Writing Help-Group For Everyone discussion

So I was just curious to know what you guys look for in characters? What do you look for in a villain? In a hero? Which kind of characters are your favorites?

Interesting subject, De Siqueira! :) I am sure people will have varying opinions on this!
In a villain, I look for how they react to people from their pasts, wether they were loved ones or enemies. To see the emotion coming and showing through, but not so much as to break down the barrier between villain and victims.
*will edit later*

Hmm intresting, that is something I've never put much thought into, but I can see the appeal. There are so many different kinds of villans, I think seeing how any of them react to a certain person or situation from their past could be intriguing. When you say past, do you mean anything in specific, such as before they turned into a villan?

I like protagonists to have flaws and antagonists to have motives that make sense in some way. If the book professes a philosophy, I prefer that characters don't end up giving long, awkward monologues and that characters are not puppets that have no motive other than to take their place within that philosophy.
I don't mind characters being cliches so long as at least one major character is a bit different.

These requirements, of course, go out the window if the story is farcical.

I like both good villians and good heroes. (Hope that that was clear.)
A good villian for me can be a number of things. Dark and arcane, hell-bent on destroying or subjegating all within reach, or the villian that is cocky, not very smart, but intent to get what he wants when he wants. I also like the air headed villians who you can laugh at. But maybe my favorite type of villian is the one that you find yourself hating. One so evil and careless that you read all the passages about him hoping that he'll meet his just demise.

As for heroes, I'm not too picky. So long as they aren't stupid or painfully insecure. I'm more into the Gandalf and such heroes. But I also like the heroes who rise up despite all the odds being stacked against them, or lack of experience.

Robb wrote: "I like protagonists to have flaws and antagonists to have motives that make sense in some way. If the book professes a philosophy, I prefer that characters don't end up giving long, awkward monolo..."

I'm half and half on that point. I find I do like prophesy's or philosophy's of sort, because it gives the characters motivation. But when it's to the point where all they focus on is the prophesy or what not, it gets a bit redundant.

So true, but perhaps there is a way to remove the redundancy a bit?

There probably is, but when it comes to prophesy's, I find that whether the character is being redundant or not, either way they are fulfilling the prophesy. Its similar to the time traveling principle. Without really trying, or even if all they do is try, they fulfill the prophesy regardless.

Hmm...


My concentration is lacking... O_o

Haha I understand that sensation. I think if you think too much about anything, its usually not a good thing, because you start to expand and digress so much

Is that so?

It appears to, Julius.