Fall in LOVE With Your Main Character - Tips for Writing an Unforgettable Protagonist
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- Опубликовано: 23 май 2021
- What makes us fall in love with a protagonist so much, we make fan art for them? What makes us turn into superfans? Do you want to create a main character (or a cast of characters) that are memorable, complex, compelling, and most importantly so addictive your readers won't be able to stop turning the pages? We've got you. Today, Abbie and I are breaking down our best tips on crafting a compelling and powerful main character that will stick with your readers forever.
Check out Abbie's Loki/negative character arc video: Examples of the Negative Character Arc: • Examples of the Negati...
Check out Abbie's "story smoothie" video: • What to Write About wh...
Keep this podcast alive and free of interruptions: / thekateandabbieshow
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Connect with Kate on Instagram (@lonehawkwriter) or her blog: www.heretocreateblog.com/
Connect with Abbie on Instagram (@makeyourstorymatter) or her blog: www.abbiee.com/
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I’ve found that I love characters who have contradictory traits. The tough guy/girl who’s secretly more sensitive than they let on. The nice guy/girl with a dark side. The villain who’s heartless and sadistic, yet polite.
I also love characters who start off evil and turn good. I feel like you can trust them more than they heroes because they’ve faced their darkness and overcome it.
That is so true! I love those characters!
Right there with you! I think the second is why Avatar the Last Airbender's Zuko is one of the most beloved characters of all time.
I must say I always love the kind of broken characters who just keep doing good, but you are always afraid that some of these days it's too much and they will just break. Characters who just want to be happy for once, but can't seem to get there, and who are bound by a feeling of duty towards others.
I especially loved your reason for loving characters who turn good after an evil phase!
Usually, I've rooted for characters whom I would like to emulate myself in real life; it's a thing with me!
Some people call characters who are inherently good as one dimensional and personally, I've been trying to find ways to make good/kind characters more interesting.
Sadistic yet polite - the mayor from Buffy comes to mind and he was brilliant!
@@nightingaleartist3057 - Try a good character who's made bad, reckless choices. Then faces the consequences. They've seen the bad too. And maybe they feel like a monster too for the hurt they've caused. Can't take it back. But maybe they can make things better, do better, be better.
No matter how many times i hear about internal conflict i will never get tired of it because somehow i learn something new each time 😂!!
Yes very true, I think I have internal conflict over internal conflict
@@AucklandNZ1 yo i herd you like internal conflict so i put internal conflict in your internal conflict so you can have internal conflict while learning about internal conflict
Your channel motivated me to write my book- I’m on page one 😅 (Aw thx guys for the words of encouragement!) update: finished my first chapter
I’m so excited for you!! this is a HUGE deal!
this is awesome man, keep going 💕
this is amazing 💕
Keep going! You can do it!
Good on your Black Pink Luv
Even though I’ve heard Abbie preach internal conflict probably like 100 times lol, for some reason this convo gave me new light on the subject which is what I desperately needed rn. Thanks for another great episode !!
Also, can we please talk about the fact that they have a macaroon snow globe 😂
I love how you said that all villains could have been a hero; I adore books or movies where I can see the exact same internal conflict and desire in the protagonist and the villain - and the different decisions they made. (Like the DreamWorks film, Rise of the Guardians; so good!!)
And I totally agree: your protagonist does not have to be likeable. I am writing a protagonist right now who is actually rather rude, but she's also so interesting to watch. Her commentary tends to be humorous and witty (and very, very sarcastic 😆), while she struggles, deep down, with her internal conflict. Veeeeery fun to write. 😉
Great episode! 😃
To use Star Wars as an example... Vader *was* a hero. Until he wasn't. And even then, a big part of his fall was trying to save his wife. which is noble and heroic. However, he gave into his fear, and his anger/rage. He was manipulated and seduced by the lure of power.
As a reader I need to be able to understand why a character act the way they do. Hero or villain.
Making all the characters connected to your characters remind me of what Rebecca Sugar said about Steven Universe characters, specially about the crystal gems, like each one of them had a part of Rebecca.
You've got to be connected to their internal conflict - helps with falling in love with writing that character.
I LOVE writing flawed characters ❤️ (great podcast btw)
I think “desire vs. fear” is too restrictive a definition of internal conflict. A much older conflict is “desire vs. duty”. Of course, you could say “their fear is to neglect their duty”. But a feeling of responsibility towards something or someone is generally seen as a strength, whereas a fear is seen as a weakness. It might not be their fear that’s plaguing them, but their conscience.
