The Right To Write

Unqualified Protagonists: Part 1

Sometime writers try a bit too hard to create likeable character but end up brewing the opposite. Here are the possible setups you're using for your character that may require some tweaking. 

The "Perfect" Character. The majority of beginning writers think it their characters are worthy because they're flawless, attractive, amazing, etc etc. They want to create a character to look up to, to admire.

Well, today's your lucky day; I'll tell you why nobody likes your perfect character. Because people don't like characters they can look up to, they like characters they can relate to. Readers can't relate to a character that every girl is willing to die for, they can't relate to the fact that he's a billionare who owns over fifty cats. Your character needs flaws and your character needs to make mistakes. Readers embrace it and accept it because they have experienced it. We all have mistakes and we want to see how they play out in fiction. Your purpose is to show the reader how the main character can get through his problems with his flaws still intact, unless the character learns his lesson and develops into a more experiences character. But my point is that you initially need your character to embody imperfection, or else readers will feel absolutely no personal connection with him, and thus have no connection or emotional investment in him.

Passive Protagonist. This is the character that seems to have absolutely no meaning in the plot. And it's fairly easy to overlook this and consider the protagonist important to the plot. But answer this question. Is the plot happening to the character or is your character taking control of the plot? If you don't know how to answer that, allow me to explain. See, it needs to be the protagonist that fixes the problems, the protagonist progressing the plot, and the protagonist that saves the day.

Not all writers understand that. And they let all the conflict only happen to the protagonist. The character is supposed to have an objective and he's supposed to work for it, not wait for it to happen to him. He needs to actively attempt to achieve something, even if the conflict keeps them in check. He need to be proactive. I'll restate it: write about a character who moves the plot forward and make sure it isn't the supporting characters or mere luck saving them the work.

So once again, ask yourself this question: Is the plot happening to the character or is your character taking control of the plot?

Cliched Characters: This is slightly correlated with perfect character because perfect characters happen to be extremely cliche, especially if they're love interests. But this is another matter. Tell me if any of these sound familiar: Damsel in distress, Knight in shining armor, Bad boy, Young good-looking billionaire, Good girl, Prince charming. All of these characters are wildly overused and one-dimensional. Books need to reflect people, not dreams. All I mean to say is do not use stereotypical and cliched characters as your protagonist OR your antagonist. Being unique is a quality writers need to embrace.

However, there is an exception. If you plan to make your character three-dimensional and use their cliched positions as a deceiving title, it may be an exceptional approach. You can set of a mental rolling-of-eye ritual and then develop the character, to redirect your first impressions. Make the damsel and distress more than a helpless girl. Make her a capable woman whose primary weakness keeps her in check. Let them defy their overused purpose.

Overpowered Characters. Especially in fantasy and sci-fi novels, these characters occur. Your character may have psychic powers, which is admirable. But when your character has that along with invincibility, elements, flying, shapeshifting into George Washington or Donald Trump, readers just get irritated. At this point, your character is far too powerful to be true. Even aliens have limits. As a writer, you should depend more on your characters themselves to solve their problems, rather than their abilities.