By Lidija Hilje.
In Pulling Off Unlikable Main Characters (Part
1) - Writing Irredeemable Villains,
we
discussed different types of unlikable characters, and some of the techniques
that can be used in writing irredeemable villains.
In
this article, we will explore the techniques a writer can use when writing redeemable villains and other unlikable characters, such as oddballs,
weirdoes and jerks.
Writing
unlikable but redeemable characters is not any easier than pulling off irredeemable
psycho-villains, but there are more tactics available to make sure the reader will
keep turning the pages.
—
Humor can help immensely. When shown through the prism of witty remarks and
humor, often at the expense of the main character, the flaws and quirks become
more relatable and easier for the reader to digest, than they would be through darker
or more poignant prose.
This
method works best for the jerk and the
oddball characters.
In
'Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine', the author often depends on humor to
make the reader sympathize with the protagonist. The same goes for Melvin
Udall, the jerk-type character from 'As Good as it Gets'. Following their
antics, which we at first cannot relate to, ultimately ends up with us feeling
deeply invested in these characters.
—
Giving characters relatable motivation. This is not the same as showing clear motivation, as suggested with the
irredeemable villain characters, which readers can only understand but not
relate to. Relatable
motivation — such as the need for success, acceptance, love, money or fame — is
something we can all relate to, at least to some extent. And that makes even
the despicable and sleazy characters more acceptable.
Maybe
we can't quite connect to the extent to which Jordan Belfort ('The Wolf of the
Wall Street') will go to reach his goals in both life and business, but we can
understand the need for success and money, which are the driving force of his
actions.
—
Giving unlikable characters a relevant
backstory. Most people aren’t mean or bad by chance; there are usually
traumas or crippling events from their pasts that made them just the way they
are.
Walt
Kowalski from 'Gran Torino' is a bigot who detests his Hmong immigrant
neighbors. However, we can understand his bigotry better when we find out he is
a Korean War veteran.
What
if the narcissistic mother had emotionally reserved parents? What if the
abusive, alcoholic dad suffered severe abuse throughout his childhood? Not all
of us can overcome these situations and become a better person. Some of us are
bound to have a dark side kindled by the traumas and abuse.
These
kinds of backstories not only explain what drives the character, but also allow
the reader to sympathize with those unlikable characters, even when they normally
wouldn't.
The loathed moaner
There
is one type of an unlikable character that both readers and publishing experts
loathe — the moaner — a character
who douses themselves in self-pity. This character is the literary equivalent
of an ‘emotional vampire’ — a person who drains your energy after spending as little
as two minutes with them; the one who constantly seeks your understanding,
compassion and pity, but does nothing to change their own circumstances.
Rather, they wait for everybody else to realize their wrongdoings and adjust
their behavior toward them.
Unfortunately,
the moaner is among the most often written unlikable characters. And it is
usually not written on purpose but by chance.
Writing
a moaner is a common mistake for debut writers —especially those who base
their protagonist on their own real-life experience—but they write them in a
way that makes the reader cringe instead of invest in the story. When both
publishing professionals and readers reject such a character as someone they
can’t sympathize with, the rejection feels very personal to the writer.
This
often happens after the novel is finished, and that means that months, even
years of work have gone down the drain. But, not all is lost!
Here
are some tips on how to turn a moaner in a likable character (or at least a
successful unlikable character):
—
Think about changing the POV. Most
moaners are written in the first person point of view. This makes them extra
‘moany.’ Again, this is elemental psychology — people are more likely to
sympathize with people who don’t moan about themselves, but whose suffering is
viewed or noticed from other people's perspective.
—
Bring your show vs. tell to a new
level. Telling a person is sad, suffering or wronged is boring. Show the suffering. Show how they were wronged—not in words, but in images. Have
confidence both in the fact that you are a good enough writer and that the
reader is smart enough to pick up your clues.
—
Make sure you give your character an
agency. This basically means that the character shouldn’t just moan. They
need to start making active decisions that affect the plot (move the plot
along). Nobody wants to spend ten hours of their life with those who just pity
themselves and do nothing to turn their life around.
-------------
About the Author: Lidija
Hilje
After working as a trial
attorney for ten years, Lidija recently took a plunge into the writing
universe. As a psychology enthusiast, she wrote several articles on Medium and
was declared Top writer in the fields of Psychology, Personal development, and Self-awareness.
She’s currently working on a contemporary women’s fiction novel.
She interacts with other
writers and reading enthusiasts via her twitter account: @lidija_hilje
You
can also read more about her here: https://lidijahilje.com
