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/lit/ - Literature

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9048102 No.9048102 [Reply] [Original]

How do you make an antagonistic main character, one that is objectively bad in his actions, but at the same time endearing enough to be relatable to readers

>> No.9048104

Be a good writer

>> No.9048113

Funny you mention that, I think I've done just that.

Nope, not telling you how I did it either.

>> No.9048116
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9048116

>>9048102
You have to make him understandable, with motivations and values that normal people feel, too. The evil part should come from how he acts on those motivations. Give him traits that everyone values, like intelligence or determination, so the reader feels at least respect for him.
>pic related

>> No.9048271

>objectively bad
>implying

Regardless the main character is always the protagonist. The antagonist is the opposition. The way you make people relate to a character is always by make them human. The more intimate the characters humanity the more the reader will empathize.

>> No.9048301

Every story of a human should convey human characteristics. If done successfully, humans will find parts of themselves in it.

So,
>>9048104
basically this.

>> No.9048557
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9048557

>>9048102
I don't know how, but this guy did it so read this.

>> No.9048581

Tragedies and horror stories

>> No.9048852

>>9048102
I think you mean villain protagonist.

A lot of people will reject a villain protagonist, or even just an anti-hero, out of pure principle, so don't think that you'll be able to please everyone.

That said, people who read your stuff aren't looking for a sermon. Just make sure that you write your character consistently, and give them some depth. All badly written characters are unlikeable, no matter where they sit on the moral spectrum.

>> No.9049396

Make him funny and with an ounce of decency. The protagonist of Filth (the novel, not the movie) is the only anti-hero/villain protagonist that I know of that pulled it off.

>> No.9049459

>>9048852
Prince of Thorns does it well

>> No.9049479

>>9048102
>objectively bad in his actions
Your first step is to drop that notion

>> No.9049480
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9049480

>>9048102
Read The First Law trilogy.
Sand dan Glokta's story arch is really great.

>> No.9049853

Don't read the mediocre fantasy posted in this thread unless your goal is to write mediocre fantasy. Try some of Jeff Dyer's stuff, especially Yoga for People Who Don't Want to Learn How to Do It (I might be mangling the title). It's a series of autobiographical essays notable because of how much he highlights himself as a bad, and frankly unlikeable, person.

>> No.9050218

Watch The Sopranos.

>> No.9050280

>>9048102

This.
>>9048271

Protagonist and Antagonist are roles, not character traits. You better figure the very basics out first before you try to do anything fancy, OP.

>> No.9050345

>>9048102
make them black