I’m reading a book that I want to like. The writing is good. The story is moving along. At first I thought the problem was that I’m reading the second book in a series, skipping the first. (I just happened to find the second on sale and never went looking for the first).
Anyway, the real problem is becoming apparent more and more as I read along. The main character is too perfect. She has great hair, great figure, smart and all the men in the story are chasing after her. She’s athletic and strong in all the ways that matter. Just too perfect, it’s irritating to read about her.
When you write a character who is not the main character it is easier to give them imperfections. They are meant to be less than perfect, to need something or someone and to be supported in some way by the main character. After all, there has to be some reason they are appearing in the story of the main character. But, a main character needs to be imperfect, have some flaws, it makes them human and lets readers identify with them, even like them.
As a writer we tend to base our main characters on ourselves. It’s like we are the star of our story. So there is a tendency to want to make these characters a better version of ourselves. The self we would like to be. But, that’s not really a good way to write a character. Give them imperfections. Let them goof up, be less than gorgeous and not be beloved of everyone they encounter.
Word Grrls is my mad science experiment, my adventures with fame and world domination (politely). This is where I inspire people to create: invent mutations, cause change, bring colour into your world. Web writer since 1998. Find me on StumbleUpon , and Tumblr.
{ 1 comment }
You can get away with an almost-perfect main character if you have another character there to get frustrated with them for the reader’s sake.
Comments on this entry are closed.