4415. WRITING TIPS: Characters

 Four types of unlikable characters and how to make them work in your writing.  Sarah J Sover.
Writer'sDigest.com  Mar/Aril 2024. 

 

 

https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/love-to-hate-them

 

 

Different types of unlikable characters require different treatments. From the rough-around-the-edges with a heart of gold types to irredeemable villains, the amount of distaste for a character seems to fall along a spectrum. Stories involving each of these types can be successful given the right development, circumstances, and genre.

The Hidden Hero

 

This is your layered character with a rough exterior. Dr. Cox from “Scrubs,” Coach Hedge from Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus, Jessica Jones, etc. There are many approaches to letting the audience see the good in these characters from adding internality to offsetting a hard image with acts of compassion or giving the character a higher purpose.

The Jerk Next-door

 These are the Colin Robinsons, Dorian Grays, and Holden Caulfields of fiction, the everyday joes navigating life in a way that doesn’t add value to the world around them, and in some cases, makes the world a little bit suckier. Whether they’re arrogant, narcissistic, or merely self-serving, they remind you of someone you know. They might not be truly evil, but they rarely make noble decisions.

 

The Morally Divergent

Those characters who have their own code that operates outside the norm. The honorable thief, the assassin who refuses to take contracts on children, and the chaotic, unpredictable types whose actions are driven by what seems right in the moment all fall into this category. Part of the appeal is wondering what is going to happen next.

The Irredeemable

Bigots, perpetrators of heinous crimes, and other characters who are too far gone for any well-adjusted reader to root for. The characters who fall into this group aren’t meant to be likable, but they are meant to be captivating in some way.

 

Make the Reader Feel Something

Where some may say that a character needs to be likable, I say that the sure way to kill a story is to make the reader indifferent. Even rude and vile characters need to be interesting, otherwise, there’s nothing to make the reader care.

The characters and their interactions with the world are the primary drivers of any believable plot. Focusing too much on the action rather than how events impact your characters, what their reactions are, and what makes them tick robs your story of the dimensions it needs to engage your readers. 

 

Whether you’re writing Ted Lasso or Raskolnikov, focusing on character development is key to connecting with your readers and writing a plot that feels organic. Well-developed characters who make good on the promises of your genre while also amplifying the special parts of your story will forge an emotional connection with readers. And in the end, isn’t that the point? Your characters are the heart of your story, and if that is a cold, dark heart, then so be it! Instead of unrelatable, unlikable characters, you can create characters that live on in the dark depths of your reader’s minds long after they reach “the end.”