#unlikeable characters

[alexis-everafter]

I fear I’m a deeply unlikeable character

[eraofprocrastination]

something that really bugs me in terms of media literacy is when people are like "you shouldn't read/write this book because this character is unlikeable"

why do they have to be likeable for the media to be consumed???

I read something about Kate Elizabeth Russell (author of My Dark Vanessa) who was given advice multiple times over along the lines of "you should scrap this and try again because Vanessa is too unlikeable as a main character"

that is The Point??? is that she was not a saint and was in fact complicit in some of her abuse situation NOT BECAUSE she wanted to be abused but because she didn't know any better than to want it??? does she have to be likeable for her abuse not to be deserved??? does she as a character have to be compelling and lovely for her story to matter??

you do not have to 'like' someone in order to empathize with them???

IDK I get it if it's like "the character's voice is annoying and I don't enjoy reading their chapters" (or other, genuine characterization problems within the writing) but when people say "this book isn't worth it because this character doesn't meet my quota of moral/intellectual/personal 'goodness' so clearly there's something wrong" it just bothers me.

if anything, we need more "unlikeable" characters who are more than willing to display negative personality traits. because so much media has turned to this cookie-cutter standard of good-vs-bad personality construction, so that even "morally gray" characters are all one archetype.

anyway I'm not sure what main point I'm trying to make except that book characters, much like real people, do not owe it to you as your audience to make you like them

[nerdby]

Sula by Toni Morrison

3/5⭐

.......This book was absolutely traumatizing. Not in the fun way, and yes, there's a fun way. Like this is a coming of age story and family saga that seemed to have no likeable characters at all by the end of it. I think that's sort of the point of it. Morrison calls out internalized misogyny and superstitions powered by generational trauma.

I am not sure what else to say because I'm a white reader and I don't want to make harmful assumptions. This book just made me angry, though. Morrison is an amazing writer. The story started out strong and was unputdownable, but the more I read the angrier I got. Just at the hypocrisy of the characters' actions.

It was definitely an easier read than Beloved, though. That was the first Morrison novel I tried to read, but I DNFed it because I wasn't in the right headspace for it at the time. Someone on FB recommended I try Sula instead and here we are.

This is definitely a good book to read if you want to feel something or if you're interested in reading books by Black authors. Cause there's definitely a difference in perspective between this or like The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Like that should be common sense, but I know there are stupid people out there who think white people can write BIPOC stories just as well as BIPOC authors can. I used to think that a long time ago, and I learned the hard way it's not the same. Like we can research until our fingers bleed, but until you have lived through it -- it's not the fucking same.

Also I would definitely recommend this to readers ages sixteen and up. This is for a mature audience. There's sex, swearing, and even some horror elements. So keep all of that in mind, okay?

Sorry for coming off as some savior complexed jackass.

Edit: It's been like half an hour since I posted this and I think the point of the book just hit me. I am supposed to be angry at the systemically racist society that the made characters act like such jackasses, and you know what -- I fucking am.

[chaotic-bloomers]

I'm watching Sex and the City for the first time and there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, likeable about this Carrie character. What a raging self absorbed douchebag.

And wtf is that dumbass Mr Big/ Aiden storyline? Also, Mr Big fkn sucks sweaty balls, the man has no good qualities.. so maybe they deserve each other. Ew

I had to suffer through her dumb storylines in order to see more of the other girls.

Carrie sucks, and you cant change my mind.

[fixyourwritinghabits]

I have a character that is meant to be unlikeable at first. They’re resistant to everything, doubting, condescending, all that stuff. They’re meant to end up being likeable and I’m struggling with that transition being natural and not feeling rushed, or even seeming far too obvious that that’s what’s meant to be understood by the reader. Any advice?

So if you're character is the main character, you need to get the reader an in very early on. We don't have to like this character or sympathize with them, but we need to find them relatable. We need to understand what they're doing and why.

You can do this in several ways - by revealing the situation they're in, by having them be surprisingly kind to someone we don't expect, etc. Luke Skywalker, for example, is kind of a whiny brat. He doesn't want to do his chores, he's ignorant and questioning of those with experience, and even at the end of the film he's still a bit arrogant, but he leaps into helping someone he doesn't know, and we cheer him on for it.

