and writing characters who're canonically desirable and they acknowledge it too, i think is a lot more fun than writing characters who say they are bland but for some reason kept being pursued and have all their quirks (incl. bad ones) accepted by others.
"being desirable" doesn't necessarily have to be about looks. mannerisms and aura (i.e. vibe) can also be deemed desirable. so am honestly fine if the MC "looks bland" as long as they have other qualities that make them desirable to others and *they know it*.
because let's be honest a lot of these fiction stories when they say "oh MC is bland" it's not just about their look it's typically just ... everything about them. and i understand that for a lot of these types of stories, it's self-fulfillment fantasies. i absolutely have no problem with that genre, or even self insert MCs. i just have a problem with the messaging.
when a self-fulfillment fantasy story portrays its MC/self insert just about as bland as possible, yet for some reason they're still popular both romantically and platonically, i feel like it's saying, "you don't have to do anything, it's on OTHERS to affirm your greatness."
and that just doesn't sit right with me. it feels like encouraging people to be complacent with their own insecurities. they don't have to do introspection to find anything about themselves they can be proud of/like about. it shifts the responsibility to other people, entirely.
i promise you, anyone has AT LEAST one quality about them that is absolutely worthy to be proud of. sometimes it may be unnoticed by anyone at all, including themselves, but that doesn't mean it's not there.
that's why, when the self insert MC is canonically "not attractive" but they DO have something they're good at/like about themselves/proud of, it's a lot more satisfying to read.
they can still be insecure. they can still rely on others around them for some confidence boost. but when they're like, "yeah but i got THIS one thing" they're also pulling their weight in building themselves up ... ye feel me?
and that provides an interesting road for them to overcome their insecurity: when they realise that they don't have to fit XYZ box to be worthy and "good".
and if so far in the story they've been pursued by other characters and was utterly baffled why they'd even be considered desirable (bc they don't fit the typical box), this can be the moment they're like "oh, wow. ok i get it now."
as opposed to an utterly bland MC who has nothing good about themselves/won't recognise anything good about themselves and is just having their dick sucked by other characters and they don't know why but they just accept it without ever changing their perspective on themselves.
from my twitter thread.