When one character steals all the best lines

imagoodgurl4 · Oct 22, 2007

Okay, ever feel like one character steals all the best lines? My female MC has a sarcastic sense of humor, but I noticed she seems to be getting all of the really good lines while my male MC doesn't have any funny/witty lines so far. But the things the female MC say are not things my male MC would say? How do you guys deal with this problem?

Joe Moore · Oct 22, 2007

Use it to your advantage. Build those traits into your characters and use them to make the MC's stronger and more vivid. For instance, have your male MC wish he was as cleaver as the female. Give them solid reasons for being the way they are. If one character is always getting the best lines, run with it. Make it a good thing. Good luck.

Azraelsbane · Oct 22, 2007

My female char started out like this, but as the other characters evolved they got better lines.

I have to say by the end my antagonist really came out on top. That guy is just too underhandedly condescending for his own good. So my female MC got all the sarcastic lines, antag the pleasantly condescending ones, and one of my male MCs could make a conversation about a sock puppet into a philosophical statement. All in all, I'm happy with the way it turned out.

If you know and flesh out your characters well enough, as the writing continues they'll all get their fair share of good lines.

qdsb · Oct 22, 2007

Just like in life, not everyone has a sarcastic sense of humor. Perhaps your male MC has a quiet sense of wit that only appears once in a while. Or maybe he's more of the strong, silent type.

I suggest you identify the strengths of his character and see how to bring them out in his speech. He might not be the funny type...but perhaps he's the one who ends up with all the really meaningful, thought-provoking lines. Maybe.

Just Me 2021 · Oct 22, 2007

I wonder if you don't have a good enough sense of who your male MC is yet. Maybe as you get to know him better, he'll start giving you more interesting lines. He may not be sarcastic, like your female MC, but he should be interesting. I'm sure the better lines will come as you keep going and get into his head a little more. I'm guessing you may be identifying with the female MC more this time through.

Jaycinth · Oct 22, 2007

imagoodgurl4 said:
Okay, ever feel like one character steals all the best lines? My female MC has a sarcastic sense of humor, but I noticed she seems to be getting all of the really good lines while my male MC doesn't have any funny/witty lines so far. But the things the female MC say are not things my male MC would say? How do you guys deal with this problem?

***Puts tongue in cheek and replies***

Women are wittier and we talk more. Science has proven it. Don't worry. Go to a bar and listen to men talk. In about an hour you'll realize your female MC is obviously brilliant, and has more important things to say.

Azraelsbane · Oct 22, 2007

Jaycinth said:
***Puts tongue in cheek and replies***

Women are wittier and we talk more. Science has proven it. Don't worry. Go to a bar and listen to men talk. In about an hour you'll realize your female MC is obviously brilliant, and has more important things to say.

My female MC agrees with you.

Teige Benson · Oct 22, 2007

It's probably a good thing that they are different and don't share the same sarcastic sense of humor. It sure makes them easier to tell apart without dialogue tags. As far as the good lines go, if you stay true to both, eventually he will spout out his own dandies in no time.

Elodie-Caroline · Oct 22, 2007

Hi,
Your male MC obviously has a few characteristics so far, yes? Build on those and then think of a character you either know in real life, or have seen in a film and build him up from some of their characteristics

My female MC has the sarcastic sense of humour in my work too, she often says funny things which goes straight over the male MC's head. But he has a different kind of sense of humour, like he threatens to tickle her feet when she's cheeky to him, as he knows she hates this; he knows he'll get the response of 'You bloody-well dare,' etc., even though she finds it funny.

There are lots of different kinds of humour, so you have to put the kind of humour to your MCs which belongs to their background. My female MC had an awful childhood; this is what gives her her sarcasm. My male MC had a great childhood and felt loved, but was one boy amongst three younger sisters.

Listen to people and watch them closely and you'll soon be able to fit characteristics to certain MCs.

Elodie

imagoodgurl4 said:
Okay, ever feel like one character steals all the best lines? My female MC has a sarcastic sense of humor, but I noticed she seems to be getting all of the really good lines while my male MC doesn't have any funny/witty lines so far. But the things the female MC say are not things my male MC would say? How do you guys deal with this problem?

Shadow_Ferret · Oct 22, 2007

imagoodgurl4 said:
Okay, ever feel like one character steals all the best lines? My female MC has a sarcastic sense of humor, but I noticed she seems to be getting all of the really good lines while my male MC doesn't have any funny/witty lines so far. But the things the female MC say are not things my male MC would say? How do you guys deal with this problem?