Very intriguing!
As an O.Henry fan, I once heard that he advised future writers to 'look around yourself' for story inspiration.
Likewise, when I need to create characters from scratch, I look at the people around me.
But even now, the hardest characters for me to write are the ones who are completely different from me.
It's hard because what I write about them doesn't sound realistic and constantly I ask myself: "Would this character really do this?"
There is no answer :-(
For the characters that aren't like you, find their motivation and build off of that. What do they want, what's the end result they hope to achieve? How far are they willing to go to get what they want? Then go from there.
If they're quite different from you, ask yourself what you would do in their situation and why. When you have your own why, ask yourself what their why is -- and have them do the opposite thing that you would do to accomplish their goal. Essentially, ask yourself what you would do, then have them do something different.
Edit: something that helps me sometimes is roleplaying as my characters, placing them in random scenarios in my head. It helps me get a grasp on their personality and motivations. How do they respond to bullying? To a loved one dying? To someone showing them love and support, do they accept it, shrug it off, think it's a trick and get angry? How would they respond on their worst day, what does their worst day look like for them? How would they respond on their best day? Pick a random scenario and throw them in, get to know them as a character and they'll tell you what they would do.
I love the the traumatized edge with the deep rooted goodness. A base of gentle kindness with all the messy add-ons. The story of the virtuous character going through hell and coming out stronger and deeply developed. My characters are always antiheroes standing in the midst of multiple worlds seeking truth and self worth.
Maybe because we all have some experience with this kind of situations...
I hate people. I hate humanity.
I made a character who's core belief is, "The soul is fragile." She see's the amazingness of humanity hidden in the invisible workings of civilization. Most people find her cute and adorable.
Her sidekick however, hates humanity, absolutely hates the lie of civility. But as long as the toilet flushes, he has hope. He is appalled at her level of ignorance.
Can they see eye to eye? If not, who will win?
They remind me a little to two characters I'm developing.
One is a man with a messed-up upbringing who was once evil but slowly changed his ways and now tries to redeem himself. But his perception of the world is still rather cynical with very little compassion.
The other is a woman who is idealistic and compassionate, but comes from a sheltered home and knows little about the cruelty of the world.
They fall in love and during the course of the story they start learning from each other.
The man takes a leaf out of her book in order to become a better person and basically asks himself "what would SHE do?" if he runs into moral decisions.
And the woman learns that not all conflicts can be solved with a friendly talk and a compromise and that you sometimes have to fight for what is important to you.
So, that's how their relationship can work out in the end. Otherwise it would probably fall apart.
@@johannageisel5390 They seem to be a really good match! My main characters both have a traumatic upbringing and try to find their way out of the darkness together!
That sounds so exciting! I have characters like that as well!
I have an antihero who's reserved, blunt, nontrusting, and doesn't believe in themself. They have to team up with a stranger who is young and bubbly, craves adventure, impulsive, and naive. I've been plotting them and haven't written the point where they meet but I'm so excited for their friendship to grow as they learn to trust each other and get through the obstacles/stakes!
❤️💕❤️ I'm 27,000 words in, but still discovery writing the internal conflict of my mc. It's coming, it's in there somewhere - I just need to flesh it out. You know when you have a feeling and your beta readers are close, but it just needs that bit more definition? It's like that. Great podcast and is really crystallising my thinking on this matter, so thanks!! ❤️💕❤️
We are so proud of you. No matter what your progress is 2 years later, you are awesome and can do this!
@@emilyboyer9211 thank you, wow, so kind of you
You guys deserve a huge following! Serving up excellent guidance and support with purpose is definitely your quality.
I was watching one of your videos and my main character just formed in my mind and it was magical like meeting a new best friend. ✨
I would like to see abby talking about examples of possible internal conflicts or how to make internal conflict combos. Like ways to investigate or how to figure out that internal conflict in a existing character instead of just saying "add internal conflict!", I'd like to know what could those be. I'm writing a character now and that character reacts to things in a very specific way and i feel like i know deep down what's their inner workings is but as a discovery writer I have a hard time writing that down so I can consciously do it.
Same!!!
Best part of my Mondays 😊
If you haven't done this already, or if you did but have new insights about it, I would be interested in a video on writing humour and wit. How to make it work? How to not overdo it?
