Unlikable Main Character

bzMac · Nov 18, 2010

I'm writing a YA novel with a 16 yr old girl as my protagonist. My character is a very pessimistic person because of the nature of her past. She yearns for something and her current situation makes it so that its impossible for her to fulfill that yearning. I think I do a good job of of explaining why she's such a depressing person.

This is where my problem comes in. I think I might be making her too depressing so that readers will be turned off by her. I don't mind so much if readers don't like her. Its why I have made sure I explained the reason she is the way she is. How do I make it so that readers who don't like the character still want to read the book? This pessimism isn't all there is to my character though. She's a fun loving person with a need for human contact. She's just afraid.

How do you make it so that a character with off putting traits is still likable enough that the readers cares for them and understands them? I can't lose her pessimism because its a big part of what moves the novel along.

SafetyDance · Nov 18, 2010

She needs to maintain her sense of humour, and she needs to be pro-active rather than being a victim. People don't have to like her, no -- but they need to relate to her. And they need to be intrigued rather than hate her.

bzMac · Nov 18, 2010

@Firebrain: I don't know about making her humorous. Funny isn't in her character. Do you think giving her a unique perspective on life would be work? I don't want the entire time the reader is in her head for it to be filled with negative thoughts. As a reader I know I would be annoyed. I like the idea of not making her a victim. I think that's what I might be doing so I'll have to read over it to be sure.

Question for others: Would it hurt her likability or help if the other characters point out her downer personality?

SafetyDance · Nov 18, 2010

A character can be humorous without being a "funny" type. She doesn't have to crack jokes all the time -- she can observe irony, or the lighter side of things on occasion. If other characters point out what a downer she is, for example, she could put them down with a witty comeback.

amyashley · Nov 18, 2010

For me personally, I must like the character to continue reading the book. For instance, I stopped reading Terry Goodkind's books entirely because I consistently disliked his female characters-they were all too two dimensional and helpless for me to care for or relate to in any way.

You are writing about a pessimistic person with no sense of humor. You expect readers to dislike her, but want them to keep reading? This doesn't make sense to me unless she is going to undergo a major change of personality.

I can deal with flaws. Stupidity, constant irritability, helplessness, things like that will make me stop reading a book.

Karen Junker · Nov 18, 2010

I try to follow the advice of Marion Zimmer Bradley. On what makes a great story, she says: "A LIKABLE CHARACTER overcomes ALMOST INSUPERABLE ODDS and BY HIS OR HER OWN EFFORTS achieves a WORTHWHILE GOAL"

TheIT · Nov 18, 2010

Is the character going to change throughout the book? Show hints of redemption. Show that there's something worthwhile about this character which makes it worth the effort for the reader to stick with them for an entire novel.

I think there were some previous threads about unlikeable main characters, maybe in the Novels forum? I think one of the examples used was The Secret Garden. The MC is very unlikeable to begin with, but her experiences in the book change her attitude.

bzMac · Nov 18, 2010

@TheIt: I try to show some weakness in her from the beginning. I have moments where she says she doesn't want to get close to people, but then her actions counter that. She lets her guard down and shows a caring side every once in a while. Is that what you mean?

@Amyashley: She's going to change through her experiences. The novel won't end with her in the same emotional place she started in. I don't think she's that unlikable(writer's bias probably) especially once I get the balance right. I'm just worried readers are going to be turned off by her less then sunny personality.

@Karen: I like the quote. Definitely something to keep in mind.

TheIT · Nov 18, 2010

Genestac said:
@TheIt: I try to show some weakness in her from the beginning. I have moments where she says she doesn't want to get close to people, but then her actions counter that. She lets her guard down and shows a caring side every once in a while. Is that what you mean?

Could be. To paraphrase Uncle Jim, readers want to read books about interesting characters in interesting situations. Note that "interesting" does not necessarily mean "likeable". Make the character true to herself, let the story unfold, and see where it takes you.

Good luck!

:Sun:

TheIT · Nov 18, 2010

Another thing to consider: have you finished your first draft yet? If not, then just keep writing. Wait until you can see your whole story as a complete entity to decide whether things need to be toned down (or up).

whimsical rabbit · Nov 18, 2010

TheIT said:
Could be. To paraphrase Uncle Jim, readers want to read books about interesting characters in interesting situations. Note that "interesting" does not necessarily mean "likeable". Make the character true to herself, let the story unfold, and see where it takes you.

Good luck!

This.

Your character is pessimistic. But is she passively pessimistic? And if pessimism is her predominant attribute, is she doing anything to change it?

A character doesn't necessarily needs to be likeable, as long as you give your reader reason to follow him/her. I wouldn't follow a character that I'd find highly antipathetic, but in good stories, characters are a lot more than this or that.

If you'are confident that your character is interesting and active enough, just keep on writing, and if you still have doubts at the end, see what your beta readers tell you.

Karen Junker · Nov 18, 2010

You could always post a bit in SYW and get the opinions of several readers.

jaksen · Nov 18, 2010

The main character in Rebecca is sort of a hum-drum, mousey little thing, but I guess she's likable. The title character, Rebecca, is actually a lot more interesting, lively and has an outgoing personality, but likable? Is NOT.

adktd2bks · Nov 18, 2010

There are plenty of unlikeable characters in YA, and often what makes the book so good is the voice. Also knowing that the although we don't like the character we can understand them and take something from it is important - it sounds like you might have that part down. For YA, some books to read are Speak and Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, either Some Girls Are or Cracked Up to Be by Courtney Summers (preferably both). Love You, Hate You Miss You by Elizabeth Scott. 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher - that one has a very unlikeable character (but not the MC) yet the book is genius because of the way it's set up.

whimsical rabbit · Nov 18, 2010

Karen Junker said:
You could always post a bit in SYW and get the opinions of several readers.

