Likeable Characters

[fuzzyoctopus]

Actually, I'm more worried about likeable heroines at the moment.  Girls.... (ok, and guys), what makes a heroine likeable instead of annoying?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

she's not trying to prove she's as good as a man. At least by doing the things that are typically male. If she's demonstrating she is as good without having to be masculine, that's cool. Though themes about gender tend to wear on me easily.

I'm also tired of the standard beauty, no matter how it's describe. IE, make her human and appealing. She can be pretty, but making her the most beautiful ever is annoying. Unless there's a REASON she's the most beautiful (like Snow White or something) that's important to the story.

[JP Dogberry]

I like the heroine in my novel, who is the most beuatiful ever, but that's according the the male protaganist.

She's cool because she's a strong female. She kicks butt and takes names. Kinda feminist without being femnazi - she knows she's better than men so doesn't need to point it out. She's good at getting things done. But she's still human, she has weakness and emotion, and, being female, still tends to rely on intuition and gut instinct than logic.

For example, she's infiltrating an illuminati building, and at the last moment starts pretending she's high ranking illuminati, as a cagey bluff.

Hope that helps.

[42]

I think likeable characters seem like someone you could actually meet. At least the way the character is described makes her seem like someone you know. One or two traits that are unrealistic are okay (like being able to cast spells, having a bionic arm, or being a literal inverterbrate), but too many causes a disconnect.

[The Jade Knight]

I generally agree with Saint E.

A likeable heroine for me is one that is human, and, very importantly, a woman.  She strives to do her best, but not to outdo every man in the room, merely because they're men (that one's just been done into the dirt, at this point).

In fact, I find much more appreciation when a heroine's rival is another woman, as oppose to a man.

I would probably find her delightful if she had an appealing personality (don't ask me to define, I don't know if I could yet) and seems to be able to do everything right and yet doesn't seem to be aware of that fact (ie, humility.  Arrogance is such a turn off in protagonists, à mon avis).

[MsFish]

I like to read stories about girls who are like me, or girls who I feel I could be friends with.  If I think she's ditzy, or if I don't respect her, it's all over.  I think the easiest way to  make characters likeable is to give them problems that the reader relates to.  For example, right now in my life I would like just about any character who isn't sure what they are going to do with their life and is in the middle of a major transition, because I'm acutely aware of what that feels like.  

That's probably not very helpful...maybe I'll have to think about it...

[Archon]

I agree with everyone, except I would disagree with JK a little bit. I agree that arrogant protagonists can be annoying, but I also believe that, if they are done well, they can be very fun characters to follow e.g. Maev, or Monique from Chris Bunch's "Last Legion" series. Don't make your women stupid or ditzy, that is always annoying. If she is going to be a fighter type, don't let her lose her femininity. Have her be deadly, but when she isn't fighting, someone who wouldn't look out of place when she acted like a girl. A good example of this, in my opinion, is Kitiara from Dragonlance.

[Entsuropi]

If she must kill make her an assassin. There is a reason that martial arts tournaments are divided into gender lines.

An easy way to do it is to look around at the characters you enjoy reading about. Kestrel is fun because of her childishness, Faye is interesting because of her wierd hangups and fun for her sense of humour... that sort of thing. Work out why you enjoy those characters, and at least you will enjoy writing about the character.

[Maxwell]

I like subtle characters, ones that don't really steal the show and overall seem to not really know whats going on but in actuality if you pay enough attention they turn out to be the only ones that have a clue. I'm not sure how else to describe it.

[German_Hamburger]

There are some really good characters that are made purely by what has happened to them. Take the Baudelaires out of a series of unfortunate events for instance. Now tell me. If they had parents and a great life would you still be as interested in the books. I wouldn't. Many great characters are made that good due to the fact that you feel sorry for them. Another thing that makes a character is the setting in which they appear. Would Frankensteins monster really be as horrible if he was made in a street of happy people dancing and singing on a lovely summers day. Its all to do with pathetic fallecy. How weather/nature effects the way you think. Another likeable character is James Bond out of Silverfin and Blood Fever books. Once again he's lost his parents. Immediately you like him because you feel soory for him.