Asked by: Jamie Singleton

Can a protagonist be unlikable?

An unlikable protagonist might be psychopathic, vain, silly, naïve, foolish, selfish, self-deluded, arrogant or, if you buy into a more superstitious notion, just plain evil.

Do protagonists need to be likeable?

If you need the reader firmly on-side with your central character to make your story work, then it really is important to make them likeable and sympathetic.

How do you make a protagonist likeable?

12 Tips on How to Write a Likable Character

1. Introduce your character early on in the story. …
2. Make your character a flawed person. …
3. Give them a backstory to help readers connect with them. …
4. Make sure they have goals and motivations that are relatable. …
5. Show their vulnerability, but don’t let it become too much of an issue.

How do you make an unlikable character likeable?

You can do this through a backstory, or you can do it through their internal thoughts, dialogue, or the stages of the plot. The more they connect with the character, or at least understand them and potentially relate to them, the more likable they will be to the reader.

How do you write an unlikeable protagonist?

Here are some things to consider as you develop your lead character.

1. First, decide whether they’re flawed or a villain.
2. Flawed Characters:
3. Choose your flaws wisely.
4. Show what caused the flaws.
5. Make sure there’s balance.
6. Show them overcoming their flaws.
7. Villains:
8. Make it clear that they’re supposed to be a baddy.

What makes a main character unlikable?

For a character to feel sympathetic, their hardships must be undeserved. If they caused their own problems, it won’t work. For instance, it’ll be really hard to use the debt a character incurred from buying an expensive sports car to get sympathy. Audiences will think your hero brought that problem on themself.

Why is it important to have likable characters?

Likeable characters have endearing qualities, one being their selflessness. They may not wear a cape, but they are heroes in their world. They have a wave of sympathy and when it boils down to decision-making, they will put themselves second to help out a friend or supporting character.

Is Walter White supposed to be likable?

4 Walter White

Despite the fact what he does for a job is technically a major crime, the fact he is doing it to raise money for his family for after he dies is commendable. When he is Walt, he tends to be incredibly smart, thoughtful and caring which are traits that are certainly very likeable.

Why are characters important to a story?

Characters serve as the driving force in your story. Your characters create and push your plot forward. Readers can experience the world that you’ve created through your characters, both from the way that your characters interact with their environment and the way that your characters view their environment.

Why do I find evil characters attractive?

Another way of looking at attraction toward evil characters is scientific. We are interested in “bad” because it is exciting and it instills fear. Elise Banfield, a Professor of Psychology, states that sometimes people confuse fear with attraction because they provoke the same rush of chemicals into our bodies.

How do you get an audience to fall in love with your character?

Here are five ways to make readers care about your characters:

1. Make Your Characters Need Something. …
2. Make Your Characters Take A Stand On Important Issues. …
3. Make Your Character The Underdog. …
4. Give Your Characters Idealistic Qualities. …
5. Give Your Characters Formidable Foes.

How do you make readers ship your characters?

Here are some tips for writing relationships your readers can get behind:

1. Give them reasons to click. …
2. Have them be vulnerable in front of each other. …
3. Build up the tension. …
4. Write a healthy relationship. …
5. Have their friends/family see their chemistry.

How do you build character relationships?

7 Tips for Building Relationships Between Your Characters

1. Draw on your own life experience. …
2. Create a relationship arc. …
3. Let outward character behavior come from a detailed inner life. …
4. Give your characters unique traits. …
5. Place your characters in multiple relationships. …
6. Let subtext carry the load.