Writers of Lemmy, what good character qualities/virtues do your main characters have that you don't? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 5 months ago by CraigOhMyEggo@lemmy.ml to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

A fascinating question because I used to intentionally make my characters Mary Sues. As a former child who used to write, for a while I never understood why people would give character traits they disagree with to the character or characters who are supposed to represent what is right in your world, since they're the ones unfolding the story's solution. This had the side effect of my main character being nicer than me, and sometimes my parents would remark to me "why can't you be like your main character", which had the side effect of putting me on the fast track to self-improvement. Anyone else?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[-] nicgentile@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

I write about bad guys. All my characters are bad guys. One is greedy and manipulative, whereas the other one is a violent sociopath, while the other is a womaniser and finally a thrill junkie who loves to watch people get beat up. I'm working on the aspect that the sociopath and thrill junkie are also serial arsonists.

I don't agree with what my characters do, but they represent an untold story. I have little interest in making my characters likeable and instead more like the person they are supposed to be. Bad guys.

[-] ouRKaoS@lemmy.today 1 points 5 months ago

There is something likeable in people that stick to their guns no matter what, though. I can respect a crazy, unlikeable bastard that doesn't go easy on someone because of some societal norm.

this post was submitted on 10 Jun 2024

42 points (100.0% liked)

Asklemmy

43916 readers

1477 users here now

A loosely moderated place to ask open-ended questions

Search asklemmy 🔍

If your post meets the following criteria, it's welcome here!

Open-ended question
Not offensive: at this point, we do not have the bandwidth to moderate overtly political discussions. Assume best intent and be excellent to each other.
Not regarding using or support for Lemmy: context, see the list of support communities and tools for finding communities below
Not ad nauseam inducing: please make sure it is a question that would be new to most members
An actual topic of discussion

Looking for support?

Looking for a community?

Lemmyverse: community search
sub.rehab: maps old subreddits to fediverse options, marks official as such
!lemmy411@lemmy.ca: a community for finding communities

~Icon~ ~by~ ~@Double_A@discuss.tchncs.de~

founded 5 years ago

MODERATORS