. responsible for death/destruction/betrayal/loss of reputation
38. rival who won (see Rival list for a few ideas)
39. seduced into criminal activities as a young child
40. shunned
41. spouse who is an android/something other than what he/she led others to believe who has deceived all these years
42. stole idea and became successful with it
43. stole spouse
44. surrendered, which brought demise of group
45. teacher who gave a bad grade/prevented from advancing or continuing or participating in other activities because grades are too low
46. tormented during childhood
47. turncoat spy
48. turned down marriage proposal
49. usurped throne (to punish)
50. warlord/barbarian who destroyed family
51. winner of battle/contest

Rival, eliminate - Opponent, enemy, competitor. Not even an attempt at being an exhaustive list of rivals someone might want eliminated.

1. cheater
2. current holder of title/position so can advance or take position for self
3. first to achieve something
4. keeper of rival sacred place
5. loved one of rival to infect corpse with deadly disease
6. more charming sibling/parent/friend who stole all boyfriends/girlfriends
7. new business in area had exclusive control
8. other ghost competing to haunt a place
9. rival "chosen one"/"savior"
10. rival artist (painter, sculptor, writer ...)
11. rival assassin
12. rival astrologist vying to publish official horoscope/be leader's astrologist
13. rival at sports
14. rival bounty hunter
15. rival buys vying for same limited product
16. rival conspirator (of other conspiracy)
17. rival counterfeiter
18. rival crime boss
19. rival cult hero
20. rival curser who curses same targets
21. rival drug dealer/supplier
22. rival elemental
23. rival embezzler at same company
24. rival evil dictator
25. rival faction leader vying for control
26. rival fake avatar/avatar of competing god
27. rival for exploration of best archaeological sites
28. rival for interpretation/translation of scholarly/religious/ancient writings/holy writings
29. rival for job/position/title
30. rival for love/affection/attention of another
31. rival for most pure to be dedicated to god
32. rival for power over sphere of influence
33. rival for rebuilding revered landmark
34. rival fortune teller (using same ways or rival/new fangled ways)
35. rival game master (chess, go)
36. rival gang leader
37. rival heir to throne
38. rival high level thief after same items
39. rival hunter/predator
40. rival liberator wanting to gain credit for liberation
41. rival mathematician/inventor/scientist
42. rival of other rebel group
43. rival outlaw religion leader
44. rival outside influence on isolated people (e.g., religious, political, scientific group trying to help them see new ways)
45. rival performers in circus
46. rival psychic
47. rival reformer
48. rival religious leader
49. rival seller of information/stolen information
50. rival shop keeper
51. rival spy of other faction/business who's spying is interfering with own spying
52. rival superhero
53. rival terrorist from another terrorist group after same targets
54. rival to kill someone for revenge/have been seeking for a long time
55. rival weapons dealer/supplier
56. rival who just gained a big advantage
57. rival who subscribes to different way of casting magic
58. rival with unfair advantage (very wealthy, very smart, very talented, magic, technology)
59. rival wives/pregnancies/husbands
60. rival wizard/magic user/witch/sorcerer

Rival, weaken - Killing the rival wouldn't be sporting. Murderer just wants the outcome tipped in his/her favor. At whatever cost.

1. arms dealer/manufacturer/importer/smuggler
2. assassin for rival
3. avatar of rival
4. best protector of rival/opponent to not only weaken defense by demoralize
5. create a martyr to the cause
6. eliminate a rallying point for rebel group
7. famous spokesperson for rival
8. guardian who keeps some threat to rival in check
9. has special knowledge needed by rival (for defenses/weapon/skills)
10. hero of enemy
11. holder of information/material/object needed to complete rival project
12. holds a secret or important/powerful information to prevent rival from getting
13. leader of group who won't form an alliance against rival (to intimidate or get new leader)
14. leader of rival group
15. leader/morale booster returning/coming out of retirement to help rival
16. magic user/wizard/sorcerer/witch/psychic/astrologer/fortune teller for opponent
17. mercenary spy
18. messenger of rival
19. military expert/strategist for opposition
20. photographer who won't turn over incriminating photos/video about rival
21. political power for opposition
22. power behind opposing beliefs/values (greenie, PETA)
23. primary inventor for military/business opposition
24. primary religious leader of opponent
25. prophet/false prophet who supports rival
26. prove someone isn't immortal
27. resurrect previous leader of enemy group to cause division
28. sacrifice meant for rival's god
29. sidekick/partner/loved one/dedicated follower to punish leader
30. source of rival's power/wealth
31. spy
32. spy to replace with own spy
33. stabilizing influence in rival group who keeps them from infighting
34. suicide made to look like murder done by rivals
35. supporter of rival faction vying for control
36. supporter/minion of evil person
37. up and coming ingenue
38. vendetta (for ongoing feud)
39. weaken leader's (see Rival, weaken) power so oppressed people will rise up and overthrow
40. well-spoken vocal opponent
41. woman carrying heir/infant heir of dying leader of opposition
42. "immortal"/"Omniscient"/seer to prove they aren't
43. (inadvertently) calling attention to those who want to lay low

