August 9, 2025

Theme for the day

Unlikeable Characters

Agenda

• Quick catch-up
• Character roles
• Why you should like them
• How to write a character you don’t like

Segment 1

We did Despicable characters discussion on Episode 27 but that was way, way back in 2019 and so it’s time we took another look at them. We went to the AI for a few discussable topics on this:

• Yes, writers should write unlikeable characters because no one is likeable 100% of the time – this would imply that an unlikeable character is more realistic (link)
• Unlikeable is okay, so long as the character is redeemable (link)
• The character should be unlikeable for a reason – what are some good reasons?

Along with the “no character thinks he’s the villain” no character thinks they’re unlikeable. What are some less-than-charming habits you could assign a character to make them unlikeable?

Segment 2

Unlikeable character examples:

A Man Called Ove

The Catcher in the Rye

Lolita

Wuthering Heights

The Girl on the Train

Why keep reading if you don’t like the character? Or did you?

What secrets do these unlikeable characters keep? When does the reader find it out?

Segment 3

Here’s the “how to” early so we can match our own unlikeable characters against the process and see if we followed it (source):

• First, decide whether they’re flawed or a villain.
• Flawed Characters:
  • Choose your flaws wisely.
  • Show what caused the flaws.
  • Make sure there’s balance.
  • Show them overcoming their flaws.
• Villains:
  • Make it clear that they’re supposed to be a baddy.
  • Make them as interesting as possible
  • Be bold, take risks, if people don’t like them anyway, what do you have to lose?

Segment 4

Here’s a brainstorm exercise. We’ll create three or four bad characters:

• What is their occupation?
• What role do they have in the story? – i.e. the friend, the antagonist
• What is their bad habit – physical – that sets them apart?
• What is the reason for that bad habit?
• What is their secret?
• How does learning their secret change our opinion of them?