Wasn't actually sure if this belonged here or not, so if not, could a staffer please move it to a "proper place?"

I've got a character on my hands that I absolutely love the concept of, and want to write REALLY badly, but I can't seem to get into the "correct" frame of mind.

I don't really want to give a description of this particular character, because that would belong more in one of the bio sections, and my goal with this is more "the right frame of mind." But some information, obviously, is necessary if I want help with my particular situation. Basically, I've got a character who's story I'm writing between her thirteenth and nineteenth/twentieth years (yeah, its quite the piece of work, and will probably take ages, I realize that)--this character starts off as sweet and rather "dense" for lack of a better word. She knows about the world around her to some extent, but she's not really concerned because it doesn't affect her personally. Her personality, which again, I don't want to go into too much because that's not what I want to get out of this thread, will progress through her life--she starts off as a dense, ignorant character, and, in time, will mature into someone who firmly believes in what we with "correct moral values" would typically dub "evil."

Perhaps its just me, but I've always had a hard time grasping the concept of evil (my own ignorance coming into play here) and an even harder time writing it. The problem, I believe, traces back to the fact that I myself feel unable to grasp the concepts for "evil" and I've always believed that there is a reason for everything and a pet-peeve of mind is not having a reason behind a decision (even if the reason is that it was the only practical choice, at least it gives you insight to a character's mind.)

So, what I'm getting at here is this question:

How do you write a "cold" character? Is it that you channel the character and their personality? How do you get into the frame of mind--put yourself in the shoes of, that is--a character with what those with "correct moral values" would deem "twisted values"? Especially without sounding cliché?

My biggest worry as a writer is that the reasoning behind each decision my characters make (even if it never makes it into the story itself) is not understood by me. If I, the writer, can't understand something, how can I expect a reader--who knows less than I do--to grasp the message or concept I'm trying to portray?

So, yes. How do you write a cold character? With the one that I'm currently worried about, the one that I used just a few moments ago, I have events planned out that ultimately FORCE her to make the leap from "dense" to "not-good" (all the while staying in-character, or so I think.)

On a last note before I encourage you all to share opinions/instances/advice for someone who truly can't seem to grasp it---I understand that a "cold/bad/whatever" character would be of the mind that THEY were making the right decision, that they were right and anyone who was making the so-called "right decision" was actually in the wrong. That brings up one last question: how do you write a character convincingly enough that the reader believes the character, or can at least see that frame of mind---do you give them the power to persuade with words, install in them (in my case, she makes her decisions based on what she's grown up knowing and the realization she finally comes to during the official "biggest changing point”) a fierce sense of loyalty to their family, or a twisted sense of justice?

In essence, what makes a believable "cold/bad guy/girl" make the decisions that they do, and how have you written it, even though (most likely) you don't share the same frame of mind with said character?

Did I just confuse anyone else?????

Nope, not confused. I totally get what you mean. Getting in the mind of a character that you, yourself, cannot understand has to be one of the hardest aspects of creating an OC.

If you're generally a good-natured person, how do you get into the mindset of a person that is cold and disconnected from your beliefs? My best advice then, would be to do some research. There are a lot of websites and books out there that will dictate how someone's mind changes from one thing to the next. If you think about it, a cold person, no matter how cold, usually has a significant period in their life that changed them from the warm person they were before. Babies, young children, rarely have a cold nature - an 'evil' nature. It's the environment they're brought up in that dictates that to them.

What could help, possibly is asking yourself some questions. For example: What would have to happen to me that would make me cold? What influence would have to be over me that would cause me to lose my moral ground? What would make me not care anymore?

Here (12+) is a great little article about developing a character when you, yourself, do not have the character's traits. Give it a read and let me know if it helped at all.

As for my characters and getting in tune with them. I've written a handful of stories that have some of my characters in situations that I would never get myself into. The problem I typically have is: How do I get them out of that situation?

I tend to dance around the subject and eventually just get them out of it. Not by any progressive means - just... tear them away from it. It's scary writing something that you'rF I read up on the average three, four, five year old (and luckily have my own :cad:) and then began to write him as an inquisitive, giddy angel.

Basically, it comes down to research. ^_^ That's the best advice I can give.

*stops before she becomes repetitive.*

I think of the character who I'm writing and how I 'see' them and how they would act, react and converse with others. Then once I have that in mind, its so much easier to tap inside their heads.

Its like...your own life...

When you have a certain goal and determination to get something done, you KNOW what you are going to do, what you are going to say and what you need. But when you have no idea, your brain is just...blah!

So I try and just focus on the character and try and think and feel like this character would, but most of all, how I personally see this character, not what others think, what I think!

Bah--I'm so majorly late in replying to this thread! Anyways, thank you LOADS Jessi, that link was SO amazingly helpful, as was the site in general. It's been bookmarked. And thank yooou, Elena, that was good advice. I have this tendency to get sort persuaded by those around me, so knowing that someone else thinks this is a bad thing helps lots.

Thanks again, both of you. I'm totally in love with that link, Jessi.