Stop threat - Threat is to safety and security or way of life rather than threat to control. Could be done by a person without power in the society, who sees something that threatens to change their way of life. Think the flamboyant hippie family who has moved into an ultra conservative neighborhood that the children are eying with interest. (Or are the hippie children eying the new conservative neighbors?) Murderer will return to regular life, not take on power or control. (See also reasons under Law and Maintain control.)

1. about to betray group
2. about to uncover long lost secret/object that will threaten self/loved ones/family/clan/group/culture/religion
3. abuser of animals
4. abuser of power (from king to police officer to head of gang or family)
5. abusive of self/loved one/weaker ones
6. acting above station
7. amnesiac who knew secrets before memories come back
8. android who is malfunctioning
9. assassin about to strike at self or loved one
10. avatar of opposing god
11. before can become sacrifice (and release god's power)
12. behaving in a dangerous-to-others manner
13. bewitcher/sorceress/enchantress, someone who controls with charm, charisma and magic
14. blackmailer
15. blasphemous person
16. breeder of monsters
17. briber
18. bringer of change and "advancement" to simple people
19. brutal
20. bully coach/teacher/mentor
21. butler (because the butler always did it) -- Kat F.
22. carrier of disease
23. child of monster/devil/demon
24. child who could be embarrassing if found out
25. chosen one/preordained
26. clan leader taking clan against tradition
27. clone
28. compulsive nature destroying family/reputation
29. controlling leader/master
30. controls a monster
31. corrupt political person
32. corrupt religious person
33. corrupter
34. creator of protection (device, spell, sutras) against predator (vampire, aliens, demon, mental controller)
35. creepy, strange, makes nervous
36. criminal a long time ago who has been punished and repented
37. cruel dungeon/game master
38. cult leader
39. currently humiliating
40. dancer/singer where it's forbidden
41. defiler of sacred place
42. deformed/mutant (child)
43. demon hunter/vampire slayer/bounty hunter/exorcist
44. demon/angel, opposing being
45. destroyer of what one values (dams Venice, blocks view from home)
46. destroying or is responsible for destroying
47. developer ready to destroy land
48. did or let someone else do something forbidden
49. different (seems to threaten comfortable conformity)
50. disband their political/religious following, end cult of personality
51. discoverer of what some want to remain lost
52. disguised to protect secret and live in peace (opposite gender, other race, other species)
53. dresses weird/against gender type
54. drug dealer/manufacturer/importer/smuggler
55. embarrassment to family
56. escaped experiment
57. ex-spouse who has taken children
58. excess child beyond number allowed
59. executioner/interrogator who likes his/her job too much
60. exorcist
61. exposer of secrets
62. extortionist
63. false prophet
64. follower of forbidden ways
65. fortune teller/seer/mystic/telepath who seems able to find out too much
66. gambler who caused indebtedness
67. gives birth to demons/monsters
68. God of Death
69. grave robber/desecrater
70. group member becoming too famous, bring attention to group who wants to stay unnoticed
71. half breed
72. has incriminating evidence
73. hated being who is seducing loved one
74. holder of information/material/object needed to complete (threatening) project
75. hunter of endangered species
76. hunter of kind
77. hysterical (in a deadly situation when calm is needed)
78. idiot/stupid
79. incompetent healer
80. incompetent in position where lives are at stake
81. infectious
82. infested by disease/aliens/alien devices
83. influenced by drug/disease/spell
84. invader of home/country
85. kidnapper
86. knows a secret (though may not realize it)
87. knows secret of what keeps society protected
88. knows too much
89. last of hated race
90. law enforcer executing people who satisfy crowd rather than tracking down true criminal
91. leader of belief system that will be accepted as authority
92. lover who could be embarrassing if found out
93. magic user/wizard/sorcerer/witch/psychic/astrologer/fortune teller
