: Re: Is it a good idea to make the protagonist unlikable while making the supporting characters more likable? My protagonist is a very shitty person that makes bad decisions for the wrong reasons.

@Ravi5107385

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It doesn't have to. Even if the guy is a unlikeable and a jerk, make him human. Give him reasons for his flaws. The reader will be connected to the character at least on this level.

I recently read a detective story where the main character wasn't very likeable. Yet, the author had reasons for all of the character's flaws. The character was interesting and deep. As the story progressed, the character became more likeable as you realized why he had his flaws.

However, if you are going to take this approach realize that your readers likely won't be there for the characters. There are some stories that focus around character more than the plot. If you have an unlikeable character, I would caution against focusing on the characters too much.

I think this approach (unlikeable character who eventually redeems himself) can create a much more memorable story than if your followed the common pattern of a likeable protagonist.

In summary, I think it can definitely work, but give the character reasons for his flaws and try to have an captivating story to make up for the lack of a likeable character.

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