Into the Fire

You better be a very good writer if your protagonist is unlikable. I’m all for having a bit of a rogue in a character, but if I can’t find something of value within his layers, the chances of me enjoying the story are slim and none. I’ve read a few books where the author didn’t redeem the “hero” until the end. Quite frankly, it was too late to care. This is where reality and fiction fail to merge. And isn’t that what makes the best fiction? When we can barely separate the story from reality?

Real people who are unlikable because of their selfishness, vulgarity, despicable behavior, cold demeanor—whatever it is that makes them unlikable—who experience a life changing experience with Jesus Christ, we cheer and celebrate. Rejoice! But unless you allow a story to continue beyond the horrible attitudes enough to show the effects of conversion, forget it. I’m no longer interested in the bad dude. And, believe me, I give stories lots of time and opportunity to make the characters appeal to me.

It’s a risky ploy to portray a main character you plan to redeem as mean, evil, cutthroat, seamy, or whatever “bad” personality or temperament you decide to give him or her without presenting him with some vulnerable quality. Why should I care about this sonofagun? Just because you’ve made him real as the road rage guy on the freeway who blares his horn and gives people the finger as he weaves in and out of traffic, I should care about this character why? Not unless you’ve done a masterful job of drawing me into his pain because I could care less about his rage without it. Not only that, I resent him/her. Who do they think they are?

Here are my least favorite types of characters: whiny Christians, one dimensional cliché Christians, arrogant snobbish characters, weak males (as in whiny, not as in hurting or vulnerable), shallow females. Basically, I cannot tolerate characters who seem one dimensional with no passion for anything but themselves and their own pitiful problems.

How ‘bout you?

God, help me to write the characters with passion, with truth, with hope, with all of life’s variety to make them come to life on the pages. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.