McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
How likeable does a main character have to be.
Valkyrina:
Disclaimer: I write for fun. I am not published - possibly never will be. Take anything I say with a pinch of salt, a shot of tequila and a squirt of lime - people tell me I'm hilarious when they're drunk.
My main character doesn't necessarily have to be likeable. I base them on my own personality (I have few enemies to be fair) and always write from a first person perspective.
It's hard not to connect with that.
It's rare I ask other people (who won't have my personality to base the character on/to artificially flesh it out) to proof read.
As an exercise I once wrote a story from an I perspective but gave no hints as to either of the 2 characters personalities and history except for the actions and thoughts of the then and now.
Turned into a short love-story.
:-\
Put that one on an anonymous blog page.
Velkyn_Faer:
Some stories have characters that the reader will absolutely loathe. I have read a few such stories, though I can't think of titles off the top of my head. Stupid memory gaps... (I hope people don't take that seriously.) Anyways, if it is done right, the character can be hated but still be interesting.
Velkyn
(This post seems kinda lacking, I know, and if I think of examples I'll be sure to post them, but I can't get much more down than that.)
Valkyrina:
--- Quote from: Velkyn_Faer on January 31, 2007, 12:04:00 AM ---I have read a few such stories, though I can't think of titles off the top of my head. Stupid memory gaps...
--- End quote ---
"some books are undeservedly forgotten. None are underservedly remembered."
forgot who the quote is by.
mmmmm memory-loss.
Belial:
Think of Raistlin Majere. He's definately not very likable.
He's manipulative, he's sarcastic, he's bitter, he's a survivor, he's cynical, all in all he's our darker selves.
He is however, easy to empathize with.
He has an older brother who always casts a shadow over him. Everyone loves his brother, and he needs his brother to survive. His brother is stronger than him, better looking than him, and gets all the girls. All that Raistlin has over Caramon is his brains.
We've all had someone like that in our lives (whether or not that person is male or female, or even related to us). From the viewpoint Raistlin's choices can be dissapointing, but we can never damn him for them. Although there are much nicer and more traditional heroes in the Dragonlance cycle, Raistlin stands out above them all. Even though he's not very likable.
So I would say that the reader does not have to like the character very much, but he must empathize with him.
Hell as Dalamar says about Raistlin, "'We've all been laughed at one time in our lives. We've all been jealous of a sibling. We have felt pain and suffered, just as he has suffered. And we've all longed- just once- fore the power to crush our enemies! We pity him. We hate him. We fear him- all because there is a little of him in each of us, though we admit it to ourselves only in the darkest part of the night.'"
Velkyn_Faer:
I guess some people could say that Felix from Armor isn't likeable. For a while I hated him and the Engine, much as Crow did while watching Felix using the suit. There are likeable qualities about him, I guess, but there are some parts when he is a 'filthy human being' as one man called him.
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