What type of main character do you like better?

xcomplex · Nov 2, 2009

I was just thinking of main characters and realized how different they can be. What type of character do you personally warm up to best?
a) The good guy. He/she does the right thing and will sacrifice anything for the ones he/she loves. He could be the hero yet he can't because of the circumstances. You get the point lol.
b) Someone you first might consider bad, someone who has committed many bloody sins in their life yet are changing. The mysterious dark one.
c)The know it all. Someone who is perfect in the academic world and is a know it all. These characters usually tend to have glasses yet they may do something outrageous to spice up the plot.
d)The main character who can't really fend for oneself. Needs the help of others to stay alive and go through tough situations. This one can't be independent.
Feel free to provide your own examples of what type of characters you really like in a book. I know it depends highly on the plot yet I'm just interested to see what you guys think.
For me it's B

MGraybosch · Nov 2, 2009

I prefer cynical Han Solo types who don't give a damn about causes or ideals, but are involved for personal reasons or to make money.

CaroGirl · Nov 2, 2009

I'm not sure your question is for me, but I prefer main characters who aren't a "type" at all. I like characters who are flawed and quirky, maybe with a unique way of looking at the world. I find them most fun because they're unpredictable.

xcomplex · Nov 2, 2009

I agree Caro! lol When I made the questions I wasn't feeling creative so I couldn't think of any other ones. Yes perfect characters always turn me off. Becuase truth is no body is perfect or fully 'the good one' we all commit our crimes in life.

Mr Flibble · Nov 2, 2009

Any character that is well drawn and interesting.

Lady Ice · Nov 2, 2009

I like the tragic figure- they would be good but circumstances and flaws in their nature have embittered them or twisted them.

I don't think of writing bad boys who might be good; I think of them as failed good guys.

xcomplex · Nov 2, 2009

lol failed good guy! for sure. I like that one.

AdamH · Nov 2, 2009

A flawed character. One that isn't too squeaky clean or one that is ambiguously bad (like Dexter).

I also like ones who are too intelligent for their own good...almost to the point of being cocky. Like Hannibal Lecter or Sherlock Holmes. It's their over-confidence in their own abilities that is their weakness.

Parametric · Nov 2, 2009

This thread is not complete without reference to Sarah Rees Brennan's Snacks Theory of Main Male Characters, which posits that all main male characters can be divided into these categories:

1. The Angst Muffin is the hero with a dark past (or possibly a dark present) occupying a large part of his mind. It has changed him and left him tortured. If he loves you, he will open up to you about his secret pain. This may take some time: you should probably get yourself a cup of tea before he really gets into his stride.

2. The Sandwich. A Sandwich is decent and reliable. A Sandwich is a real regular guy, often known by the heroine or the hero (if he's a main character and not the hero himself, or if he's one of two possible heroes in a love triangle). If a book focused on a heroine ends with her and a Sandwich, she often spends her time with Muffins and Pastries and ends up so sick of them that she is dying to just have a tasty, nutritious Sandwich for the rest of time.

3. Now a Pastry is the diciest MC to define. It's like in a cafe, when you ask to see the pastries menu: you could get a selection of very different things. Basically all you know is that there's going to be a wide range, they're often going to be surprising, and they will be sweeter than you think.

Generally a Pastry is not going to come onscreen looking good. Whether he comes off as an evil slavering monster, a cold-blooded killer, or simply someone who's rude at parties, the initial impression will not be favourable. A few scenes in, though, and the sweetness of the Pastry will start to show.

I'm a huge shameless fangirl of the Muffin - but the protagonist of my last novel, while having the requisite dark past and frequent scariness of a Muffin, was a Sandwich at heart.

Misa Buckley · Nov 2, 2009

*glances at her avatar*

Someone you first might consider bad. Check.
Someone who has committed many bloody sins in their life. Check.
Yet are changing. Check.

Yeah, I think it's B

sunandshadow · Nov 2, 2009

I prefer main characters who have a sense of humor about life. Also they should be somewhat analytical, studying other people's psychology, how things work and how to manipulate them into working the way you want them to.

My story: female sandwich MC has a pastry love interest and an a muffing love interest. lol

xcomplex · Nov 2, 2009

lol I'am liking the pastry definition thing! My main character is a muffin hehe.

Adam · Nov 2, 2009

MGraybosch said:
I prefer cynical Han Solo types who don't give a damn about causes or ideals, but are involved for personal reasons or to make money.

This 'un, mostly.

Hummingbird · Nov 2, 2009

LOL I love the Snacks Theory! XD
I think my main character is a sandwich. Pastries are good, but muffins are awesome!

Libbie · Nov 2, 2009

I like characters with believable motivations and desires.

JackinElgin · Nov 2, 2009

xcomplex said:
I was just thinking of main characters and realized how different they can be. What type of character do you personally warm up to best?
a) The good guy. He/she does the right thing and will sacrifice anything for the ones he/she loves. He could be the hero yet he can't because of the circumstances. You get the point lol.
b) Someone you first might consider bad, someone who has committed many bloody sins in their life yet are changing. The mysterious dark one.
c)The know it all. Someone who is perfect in the academic world and is a know it all. These characters usually tend to have glasses yet they may do something outrageous to spice up the plot.
d)The main character who can't really fend for oneself. Needs the help of others to stay alive and go through tough situations. This one can't be independent.
Feel free to provide your own examples of what type of characters you really like in a book. I know it depends highly on the plot yet I'm just interested to see what you guys think.
For me it's B

I like villians who compete with worse villians. Point Break as an example

xcomplex · Nov 2, 2009

Hummingbird said:
LOL I love the Snacks Theory! XD
I think my main character is a sandwich. Pastries are good, but muffins are awesome!

LOL go muffins!

maestrowork · Nov 2, 2009

I prefer flawed characters who are also proactive: don't just react to things. They make decisions -- sometimes bad ones -- but they keep things going. They have strong desires and wants and will go for them. I also like these characters to have passion and wit. There's nothing more boring than "perfect" characters who are dull as a doornail.

Brutal Mustang · Nov 2, 2009

I like smart characters. So tired of reading idiot characters that were stabs at writing flawed characters.

PoppysInARow · Nov 2, 2009

The good guy, I must admit. I love the traditional herp. Of course, with a bit of a twist. Love the loyal hero who's got some personality trait that makes it impossible for him to be the knight in shinning armour. Like the smart mouth. Or an anger problem. Or just general arrogance. Or a little lost in the head.

Of course, every character must have his flaws.

MGraybosch · Nov 2, 2009

PoppysInARow said:
I love the traditional herp.

I'd rather have regular herpes as well. I hear space herpes is really nasty.

ejaycee · Nov 2, 2009

Hah, I have a pastry, a sandwich, and one that I'd define as a salad, because he doesn't really fit the others.

I love pastries and sandwiches. Muffins... tend to annoy me. ^_~

Matera the Mad · Nov 2, 2009

I prefer to stay out of pigeonholes.

Parametric · Nov 3, 2009

ejaycee said:
I love pastries and sandwiches. Muffins... tend to annoy me. ^_~

I know I shouldn't like Muffins. When I meet them, I'm like "You're just a generic Muffin, your darkness is entirely stereotypical, and since I know that your aura of danger and frequent rudeness is meant to present you as an irresistible bad boy, it totally should not work on me!"

And yet ... every time, I fall for the Muffin. However much of a walking cliche he is, and however much I want to smack him upside the head.

Mmm, Muffiny goodness. :LilLove:

Jess Haines · Nov 3, 2009

IdiotsRUs said:
Any character that is well drawn and interesting.

I second this. Well said.

What type of main character do you like better?

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