MC likeability

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Marian Perera

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Aaah... there are many popular unlikeable characters in fiction. But in romances? It's a little more difficult to pull off because the reader will always be thinking that the unlikeable hero or heroine isn't worthy of their love match.

Agreed. Rather than using characters like Walter White or Hannibal Lecter as examples, it would be more relevant to look at the heroes and heroines of romance novels, or women's fiction, or at least novels with strong romantic subplots.

I recently read a romantic suspense where I intensely disliked the heroine (in part, because she looked down on men who were feminists and seemed to consider them weak). I'm sure she was an interesting character, but because I found her so unpleasant, I kept wishing the hero would end up with someone else.
 
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WhirlyGirly

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I have a tendency to write somewhat unlikable heroines as well (or "unheroic," as some people have told me). It's a tricky line. I don't think they have to be nice necessarily. They have to be interesting. That's what keeps us reading. If they are merely malicious with no end goal, that doesn't work. If they are boring, that also doesn't work.
 

chelsea

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Is the she relatable? I think a lot of women look for characters that they can relate to. That might help make your character be more likeable.

I know I had a situation where my male lead wasn't likeable and I didn't understand why. Then I realized the reader was reading the character in the wrong way, like misinterpreting what I had meant, so I made some edits. Could that be the problem?
 

morngnstar

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Believe it when betas say there's a problem. Maybe believe they can identify the nature of the problem. But rarely take their suggestions for a fix. First of all, it's your book. Secondly, chances are they have no idea what they're doing. That's certainly the case with the "Show her hanging around her apartment," advice.

I think more than likable and interesting, what matters is relatable. Can the readers understand what it's like to be her, and do they care? It could be the problem is your character's emotions aren't coming through. If we can't see that the MC cares about her situation, we're not going to care either.
 

Deb Kinnard

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De gustibus, etc. I had readers say my male MC was unheroic because when he had an itch, he scratched. This is one of my musician-star romances, so I wanted to show him "not a god, not an angel" but an all-too-human-bean. I left it stet because in my opinion it worked exactly as I intended it to. No two readers view the same character the same way.
 

Jamills08

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I find that I gravitate towards characters I can relate to. Not on everything but maybe only one characteristic.
 
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