But let's say you want us to follow someone like Hannibal Lector, and again, we're given reasons to want to read more about the guy even if he's inherently distasteful in the whole, you know, eating people thing. He holds himself to certain standards and can maintain intelligent conversations, and has secret information critical to the plot. We have to follow this man, and in the process, find him intriguing.

Arguably Luke is an example of a main character and Hannibal is an example of an important secondary character, but the rules remain the same. Give the reader something relatable early on - a code of conduct, a cause they're fighting for, a family member they're trying to protect - and in moving through the story, bring that more to the forefront. Luke continues to try to save people because it's the right thing to do. Hannibal is still a murderous serial killer, but he's grown to like Clarice, and aids her in his own twisted way.

After the midpoint in the charge up to the finale, your character will reach the 'Moment of Truth' point in which the reader is firmly on their side. I'd argue in Star Wars, it's when Luke makes the swing of faith across the chasm. Leia trusts him, and we do too. In Silence of the Lambs, it's when Hannibal talks to Clarice about what haunts her and drives her forward even after her colleagues denigrate her - her desire to save the innocent after a traumatizing childhood incident involving the slaughtering of the spring lambs.

In sum:

Establish the relatabillity factor early on.

Keep circling back to that factor even as the character clashes with others or makes morally dubious decisions.

Have a Moment of Truth after the midpoint fails to resolve the story conflict - it can be an action scene or a conversation, but it will firmly confirm why we like the character, prickly (or murderous) as they still may be.

Have that moment relate to the climax - Luke's confidence him himself and the force saves the day, Clarice's metaphorical drive to silence the screaming lambs has her defeat the serial killer.

Sounds easy, right? Well, not so much, and it's going to take some tinkering to get it right. If things feel too sudden or rushed, you might need to piece out elements of the Moment of Truth to place earlier in the story (even while Hannibal tries to manipulate Clarice, he clearly likes talking with her, and Luke's willingness to continue forward even when frustrated is admirable). It might take a few drafts, and a lot of feedback, but you'll be able to capture that factor.

[sunnydwrites]

Writing Unlikeable Characters

(Don’t get me wrong, I love Bakugo. This is for the purpose of this post.)

So you want readers to dislike a character.

It’s actually... a bit more difficult than you think. There are people out there who will latch onto just about anything or anyone, and sometimes the antagonistic characters become the most liked. 

One major difference to understand: an antagonist is not always unlikeable. And you know that whole “square is a rectangle” thing? Kind of applies here, too. Unlikeable characters are not always antagonists.

How do we achieve the unlikeable character?

When we decide that we don’t like someone in real life, often it’s because we decide that we dislike them more than we dislike them. Does that mean your character has no likeable qualities? Probably not. However, there are many more reasons to dislike them than to like them, and those dislike reasons carry weight.

“My character doesn’t like coffee,” is not really a serious reason for someone to dislike a character. Jokingly is possible, but in a serious way is less probable. “My character commits felonies for fun,” carries a bit more weight, but already I’m thinking of ways readers might enjoy that. (It’s the chaos of it all, I think.)

Let’s look at our friend Bakugo here. We’re supposed to dislike him more than we like him, but he has a large fanbase. People like his persistence and his confidence, though it was written and portrayed as viciousness and arrogance. Notice: those are very different words.

What I’ll say here is that it comes down to two things, and you can only really control one. How do you portray this unlikeable quality in a way that creates actual dislike?

Sometimes it doesn’t... matter.

People and readers are naturally empathetic; that’s just how we are. We’ll love anything that shows even a hint of redemption quality, which is why the antagonists of many movies, shows, and books are so freaking popular.

What you should prioritize when it comes to unlikeable characters is the way you write their worst qualities. But sometimes even that has little impact on the dislike factor! (It’s like one of those 5,000 piece puzzles.) We can write arrogance as, “I’ll do this better and faster than any of you losers could,” and you’ll get someone adoring their confidence and self-assurance.

