With
my debut You Beneath Your Skin out into the world, I'm
a newly-minted author, but in some ways I'll remain more of a reader than a
writer. As a reader, the one thing I really remember about the books I've loved
are the characters--be it the stubborn protagonist of The Old man and the
Sea or the spirited Jo from Little Women, or the insecure, weak-minded
Pip from Great Expectations.
All
of them are very differently placed on the likability spectrum, and this brings
us to the question of what likability is--it varies with readers. What is
likable to me might just be unlikable to another reader. In general, a likable
character is one that the reader can relate to, or empathise with.
There
are no cons to writing likable characters, you would say and you might be right
to an extent.
Here
are the pros of likable characters:
1.
The reader can live vicariously through their journey because they can easily
identify with these characters.
2.
The reader roots for the characters--maybe because they are an underdog, or
have done good deeds, or are kind, or loyal, or courageous, or have a sad
backstory.
The
cons of likable characters ( or, the pros of unlikable characters):
1.
A likable character is great while reading the book, but often not very
memorable.
2.
A character that begins as unlikable and ends up as likable (with a redemption
arc) often stays with the reader.
3.
Likable characters with small flaws may be easy to read, but a tortured,
Heathcliff-like character is rewarding in the terms of long-term reader
engagement. You want him to be better, you wonder at how he could be the way he
is.
4.
A likable character does not expand our universe--they are familiar, easy to
love. A character that is harder to like, but who we do end up understanding an
lovng over the course of a book makes us empathise with those who might have
unlikable traits. The purpose of art is to show us humanity in all its
aspects--unlikable characters show our deeply flawed, utterly human sides.
In
my novel, You BeneathYour Skin, Jatin Bhatt begins as a corrupt, patriarchal
police commissioner, but ends as a man who truly understands women and respects
them. Anjali Morgan, an Indian American single mother and psychiatrist begins
as an insecure perfectionist and grows over the course of the novel to overcome
her flaws. It is tricky to write an unlikable character, or at least a character
who is not immediately relatable.You have to hook the reader with the story and
the setting, and make the character interesting enough that the reader is
invested in them, and grows to love them over the course of the novel.
The
rewards of writing an unlikable character are plenty. Readers have reported
falling in love with Anjali and Jatin as their lives and relationships unravel,
and caring what happens to them beyond the end of the novel.
What
about you? Do you think there are any cons to not writing likable characters?
How do you ensure that the readers are hooked on to the story? Have you ever
read or written a character who is not likable?
You can get your own copy of You Beneath Your Skin outside of India HERE.
In
India, it is available from Simon & Schuster HERE.
Damyanti Biswas lives in Singapore,
and works with India's underprivileged children as part of Project WHY, a
charity that promotes educational and social enhancement in underprivileged
communities. Her short stories have been published in magazines in US, UK, and
Asia, and she helps edit the Forge Literary Magazine.
You can connect with Damyanti on her blog and Twitter.
You can connect with Damyanti on her blog and Twitter.