This, too, is a pretty good suggestion actually.

TheIT · Nov 18, 2010

whimsical rabbit said:
This, too, is a pretty good suggestion actually.

Agreed, but I'd still wait until you've completed the story. If you're talking about the tone of the entire piece, that's not going to become apparent until you're done.

bzMac · Nov 18, 2010

TheIT said:
Another thing to consider: have you finished your first draft yet? If not, then just keep writing. Wait until you can see your whole story as a complete entity to decide whether things need to be toned down (or up).

My novel is complete. I'm in the process of revising.

whimsical rabbit said:
This.

Your character is pessimistic. But is she passively pessimistic? And if pessimism is her predominant attribute, is she doing anything to change it?
.

What if she's deliberately pessimistic? She makes a conscious decision to be negative as a coping method, but this stage doesn't last for long. I don't know if I would characterize her as passive. She doesn't consciously try to change her attitude. The situations she goes through work at her pessimism.

Karen Junker said:
You could always post a bit in SYW and get the opinions of several readers.

Thanks. Will do.

maggi90w1 · Nov 18, 2010

Most people here will probably tell you that it can be done if written well, but honestly... I hate it. If the MC is unlikeable, I'll put a book down. I need a protagonist I can root for.

bzMac · Nov 18, 2010

I went ahead and posted the opening chapter on SYW for review. This tone is kind of what I'm going for in the entire novel. Might need to be tweaked a little though, the tone I mean. All the explanation of her character is here so if you can, take a peak and let me know what you think.

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5524194#post5524194

pw for the forum: vista

tanglewoodtracey · Nov 18, 2010

Karen Junker said:
I try to follow the advice of Marion Zimmer Bradley. On what makes a great story, she says: "A LIKABLE CHARACTER overcomes ALMOST INSUPERABLE ODDS and BY HIS OR HER OWN EFFORTS achieves a WORTHWHILE GOAL"

I like that, Karen. I think that's good advice.

Tracey

dangerousbill · Nov 18, 2010

Genestac said:
This is where my problem comes in. I think I might be making her too depressing so that readers will be turned off by her. I don't mind so much if readers don't like her.

A main character usually has to be likeable, or at the very least, show potential for becoming likeable. Lawrence Block has written a series of successful novels about a hit man who murders people without a second thought. But he has a sense of humor and a workmanlike attitude to his job. He collects stamps and flirts with his boss's secretary. You can't help but like the guy.

Once in a while, a character can be truly evil but still interesting, as in Donald Westlake's 'The Axe'. (The MC cinches his chances at getting a specialized sales job by murdering all his potential competitors.)

But I can't see a lot of interest developing in a character who's chronically depressed.

amyashley · Nov 18, 2010

I read it. I didn't think she had a very positive outlook, but I wouldn't say she was depressed. I didn't love it because I am not a humongo fan of YA...let's say it needs to be set OUT of a school to grab me. Mainly because I loathed highschool, not as a jab at any authorly abilities.

I think the plot of your story will be what hooks your readers, and she does display the ability to change. She isn't depressed, she's just been disappointed.

I hope that helps. I did NOT think she was unlikeable or a sourpuss, which I was sort of expecting. The only thing throwing me was referring to her parents by first name.

Sentosa · Nov 18, 2010

I'm not sure that a MC has to be "likable", although readers may have come to expect that, perhaps more so in YA than in other genres.

What I believe is more essential than likability is empathy. You might do this in different ways, but once you have empathy between a character and a reader, readers will keep reading.

Ruv Draba · Nov 18, 2010

A main character doesn't have to be likeable, but (in genre stories at least) needs to be sympathetic. There are plenty of pessimistic, cynical characters -- even some quite nasty ones -- who are sympathetic because:

they want what readers want;
they suffer terribly in ways that draw reader compassion; and
they can do things readers wish they could do.

The psycho killer Dexter, for instance (from the TV and novel series of the same name), is not someone you'd want to invite over for dinner. He lies, kills and is entirely selfish. But he can't really help himself because his psyche was wounded as a child, he only kills bad guys, he's fiercely protective of his familly, he's a meticulous killer and the world constantly victimises and torments him, so he's sympathetic.

whimsical rabbit · Nov 19, 2010

TheIT said:
Agreed, but I'd still wait until you've completed the story. If you're talking about the tone of the entire piece, that's not going to become apparent until you're done.

Yeah, you're right.

Genestac said:
What if she's deliberately pessimistic? She makes a conscious decision to be negative as a coping method, but this stage doesn't last for long. I don't know if I would characterize her as passive. She doesn't consciously try to change her attitude. The situations she goes through work at her pessimism.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear. What I mean is that no matter their attributes, characters need to be active in some way. If you just have a character allow things happening to her without doing anything but feeling pessimistic, then chances are your readers will not want to follow. If your character is active in the narrative, fights against the current, tries to change the events and work towards some, any goal, then the pessimism is not dominating a passive behaviour (does that make any sense?) and the readers will be interested in following her, and possibly share her feelings.

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