Without the WHY, a reader is unable to connect. In my debut novel, Things Unsaid, my clueless and obtuse protagonist has more beneath the surface than what we first see, the “why” of who she is. The more complex the character, the more freedom I have to reveal some trait that could have made them a better person, given the right circumstances.

There has to be a balanced view, even of the antagonists, because they think they are doing the right thing, even when they aren’t. Yet too much nastiness and the reader may shut down, disconnect, become frustrated by the narrative.Īs a novelist I always want my characters to stand out from the page. But anti-heroes are becoming increasingly popular (think: Olive Kitteridge, “August: Osage County”, Maine, and the recent television shows “How to Get Away with Murder”, “Dexter”, “Breaking Bad”, and “Mad Men”.) Like real people, characters must have flaws to be credible and three-dimensional. The protagonist can be someone who makes you want to run away just like an anti-hero. As an author, I want the reader to understand poor decisions, hostile behavior, sour relationships.

Characters, like people, are flawed for a reason. Like a joke taken too far, however, it’s hard to entice a reader back once this happens. But with anti-heroes or disturbingly flawed characters, it’s easy to go too far…even to the dark side. Why are some readers drawn to anti-heroes as main characters? Maybe it’s because anti-heroes who can handle pressure with determination give readers hope. You Don’t Have to Like My Characters! by Diana Y. Paul is joining me on the blog to talk about the importance of creating realistic characters – warts and all! I hope you enjoy her wonderful guest post.

Things Unsaid by Diana Y. Paul