Hi! Do you have tips on writing manipulative characters? I’m trying to write a villain with this trait and I want to reflect it in her actions, but I don’t know how exactly…

promptsforthestrugglingauthor:

There are many ways a person can be manipulative, and therefore many ways a character can be. Here are a few!

• Not respecting boundaries, both physical and emotional.
• Blames others for their own faults/mistakes, or twists a situation to make it the fault of another.
• Gives aggressive and/or dismissive body language while others talk, by way of expressions, eye rolling, shrugging, sighing, head shaking. (Or even while others are expressing something important/exciting to them)
• Plants seeds of doubt, or gaslighting.
• Minimizing other’s joy, sorrow, and other strong emotions, as well as minimizing their own cruelty. (”It didn’t hurt that bad,” “Can’t you take a joke?,” “I could be worse, you know.”)