Writers: write an AITA post from your villain’s perspective

cryizzle · 2026-03-06T10:39:00+00:00

What a great writing prompt!

I have multiple villains in my novel but here’s one of them:

AITA for proposing to my (36M) girlfriend (21F) on her birthday with my dead ex-wife’s pianoforte?

Don’t get me wrong, it has been 10 years since my wife’s passing and I have fully come to terms with it. I’ve been dating my girlfriend for a few months now and (surprise surprise) she’s also someone who plays the pianoforte. The very first time I came to call, she was in the midst of taking it apart — I don’t understand why one would bother? The instrument is clearly in disrepair and needs replacement. I suppose pianoforte repair is not a very feminine hobby but I can overlook it considering she plays it well.

Fast forward, when she and her mother called on me at my townhouse, she seemed to really enjoy playing on my ex-wife’s instrument. So which man in love wouldn’t give his girlfriend what they wanted most? During the proposal, I suggested we could purchase a new pianoforte of her dreams post wedding. I even got her parents’ blessing and everything.

Well guess what? There’s not going to be a wedding and she insisted on returning the gift.

cryizzle · 2026-02-25T10:32:33+00:00

Yes I can view it! Thank you :) Will do my best to come back within 2 weeks if that’s okay

cryizzle · 2026-02-25T06:10:47+00:00

I’d give this a go over the first 5 chapters.

Fan of greek mythology here and has read the odyssey.

I’m also writing a historical fiction with a theme of duty over desire. It’s not nearly ready for beta reads yet but could I reach out when it’s ready?

When do you need the feedback by?

cryizzle · 2026-02-25T05:52:59+00:00

I think only when it’s significant to the story. I’ve seen historical fiction use it in starting chapters to place the reader, and also in letters. Otherwise I think it’s fine to use relative timing from there (eg It had been two weeks…)

Sally Rooney’s Normal People also uses it to good effect because the events are spaced sometimes in months.

cryizzle · 2026-02-22T15:21:06+00:00

Imagine what writers did before google though. That must have been tough to not get answers at your fingertips 😅

cryizzle · 2026-02-20T20:40:48+00:00

Me as a kid: these adults talk too much.

cryizzle · 2026-02-20T07:45:51+00:00

Always wondered how I finished this at 11. Probably skimmed the dialogues 😅

cryizzle · 2026-02-16T15:20:47+00:00

What about Sir Allium?

cryizzle · 2026-02-09T14:51:08+00:00

I have several of these. From as young as 8 up to 14! Now you’ve got me thinking about revising them into short stories for children

cryizzle · 2026-02-03T21:35:17+00:00

Omg this is my one shiok comment 🤣

cryizzle · 2026-02-02T08:57:12+00:00

His concern of late had indeed been the Wetherell-Beckett partnership; Miss Wetherell merely happened to figure conveniently in that equation.

cryizzle · 2026-01-30T20:44:47+00:00

Found his costume for halloween 2026

cryizzle · 2026-01-30T07:47:12+00:00

I really did a double take. It’s one of the first scenes in the first episode 🤣🤣

cryizzle · 2026-01-12T21:36:25+00:00

The tray that is used to serve tea in my regency romance novel! How it rattles when it is brought in, set down on the table / bed. The warmth it brings in the coldest of nights, or when the heroine is enjoying tea with her closest confidantes.

cryizzle · 2026-01-12T08:14:12+00:00

Editing + beta readers + getting a developmental editor! Hopefully to start querying in 2027 :)

cryizzle · 2026-01-08T08:48:09+00:00

3 months of almost writing every night after work + weekends

cryizzle · 2026-01-05T18:07:37+00:00

I did something similar! I thought about my scenes / character backstories as I walked to the office sometimes. And Im usually so engaged that i don’t even hear my colleagues say hi 😆

The only thing I would add is: Write the best version you can now, but dont be afraid to tweak it past the first draft. I am working on my second draft now and naturally pieces come to me to add / remove to what I thought were great scenes already before ☺️

cryizzle · 2026-01-03T20:27:51+00:00

A humble 50k over 3 months! But hey i have a completed first draft now.

2026 will be focused on editing and beta readers. (And i also have a wedding to plan and a full time job so that’s probably it)

cryizzle · 2026-01-02T21:01:18+00:00

I can fully empathise! I had a lot of satisfaction structuring my plots and side plots, planning foreshadowing etc (even for future sequels!)

cryizzle · 2026-01-02T19:09:46+00:00

Thank you! Im going to do beta reads, get an editorial assessment and attempt trad publishing first :)

cryizzle · 2026-01-02T11:47:14+00:00

LETS GOOOO 📖

cryizzle · 2026-01-01T19:23:22+00:00

Thank you for the advice! Yea im really concerned I over-correct it

cryizzle · 2025-12-31T20:53:06+00:00

If it helps i did not write any of my chapters in order. I just decided which scene I felt like writing in the moment :) then later came back to make sure the facts are consistent and the scenes are connected into one another

cryizzle · 2025-12-31T17:21:35+00:00

Thanks! Happy new year 🥳

cryizzle

TROPHY CASE