How to Write a Psychopath

Psychopaths are some of the most chilling and magnetic characters in fiction. From Lector to Bateman, they almost always seem to encapsulate the idea of a perfect villain — cold, calculated and unmoving. The real question is: Should they? Too often, psychopaths are written as cliches; murder machines, with no real nuance, and are simply shown to be pure evil. In the true meaning of the word, a compelling psychopath is defined not by how violent they are, but by their subtlety, charm, and terrifying behaviour.