Why do readers root for unlikeable protagonists? In a post on Writers Helping Writers, Lisa Hall Wilson says it’s because they are most often the underdogs in their own story.
“They could turn tail and run and live happily ever after — take the easy road, but they chose the hard thing,” Hall Wilson says. “They put their lives and hearts on the line because of something they believed to be right. I can cheer for that.”
Likability is often the least important factor for your reader. “Nice” characters are boring and even annoying. Your own favorite characters from literature and film probably aren’t nice, or have other qualities that stand out more. We want characters who are interesting, honorable, brave, and loyal, even if they aren’t cheerful or optimistic.
If you’re creating an unlikeable hero, be sure to focus on their strongest positive qualities. Consider giving them a tragic backstory and show how they struggle with their personal demons. Remember that they shouldn’t be only difficult – show their empathetic side, even if their compassion is reserved for a subset of human or animal.
“Put your character up against a situation, an obstacle, a villain, they have no realistic hope of overcoming,” Hall Wilson says. “Your reader doesn’t have to like your character to cheer for them to win.”
