In most generic fantasies you have the hero/heroin who is stubborn, always makes the right choices, and even if they do make the wrong choice, they end up correcting that choice, blaming themselves for all the trouble and being basically perfect, even with their flaws.
But a weak hero/heroin, the one that screws up but thinks they were in the right, the one who makes bad decisions, the one who feels like giving up and basically doesn't know what they're doing, the one who is basically your average human being, is so much better.
You can relate to them every time they blunder because you would do the same thing. You understand why they don't know what they're doing, because, honestly, if you were in the same situation, you'd feel the same way!
I'll like my characters to be like real people. I don't want everything about them to be realistic (well, in certain fantasies) because there are some aspects of humans that just don't need to be ventured in to. But things like emotions, dialogue, actions, have to come off as real, which is really hard for a writer to do. If you've created a character who is like you, then you just put yourself into that character. But if you have created a character who is the exact opposite of you, you kind of have to become an actor in your writing and pretend you were that person. You know what I mean?
There is so much more to writing when you dive deep into it. I guess I dive too deep, because I analyze my writing WAYYY too much; to the point were nothing I write is good enough. I guess I should stop that...xD
Anyway. Weak heros can connect with the reader better and therefore, it's easier to tug the readers emotional strings. If you have Mr./Mrs. Perfect in there then your reader will block them out because no one likes perfect. That's why so many main characters are the least favorite. It's usually other characters, like the comic relief, the homicidal psychopath (xD), crazy, unashamed kid, and thoughtful, wise guy/lady who are the favorites because they're more believable. They have aspects people can relate to.
Ask anyone who their favorite character from Harry Potter is. I'm betting 99.9% will say someone OTHER than Harry and he's the one with his name on the cover! No one cares about Harry. No, they care about Ron and the stupid things he says. They care about Dumbledore and his silly personality. They don't care about Harry, the boy who lived, blah, blah, blah.
Readers usually don't want anyone supernaturally perfect, but someone forced into greatness and unready for any challenge. Or at least I do.
xD
Sorry, I've been writing all day, which is a relief considering I've had writers block. I get it A LOT. Anyway, that explains my random writing rant/outburst. lol
I might post a clip of my story sometime! :D
**Jocelyn**
There is so much more to writing when you dive deep into it. I guess I dive too deep, because I analyze my writing WAYYY too much; to the point were nothing I write is good enough. I guess I should stop that...xD
Anyway. Weak heros can connect with the reader better and therefore, it's easier to tug the readers emotional strings. If you have Mr./Mrs. Perfect in there then your reader will block them out because no one likes perfect. That's why so many main characters are the least favorite. It's usually other characters, like the comic relief, the homicidal psychopath (xD), crazy, unashamed kid, and thoughtful, wise guy/lady who are the favorites because they're more believable. They have aspects people can relate to.
Ask anyone who their favorite character from Harry Potter is. I'm betting 99.9% will say someone OTHER than Harry and he's the one with his name on the cover! No one cares about Harry. No, they care about Ron and the stupid things he says. They care about Dumbledore and his silly personality. They don't care about Harry, the boy who lived, blah, blah, blah.
Readers usually don't want anyone supernaturally perfect, but someone forced into greatness and unready for any challenge. Or at least I do.
xD
Sorry, I've been writing all day, which is a relief considering I've had writers block. I get it A LOT. Anyway, that explains my random writing rant/outburst. lol
I might post a clip of my story sometime! :D
**Jocelyn**
My favorite character is Hermoine. :P