I love the characters that are caring to a fault, but also extremely stubborn and sarcastic to the point where they get themselves in trouble
Timestamps Reference
1:56 Find what you enjoy in the main character in something watch/read (What makes you want to create fanart for that character, what makes you want to root for that character, etc.)
(idk what timestamp, I was so captivated by the video lol) Find the common attributes between main characters from shows/books/movies that you love. Abbie's is wit.
If any channel that would get me excited whenever I see a new notification youtube video, that would be yours and Abbie!
I needed this!! ❤
Absolutely love these videos, keep it up! It helps more than you know
Thank you for this content 😊
This was wonderful!!!! I so needed this!!!!!
Loved this video and it's so true about the internal conflict. I push that sooooo much because it's EVERYTHING. Thanks guys! 😊
I really love your podcast 🤩🥺
Loki is Goated at this point
If anyone wants a great example of a story with great characters its Netflix's She-Ra. Like its definitely a story that is first and foremost about characters and the plot and world building is second. Its for a younger audience but people of all ages can enjoy it because of the characters' internal conflicts and misbeliefs. One of the best characters is the antagonist who is more like the "Zuko" of the story. Also, Noelle Stevenson (the show runner) did this brilliant thing with the protagonist where they made her "the perfect hero" but its actually her flaw and a part of the internal conflict.
The first season is a little rough to get through cause its mostly just set up but I would highly recommend it if you liked Avatar: The Last Airbender. Just thought I'd mention it since every time Abbie talks about characters and internal conflict I reference back to She-Ra.
It's soooo good
Yessss i do the same!!
Wonderfully encouraging, thanks.
I love how at 2:20 you specifically mention what has you making fanvideos about them. Because I'm trying to get more deeply into writing but I've been editing fanvideos for over 16 years!!
" villains doesnt have to be likeable "
True! I never felt hatred towards villains... until saw Joffrey Baratheon
from game of thrones : D
Este canal se merece más likes de los que ya tiene. ¡Gracias por el contenido!
Great video! Explanations via examples always help.
Kate - Love what you said about villains. The best stories have the most well flushed-out villain characters - strengths, weaknesses, reasons, internal conflict, goals, a personality you hate but you also love. If you have not had the chance to read "The Lightbringer" series by Brent Weeks, Andros Guile is probably one of the best secondary characters who is almost a villain yet also almost the protagonist (though doesn't show up until book 2). His story arc, his personality, the decades of his life done through flashbacks are so poignant. The evolution of his character arc, including the interactions between him and the heroes and heroines, are priceless. You can't help but laugh while hating the man and agreeing with him. It's brilliant writing and character voice.
Abbie - Love that you pronounce drawing "der-rawr-ing." I had to back it up to hear it again. Can't wait to keep listening to more of your work. It's incredibly helpful. Loki is on my list.
I love characters who struggle a lot and in the end overcome those struggles or that those struggles will be their downfall.
My main character is definitely all my favourite traits rolled into one. My protagonist, however (as in Watson is the protagonist to Holmes' MC) is basically the opposite in a lot of ways on the surface, especially in the beginning, but underneath has a lot of similarities.
On the subject of villains and internal conflict, what about villains like James Moriarty from BBC Sherlock and Joker from The Dark Knight? They really don't have internal conlfict in my opinion but whar makes them intimidating is:
1) they're what the protagonists could be, like Sherlock
2) the lengths they'll go to achieve their goal
Anyone else's thoughts on this?
That can create internal conflict in the protagonist if the protagonist recognizes the similarities, but lack of internal conflict doesn't necessarily mean uninteresting. The two villains you brought up tend to be portrayed with internal equilibrium, the conflict comes from how the external world fails to match their internal vision and their efforts to bring it into balance.
@@eowynsisterdaughter I can understand that about the Joker, but how does that reflect BBC Moriarty? Another thing that came to me about Moriarty-piggybacking on my first point-is that he is a villain where he got a taste of something and now he's obsessed. His backstory is that he killed a boy when he was younger because that kid was bullying him. Once Moriarty murdered him, I think he went quiet after that. Moriarty, to me, is like if Sherlock allowed his obsession of cases get the bettee of him, exploiting people to get what he wants, living only on stimulation and being obsessed with your villains and only focused on the game. Ir's been a while since I've seen Sherlock so I'm probably butchering Moriarty's intentions. I love villains with internal conflict that can or don't need a tragic backstory. But, I do like some villains who are "one dimensional" without being boring.