As someone who’s tried to write several unlikeable antagonists, there’s always something. Basically! Think about the balance, how they’re written, and what you want your unlikeable character to be disliked for. If you want to write an asshole, then write an asshole.

There are just going to be people who call them a loveable asshole.

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[sometimesrosy]

I am reading the books for S&B (halfway book 2) and pretty much everyone annoys me on various levels and Mal is the top of that god damn list. like holy moly I wish I was making notes of the things because I want to talk about them but i keep forgetting and now I want to show you some of the quotes that I find interesting/// also has anyone noticed the way Ben Barnes stands in the show? like the way he tilts his head back a little? that and the beard is the main reason why we (sis and I) want to punch him

LOL

I would shudder every time he came on screen. When he tried to make her wear black, HIS color. He was literally claiming her. I literally just gagged. How was she so stupid that she didn’t realize her letters weren’t getting to Mal and Mal’s weren’t getting to her? 

I SUPPOSE because she had never had abusive relationships made explicit to her. She didn’t know what to look out for. She was honest so expected others to be honest. She thought everything happening was on the surface, but he had motivations she did not expect. 

And OMG when he was with Alina with his disgusting snake (no offense to actual snakes) ways and she was too naive to know what was going on even when she was LITERALLY warned against powerful men.

I can’t speak to book!Mal yet because I’m still finishing up my last book before I move on to S&B. So I’ll have to get back to you on that one. 

I mean, it’s okay if characters annoy us sometimes, we want them to have room to grow within the story. We want them to be stupid and naive sometimes, or rude or arrogant, so they can learn and transform. Yes? Hopefully they do.

My WIP is about a character who is not always sympathetic. She’s avoidant and she sleeps around and she likes to scare people off and she pushes boundaries and keeps people at a distance and abandoned her own child many years ago. And I hope that people like her enough to stick around, because there were reasons for the abandonment and the abandonment is why she is the way she is... a bit of self punishment for what even she thinks is unforgivable. And the whole story is essentially about her healing the wounds from that initial incident, and redeeming the character and getting her back to the life that was hers.

BUT what makes people stick around for an unlikable character? And what qualities are unforgivable? How much can you take of annoying or unlikable characters before you’re like, nope, sorry, I really don’t care to read your story. 

I remember I tossed Gone, Girl, because I just found everyone so unlikable and annoying. But I generally have a lot of patience for characters. I guess it matters what YOUR issues are. Like I don’t like stories about entitled, privileged people complaining about how hard their lives are. Just no patience. But a dumbass orphan who doesn’t realize his best friend is the love of his life? Maybe that’s okay. I guess it depends on what he does.

[emmarieb89]

A couple months ago I read a book. Not an odd thing for me but this book really stuck with me. About a month later I read a post or article or something about reviewing books and my takeaway from this was "If a book makes you think about them at seemingly random moments, perhaps considering altering your review. Maybe it deserves more stars." I immediately thought of this book, went to my Goodreads account and was disappointed that I had already given it 5 stars because I couldn't increase it. And I continue to think of this book.

I don't think this book is revolutionary in any way. Or even a spectacular piece of literature. I do think its clever but not outstandingly so. I have recommended this book to friends. And I'm sure they will just shrug and say it's alright or something along those lines.

It's part of a series and unfortunately for the second book my expectations were too high. It was fine. In fact it may have been good but my brain kept thinking about how much I adored book one. In fact, I can barely remember the plot of the second. I still haven't read the third book and I'm hoping some additional time will help me enjoy it.

This is one of the examples of why I now no longer read a series back to back. My bias for book one is too strong and it makes the others look bad.

My other example is a series where you meet the final male character early on but he is not a pleasing character. He is intentionally written in a way where you don't like him. I assume so he would have a redemption arc. However I'd forgotten about this book for ten years. I'd read the previous book months before the final release date and just forgot about it. Fortunately for him, in these ten years I completely forgot about him or why I disliked him. So I enjoyed the book a fair bit.

It wasn't until after I read it that I looked at reviews and the way they all hated this character was impressive. And in reading these I remembered a little bit more and that I also didn't like him.

So I am now a firm believer that having too much bias in either direction can ruin a book.