I want unlikable yet interesting and engaging characters [HEAR ME OUT]

The Chatters
, , ,
1

This is what I want and what I need is my Project Succession character to feel very three dimensional.

Honestly, I am going to be so real with all of you, I do NOT WANT Aeris to be likable. What I mean is that I want her to feel Aeris feel human in many ways, but relatable and understood in other ways.

Aeris is a non-human creature living on an alien planet. So, I want her to feel like a human being in various ways, but engaging and relatable in other ways. Not just Aeris, but a large majority of the characters, especially the recurring ones. They are more than a trope or stock character with a blank, uninteresting slate personality and character overall.

The thing is Aeris is interesting and engaging, but I don’t want her to be drastically neglected in terms of characteristics in order to be likeable. I prefer if Aeris was understood, at best related to, and readers engage with her character and personality. I mean I would not mind if Aeris was likable and unlikable by different readers, though overall they get her and understand what kind of person she is and her goals.

Aeris along with the other characters are complex, mainly Aeris. She is a doer more than a thinker until she reaches a point where doing and thinking is going to be more substantial. I know giving my characters flaws and obstacles of every kind is worth it, along with focusing on how they handle the situations.

Overall, I don’t want to destroy my characters for the sake of making them super liked, because to be honest, do you like every human being, regardless of their positives and how crazy they are? I mean I am going to explain to you in the best way that I can.

I want them to feel interesting, engaging, understanding, and relatable, but the readers can discern if they are easy to like or dislike based on their actions to what comes their way. I don’t mind if they characters are loved or hated as people, but as characters they are well written and done in an engaging way.

I want my Project Succession characters to feel human, but more so causes readers to look at them like “this is a very interesting character with some complexities that are very engaging to me. I like this character, but it’s not enough love nor hate them.”

DOES ANY OF THIS MAKE SENSE TO YOU? I am curious.

Thoughts and feelings?

3 Likes
2

@Akje
@Xelyn_Craft
@Churro
@JojoDahlia
@lunar.eclipse
@EmiliaFrost
@DoomVroom
@NatilladeCoco
@NatureLover40
@alenatenjo

What are your thoughts?

3

A lot of people are too shallow to understand such characters. See: Booktok.

4 Likes
4

Did I at least make sense? Because I was really wondering if I made sense.

2 Likes
5

Wow, so my characters are that interesting in a way?

I am wondering now as I ask myself.

I just know my characters need to be severely fleshed out in terms of their personality, characteristics, overall well-being, and how they handle dealing with each other in various ways.

2 Likes
6

I think it is helpful to think what sort of animal or color that would be their favorite. Symbols are powerful.

1 Like
7

Did I make sense?

1 Like
8

Yeah!

1 Like
9

Thank you so much.

1 Like
10

Symbolism?

I can understand that.

1 Like
11

Oh hell yeah, that makes sense, particularly in this political season. I mean, I hate to keep bringing up the orange one, but it’s like even though I’m obviously going to vote for Harris, I don’t even bother to watch her speeches or anything anymore because she’s so sane and normal that she’s boring.

But Trump! He’s so unlikable, unethical and just plain nutty that he’s much more interesting to watch. My head is still hurting from his wind power/bacon response to a question about inflation, yet I keep coming back for more.

So yeah, I can understand how you might want your characters to be more like Trump than like Kamala. Who wants to read about sane and normal when they can read about a psychopathic nutcake! Or whatever your character is.

On another note, if you’re thinking about what other readers want, does that mean you’re planning to publish eventually? Rather than just hobby writing?

1 Like
12

Maybe. I am just trying not to focus on it until I am at the point in my life where I can go to publishing.

1 Like
13

Makes sense to me. I think a lot of my favorite characters are the ones that you aren’t supposed to like. Like Jackal from the Blood of Eden series is a good example for me. Character you really shouldn’t like but he just has the it factor bc he’s obnoxiously himself.

2 Likes
14

What exactly is your definition of likeable and unlikable? Because as long as a character is complex, relatable, and interesting, I consider that likeable. Even if they aren’t “perfect”. Many people define likeable as “perfect” or “a good person”. But I don’t find that likeable at all. I find it entirely boring in a character. The harder an author tries to make a character flawless or make their limited flaws watered down so they are actually virtues poorly disguised as sins, the more annoying and boring and unlikable I find that character. By that definition, I don’t like “likeable” characters at all. My definition of likeable is complex, multifaceted, relatable, and nuanced. Which sounds like what you are going for.

2 Likes
15

Aeris is flawed and complex, but so are the other characters, mainly the recurring ones. I never wanted Aeris to be perfect or boring or gets what so she wants so easily. Even as a princess, as a Knight, and as a person, Aeris need to work hard to reach her goals and fall harder to raise again to continue reaching the goal.

Does that make sense?

I don’t have a clear personal definition on that.

16

A video I found that might be of use.

2 Likes
17

Yeah, that makes sense. All your characters should be that way, honestly. That’s exactly what you should be doing.

1 Like
18

Thanks. :blush:

1 Like
19

Anybody else?

20

I discovered this analysis of an equally unlikable and engaging video game character.

A dark satire of sorts.

1 Like