@@eowynsisterdaughter Moriarty appears to just want it out with Sherlock, not London. He has the resources the do it but chooses not to because it wouldn't be interesting for him.
2:40
Another hobby of mine is lucid dreaming, being aware that you’re dreaming and controlling it. Since there are no boundaries here, you can literally meet your own characters and hang out with them.
Great stuff of character
Awesome!
Your timing is exquisite! I truly needed this. Thank you! Perhaps you will read my novel once it is published!
I love you two~!! And not because you're both BEAUTIFUL Sisters! It just all makes sense when you two talk about the same subject. It's like having a double back up copy of info on your hard drive. You know you got it~~ ❤👏💯⭐🔥🌹✍🏽🎨
Here we go!!!
Are these episodes also available on apple podcasts?
You guys look super pretty today!
You two are like the Nicki and Paris Hilton of Writing! I know...that seems Oxy. but it's kind of witty. haha. ❤💯💯⭐⭐
I am working on a romance novel about a grad student with a disability of her hands and feet. It's a between two lovers stories with one of the male leads has been a villain in disguise. There is much misbelief for her character because that is apart of life for anyone living with a disability. I feel completely connected to my protagonist because she is essentially me. Of course she is her own character. This is helping me work though this first novel. What I have found is many books using people with disabilities are written by authors who are not disabled. This creates characters that misrepresent that experience. It portrays a totally unrealistic idea of that life with a disability is about. I think it's the non disabled writers beliefs on what it would be like to have a disability Completely inauthentic and amazes me that these get published by publishing houses. It actually has the opposite effect of representation of disabilities.
I'm hoping to find a connection with representation of disabilities like mine, with a full character that is unique and deeply relatable to people in her struggles with misbeliefs. Striking a balance of romance and showing the disability experience as a real human experience. Making people fall in love with her. Then having the reader worry about her, cheer her on, be completely devastated by her choice and consequences and then watch her step into her power, claim it and become her own hero. When everyone thought she was going to be rescued by the true love interest. There is Soooo much to unpack in this store. Let see how it goes!
Where's the link to the Loki video?
Sorry about that, for some reason the link didn't save in the description. Here it is: ruclips.net/video/PdP-QFPQBPE/видео.html
@@KAEmmons Thanks
Kate is absolutely dead on, you should be able to write any kind of character. I'm writing a novel where, because of the "story demands" , the first five main characters are female. When I was a lazy, wannabe screenwriter a female film producer once called me, to inform me that she could could not read anymore of my scripts. (I sent it out before it was ready).
I was thinking then why did she call me.
Then she said this. I have to tell you, you write really, really good female characters.
Me, are you messing with me?
Absolutely not!
Hey! I've got a question:
When doing the actual writing, how do I write the internal conflict into my story. Do I just flat out have my protagonist think it through and acknowledge it, or do I do it in a more subtle way? If the latter, then how?
Does it also work on other characters other than the protagonist?
Hello, I am writing a fantasy that begins with MC meeting an entity who MC trusts. Said entity offers MC two choices; she can refuse the call but the place she lives will crumble and she'd have to run to another place or she can rise up to the challenge to maybe change the fates but she's guaranteed to die. She lives with her found family of two daughters. How does this sound? Would you read it?
Terrific video! Mary Kate and Abbie have a great chemistry and surprisingly similar (and on-point) outlooks on writing. I particularly appreciate how good you both are at encouraging people to write their best and (mostly) forget about the meta and the stereotypical advice. Far too many people think only one type of character, or one type of story, or one or two archetypes, work, but it's blatantly false.
What's the Abbie video they mentioned in the beginning regarding "Story smoothies"?
“What to write when you have no story ideas” one of her most recent videos on her channel
Hello, here’s a link to that video ruclips.net/video/wCVZt9qIgec/видео.html
Much appreciated friends!!
I think examples would have helped in this video.
Not me subbing to every writing channel because I want motivation to write again 😂
I fell madly inLove with a character I created(??)... guess I still am.
Yullie... Yulianna... 😍🤩😍🤩🌞🌞🌞The One and Only.
I would get so drunk on a drinking game hearing "internal conflict". Lol.
