Making reprehensible characters likeable?
Oct. 17th, 2009 08:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dray posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
storytellersI'm just wondering... what are some of the things that you do as players or creators to make characters who are really not all that nice, or bubbly, or 'good' in general more likable?
I'm revamping a comic story for myself and three of the four main characters are pretty darned reprehensible for one reason or another. One's a megalomaniac/trickster who's a little too smarmy for his own good. Another's a straight-up fire starter who's a little unhinged. The third is just... god. Obsessive and neurotic and holds a grudge. The last one is pretty normal, but has had a really bad run of luck in terms of romance.
Looking at them, they really don't smack of enjoyable reading, they're more like a trainwreck waiting to happen. In any case, I know that this isn't necessarily for RP, though I do take 'em and clone them and try to play them once in a while. XD I'm just wondering... do you have any characters who are largely just 'ugh', and what do you do to make them more enjoyable to read about and interact with when you're writing for them?
I'm revamping a comic story for myself and three of the four main characters are pretty darned reprehensible for one reason or another. One's a megalomaniac/trickster who's a little too smarmy for his own good. Another's a straight-up fire starter who's a little unhinged. The third is just... god. Obsessive and neurotic and holds a grudge. The last one is pretty normal, but has had a really bad run of luck in terms of romance.
Looking at them, they really don't smack of enjoyable reading, they're more like a trainwreck waiting to happen. In any case, I know that this isn't necessarily for RP, though I do take 'em and clone them and try to play them once in a while. XD I'm just wondering... do you have any characters who are largely just 'ugh', and what do you do to make them more enjoyable to read about and interact with when you're writing for them?
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Date: 2009-10-18 03:22 pm (UTC)I'm not a fan of characters that succeed in every way, either, though I've gotten frustrated in the past trying to follow ones that are just plain mean. Too many kick the dog moments, I guess? Maybe slip-up compliments are a good way to bring out a chuckle and a "WAIT I DIDN'T MEAN THAT!" or something. XD