Fun development in my life: I somehow stumbled into a fabulously fun book club in my new city. Not only has this led to new friends, it’s also gotten me reading again. I don’t know about other moms out there, but having a one-year-old has made reading incredibly difficult for me. I suspect it’s the brain fog of constant exhaustion.
But I’m enjoying having a monthly book to read. Reading books I’m not picking myself is broadening my reading repertoire and (on occasion) giving me writing topics to rage about. So what topic is on my mind today?
Why Writers Need to Protect Your Main Characters
Now don’t misunderstand! I’m not implying that killing off main characters is taboo. In fact, I actually support killing off characters when it adds to the plot (as unhinged as that sounds). When I say that you need to protect your main characters, I’m referring to a character’s standing with readers. Because not all choices we make with our characters are a good idea.
This whole concept became top of mind for me after reading my latest book club installment. I honestly enjoyed reading it. The writing was quite good, the history behind the fiction was well researched, and the pacing was great. But the characters? Not so much. A friend warned me that she couldn’t relate to the characters in this book at all. I’m actually surprised I still liked it since character writing is the most important aspect of storytelling to me. The writing saved it, but even after I finished the book, those characters still rubbed me the wrong way.
Beware of Annoying Your Reader . . .
I’ve written before that not all main characters need to be likeable or even good people. That being said, it’s a really tough sell to make your characters unrelatable. In this particular book I read, there were two main female characters that were both so . . . annoying is the only way I can describe them. One was so immature that it was grating. And the other was a textbook martyr who spent most of the book blaming other people for her difficulties in life. Frankly, the pair of them made me want to gouge my eyes out. While the setting of the book really saved it for me, I still wished that the characters had done more for me as a reader.
Imperfect characters that grow over the course of a story are always great. BUT (and this is a big but) I’m a huge believer that you need to protect your main characters from decisions that will make readers despise your characters. Don’t get me wrong, hating a character can be fun. We all like to rage about the books we read sometimes. But that rage usually isn’t meant to be for main characters. Those are the people we’re supposed to be rooting for or even wishing we were like them. Even if we don’t like them necessarily, it sure helps to respect them and think they’re cool at the very least.
But Let’s Get into What I Mean When I Say “Protect”
Here are some specific examples of particular decisions you might need to protect your main characters from making:
1. Characters Being Overly Whiney and Resentful
Teen characters in particular are often written like brats. Lots of the readers I talk to have a problem with whiney characters because it makes them unlikeable in a way that’s avoidable. Characters don’t need to be perfect, but if they’re going to be complainers, I’d suggest making it funny. Or at least something they’ll grow out of quickly.
2. Characters with Huge Egos
This is one I’ve played around with before. I found that if big-headedness is played off for laughs and especially if a big ego gets called out in the story, it can be a lovely way for a main character to grow. But still, egos can be annoying to readers. The worst example I can think of is female characters who know they’re gorgeous and compare their beauty to everyone they meet. I’m sorry, but that’s a tough sell to get readers onboard.
3. Characters Who Are Just Dumb
Again, this one can be played off for laughs. Very innocent and trusting characters have the potential to be endearing. But still: tread lightly. Characters who are plain stupid or never notice obvious things can be super off putting and hard to relate to. Most readers like passably competent people. Or at least someone who feels smart in one specific way. But characters who miss all warning signs because the author needed them to for plot? Readers don’t tend to love that.
4. Characters Backstabbing Friends
Ooooohhh boy, proceed with caution here. Side characters are often more likeable than the main character. If you plan to make your main character stab one of those friends in the back? It needs to be well thought through and have very real consequences. Readers get enraged about this type of stuff, especially if the backstabbing is done flippantly for no real reason. Or if it’s especially cruel or humiliating.
5. Characters Who Are Clearly Wish-Fulfillment for the Author
I admit that most of my main characters have traits I wish I had. It’s super common for writers to dream about how cool, beautiful, or clever they wish they were and write character who embody those dreams. But this type of thing can also get over the top and tropey. If your beta readers complain that your main character is too perfect or (gasp) kind of boring? It might be time to pull back. We’ve all written versions of the dreaded Mary Sue in our time.
6. Characters Who Feel Like an Empty Shell for Moving the Plot
This one is self-explanatory. Nobody likes reading flat, soulless characters with no personality who are only here to do what the author needs. This a recipe for a boring book with no personality either. Even if you’re writing strictly for the world-building, characters still need to have distinct traits to justify their existence.
7. Characters Who Kill
Plenty of characters must kill or be killed to survive their story in the first place. But that isn’t quite what I’m talking about. I’m talking about targeted, premeditated killing that just might fall into the category of murder. This type of cold-bloodedness is usually reserved for villains. Even antiheroes have limits of who they’re willing to kill and in what circumstances. This is an area that can be fascinating to explore, so long as it’s thought through and well executed.
Important Caveat!
I should mention that every single example I listed above can and has been done well before. The beauty of knowing the rules of writing is so you can break them artistically. If you have a character brewing in your mind who is downright unlikeable and also fascinating, write that character! Honestly, readers respond best to stories and characters who feel genuinely authentic. It’s kind of magical how much readers love characters that an author clearly loved too. Readers can just smell that type of thing.
So you don’t necessarily have to color in the lines. The ideas I listed above are general stumbling blocks to keep in mind before you write 400 pages and realize that your main character doesn’t work. It happens to all of us. And it sucks when it does.
In Conclusion, Every Character Decision You Make Has Consequences
As a writer who writes for young adults, I can appreciate stories that frolic in the gray areas of life. I enjoy stories that make me think, make me uncomfortable, or make me feel like the main character and I would genuinely be friends. Those are the best kind of main characters, even when they make mistakes. But because I write, I can also see the strings on the puppets when I’m enjoying a story. Every character trait and event in a book was a decision a writer made. And sometimes those decisions aren’t doing what we assume they are or want them to do.
So when I say protect your main characters, what I’m really saying is to err on the side of likeable, savvy, and smart as you’re shaping the person who will carry your story. And in all cases, lean heavily on your beta readers when you’re editing a book. Sometimes scenes and characters that feel brilliant when we’re writing just don’t hit right for our readers. It’s way better to know those things in the writing process rather than several drafts down the road. ❧