Is it possible to have a main character, (excluding a superhero or superheroine), who leads a double life and is afraid her mother, friends, (including her best friend and boyfriend), will find it out?
I think all the secret identity plots be them superheroes or an alien or vampire or werewolf among humans that no one realizes is an alien/ vampire/ werewolf or a spy/ secret agent story where the spy can't reveal who they really are, anything like that is often a big metaphor for avoidant attachment style. Not always. I can name some more anxiously attached aliens, werewolves, superheroes, etc in some things. But a LOT of the examples that are most famous are these... hyperbolic, exaggerated and made really tangible risks and potential consequences to being vulnerable and our secrets getting out.
People who are avoidantly attached are terrified of the pain of their true selves being rejected to the point of never revealing their true selves. Your true self can't be rejected if no one is given the opportunity to know who that true self is. You protect yourself from pain by putting up a false shield. You pretend to be something you're not just so that maybe people are more likely to like you but then they don't really like the real you and it feels so lonely.
Sometimes very real stories do have elements of this like if a man truly has 2 families and each one is kept hidden from the other. Talk about double life. Or just without families him cheating on his wife with a girl who doesn't know he's married... for him it's totally a double life.
If that girl you described is a lesbian or bisexual or trans or asexual in a bigoted family/ community she might be living a double life.
She could also have a taboo career or hobby, something like being a sex worker or afraid of having nerdy hobbies like being obsessed with a certain fandom thing especially if it's particularly niche.
Sometimes you're afraid it would be way too humiliating if people knew you flunked out of medical school so you're pretending you're still attending the school while really you're doing something else with your time. Idk. There's so many ways this could play out.
@@VioletEmerald True. The story I'm writing is about a high school cheerleader who's a spy for an ultrasecret intelligence agency. She's America's top spy but she still has to be home by curfew. :)
What? You have any idea how common that is?
@@DirtyBobBojangles Yes, I do. I was just wondering.
Do you often wonder things you already know the answer to?
1:56 giving them trauma lol
Katy is removed from the operations. Never let her near me.
💜
👍 👍
A good tip is to not keep a character in the main character position if you don’t like them as much as another character in the story.
The world will soon meet Melchior and the world of Tahara.
@21:43
I totally identify with dragon-dogs and am mortally offended by such suggestions ;)
Don’t overemphasise internal conflict. While it is something that makes people relatable, it also makes them *indecisive* - and therefore less proactive. Think of the Rubicon model from psychology: Once you’re done weighing the options (internal conflict), you move to initiate the action, which is “crossing the Rubicon”.
Paragons, for example, already know what to do, and are therefore quicker to cross the Rubicon: They don’t necessarily have a misbelief, but inhabit a world that embodies the misbelief. So they don’t have to crush their own misbelief, but the misbelief of the world around them. Hence, they also don’t go on a transformative journey - the world around them does. The Paragon can have flaws, and their own transformation might consist of becoming more competent - but they won’t do any 180-degrees flip from believing a lie to believing the truth.
Reminding the reader of a character’s internal conflict again and again throughout a story can make them come off as going back and forth on their decisions (I’m noticing this with one of my own characters, who I’ve written largely based on your advice). And then, the reader might actually start getting annoyed with them, if they come to the conclusion that the character just can’t make up their mind about what they want.
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
P.H.I.L. is a cliché in narcissistic love bombing. PHIL= Protector/Patsy, Hero/Helper, Integrity, Lust/Lover. He is a commodity all women want to pocket.
Write like Dostoevsky: Raskolnikov killed 3 people for their money. But you like him anyway because he good person.
Controversial opinion: A large problem I have with modern writing is how the pendulum has swung to the opposite end of "not like other girls." Obviously thinking you are above everyone else because of being special is a toxic trait, but I've seen people automatically swing too far to the other side. Women are no longer special in books, but so painfully basic I am not interested in them. It is possible to have a relatable female who is indeed not like other girls by the elements that make her worth being a protagonist in the first place, not stripping her of what makes her special out of fear of her actually daring to be different and unique.
15:04 “With Star Wars AND Disney movies…” Thank you for acknowledging that Disney’s Star Wars is not Star Wars 😁.
Write for stage like Anton Chehov: people are miserable, they dont know what for and who for and fkn how they living. But audience laughing.
I love these vids, but all I can hear while you guys talk are mouth clicks. Pls drink water to limit this, I’m sorry 😭