Google Image Search

The meme above sums it up pretty well, but there are times when characters know they’re doing bad things.  So, what can you do if you want to write a story where everyone, or at least the big ones, are bad guys?

1. Understand that villainy works on a scale.  So, not every character will be willing to murder.  There can be some warped morality in a villain with a line that they refuse to cross.  In turn, they will severely punish anyone who does.  For example, a serial killer who hates child rapists.  They won’t go that far and will remove such criminals from the gene pool if they find them.  Doesn’t make the serial killer a hero, but it shows that it can’t be ‘black and white’ evil.
2. Villains do tend to stab each other in the back because there is a level of selfishness in their personality.  Yet, they can’t do it all the time.  If a villain is routinely betraying their allies, they’re going to end up alone.  Worse is that all of the people they stabbed in the back will unite against them.  Such a villain can make for a good story, but they narrow your finale options.
3. Not every villain has a temper or is insane.  If they’re all like this then it will be hard for the story to move forward.  A variety of evil personalities is needed to fill the void left by not having a hero.  That means somebody needs to be sane, level-headed, and cautious with minimal bloodlust.  Doesn’t even have to be one character with those traits, but they should be around to avoid people wondering why the maniacs don’t simply have a murderous rumble to end it all.
4. While villains act evil, they do need some type of charm.  This would explain why they would have minions.  Yes, you can have a lone villain as your hero, but that can lead them into anti-hero territory if you’re not careful.  As the meme said, villains tend to think of themselves as villains, which is what should be considered to explain how they attract weaker bad guys.  Basically, what can they provide their henchmen besides a paycheck?
5. Not every villain needs a traumatic childhood.  It’s an easy origin to explain where they came from, but people kind of expect that.  Having a villain come from a loving family would add a new layer and help them stand out.  Makes one wonder what could have happened to change them.  Not to mention the idea that a villain is made and not like this out of the womb.
6. It is possible to have some heroic types in this kind of story, but they shouldn’t be on the POV list.  They are minor characters and obstacles that can help showcase the villainous protagonist’s actions.  These characters can also be used to demonstrate how the villain is able to corrupt others.
7. Justification of actions stays within the story.  A character and their allies can justify the horrible things that they do.  The audience might not agree and assume the author supports such actions in real life.  Make it clear in the story that the villains are still evil even if they think they are right.  Even showing that one of them has a flicker of doubt beforehand or regret afterwards can get this point across.  More importantly, it also reminds the audience that the villains are human and not soulless monsters.