I see nothing wrong with this. Every great comedy team is made up of the straight man and the one who gets all the really good lines.

Azure Skye · Oct 22, 2007

I do have an MC who does that. Funny how I actually intended a different character to be the funny one.

Stew21 · Oct 22, 2007

I have a great supporting character with fabulous lines. If he was real I'd want to get a beer with him.

My MC doesn't have those lines, but he wishes he did, and sometimes comes up with good lines after the fact.

One of the antagonists also has what she considers good lines but they are downplayed because everyone knows she rehearses them.

MC comments that he often missed the opportunities for such lines because he doesn't rehearse.

They are all different. I like them that way.

maestrowork · Oct 22, 2007

My supporting characters are always funnier than my MCs. Old Chow, for example, is a universal favorite -- he's just so great; everybody loves Old Chow -- I'm actually a bit jealous. But I don't worry about that... it's still my MC's stories and so what if some second bananas try to steal the show? It happens all the time.

DarkLight · Oct 22, 2007

A character that steals all the best lines? His name is Lord Henry from Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray and the witty, paradoxical dialogue that comes out of his mouth is enough to make you read the book again and again. No wonder it was considered extremely immoral at the time. Most good stuff is...like lots of food (gluttony) and sex and even, yes, I think it was the root beer float? Right? I do know that the ice cream "sundae" was invented strictly becuase, many years ago, all good tasting things were pretty much banned on Sunday, so this ice cream guy makes a "sundae" get it? Get it? Anyway, he makes it in God's honor so that they wouldn't ban it from the holy day and people could eat sweet things on sunday. Yeah, all good things are "immoral."

imagoodgurl4 · Oct 22, 2007

All good advice and suggestions, guys. I do relate more to my female MC, so I think she's easier to write, but perhaps, as one poster said, I don't understand my male MC enough yet to realize what all of his traits are.

Esopha · Oct 22, 2007

imagoodgurl4 said:
Okay, ever feel like one character steals all the best lines? My female MC has a sarcastic sense of humor, but I noticed she seems to be getting all of the really good lines while my male MC doesn't have any funny/witty lines so far. But the things the female MC say are not things my male MC would say? How do you guys deal with this problem?

This character is Dictionary. He always, always has these killer lines. I want to hang them up on my wall.

My other characters get annoyed, sure. But it makes it all the sweeter when they completely and totally destroy him - and they do it at least once a chapter.

It all works out.

Wolvel · Oct 22, 2007

I have found that usually the one MC with the sarcastic outlook gets the better lines. Whether it be from dry wit or timing of the sarcasim it just happens that way.

Mud Dauber · Oct 22, 2007

imagoodgurl4 said:
All good advice and suggestions, guys. I do relate more to my female MC, so I think she's easier to write, but perhaps, as one poster said, I don't understand my male MC enough yet to realize what all of his traits are.

I think it's wise advice to get to know your male MC better :e2brows:

, but I'd also like to add that--depending on the genre--it's par for the course to have a secondary character who steals the show, or who has the best (and funniest) lines in a novel. Same goes for movies, too.

NeuroFizz · Oct 23, 2007

You are the writer and the job doesn't come with a muzzle. You can do what you want to do with your characters, so if you want to give a character more to say, do it. Two potential problems may pop up, though. First--if you try to insert witty dialogue for a character who doesn't normally talk that way, it may come across as forced (unless it's done in specific instances for impact). Second--if you write the other character with witty line after witty line, the wit could very well lose its impact, and could easily become annoying to the reader. It, too, could seem forced. Second drafts are a good place to catch these things if you don't like the balance in the first draft because you'll have a more global view of the scenes.

When one character steals all the best lines

imagoodgurl4

Attack!

Joe Moore

Azraelsbane

Agony is defeat

qdsb

Cynical Idealist

Just Me 2021

practical experience, FTW

Jaycinth

Your Cuddly Sociopathic

Azraelsbane

Agony is defeat

Teige Benson

Live. Dream. Write.

Elodie-Caroline

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Azure Skye

Huh?

Stew21

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

DarkLight

imagoodgurl4

Attack!

Esopha

bam pow zap.

Wolvel

Write the Damn Book!

Mud Dauber

writing on the wall

NeuroFizz

The grad students did it