94. magical being
95. mass murderer
96. mastermind behind evil
97. member of outlaw/forbidden religion
98. mentally damaged because person is imperfect or because they're dangerous
99. messenger with life altering news
100. misleading followers
101. monster/vampire/werewolf/demon
102. morose/downer/dragger down of morale when needs kept up if chance of survival
103. mortal in immortal world
104. mystic/paranormal/psychic/abnormal abilities
105. new/rival belief system that will bring an end to current way of living
106. next in line for position who would be dangerous (incompetent/controlled/bad or evil beliefs)
107. ninja/incredible deadly skills
108. no longer competent to lead
109. object of obsession who is becoming threatening
110. obsessed/obsessed fan
111. old, feeble, sickly, dependent, drain on society
112. one who holds gambling debts of self/loved ones
113. one who would (unknowingly) release a great evil
114. opposing nature makes another ill
115. outsider/unwanted type who will bring property values down
116. owner of "ugly" business in a nice/family neighborhood
117. part of a prophecy want to stop
118. participants in a deadly game/deadly initiation rite
119. perfect copy/replacement/pretender
120. person leading loved one astray
121. person trained to be a weapon/killing machine
122. poisonous to others/environment
123. poor/orphaned/abandoned/sick drain on society
124. possessed by evil spirit/devil/demon
125. possessor of esoteric knowledge (like an exorcist) that could stop someone
126. possessor of evil soul
127. potential betrayer of criminal/avenger who can't be caught
128. predator
129. predestined to murder self/loved one
130. pregnant with demon/opposing god's child
131. preserve/protect loved one/family/home/clan/culture/society/religion
132. pretender (alien, shapeshifter) for nefarious purposes
133. pretender (different class/race/sex) trying to fit in
134. promoter of belief system that would take away certain rights
135. prosecutor who could win case
136. protest leader
137. prover that religion/leader is wrong
138. pulling away from family
139. radical
140. raising doubts that could split group apart in order to silence them
141. rebuilder of what was deliberately destroyed (to eliminate an evil)
142. rebuilder of what was deliberately destroyed (to preserve a controlled way of life)
143. reincarnated evil person
144. repossessor
145. returned vanished/"dead" revered leader who isn't as great as memory has it
146. rising above class
147. rocking the boat
148. secret past that threatens present peace
149. seeker of truth
150. sellers of illegal copies of artistic work
151. soul stealer
152. spouse/child/parent who controls
153. spouse/friend of loved one who is wrong race/religion/sex/species/class
154. spreader of lies
155. spreading family/corporate/country/personal/group/gang/clan secrets
156. stalker
157. stole secret recipe/formula -- Kat F.
158. stop a reform
159. stop an invention (that would change way of life)
160. stop something being sold to someone who would use it for evil
161. stop something/someone being sold to someone who would mistreat it
162. suer
163. summoner
164. tax collector
165. teacher/possessor of forbidden knowledge
166. tempter from/to paradise
167. threatens harm
168. time traveler changing time
169. tormentor (of self/loved one/others)
170. transforming into something dangerous
171. translation ability of some ancient knowledge want kept secret
172. translator of some ancient knowledge (before his/her work is revealed)
173. trespassing in home or on private property
174. trying to control or take over control
175. trying to revive an evil that group fought hard to eradicate
176. ultimate warrior
177. uncovers hidden secrets (detective)
178. unlucky person
179. upstream person dumping poison into stream
180. violence induced by drug/disease/magic/curse/mutation
181. waffling in beliefs
182. will complete some society damaging device
183. will resurrect/resurrected and controls ancient demon/god
184. worships wrong god/evil god/enemy of god
185. writer/publisher of dangerous ideas

Copyright 2006, 2014 by Joyce A. Fetteroll. Feel free to share provided the text is not altered in any way, and this copyright notice is attached. (Originally published 23 September 2006.