Unlikeable Characters? By Kate Hewitt
As a writer I have been accused of creating characters
that are too unlikeable. In fact, my editor is often asking me to ‘tone down’
my heroines in particular, as readers need to identify and root with them more.
I absolutely agree with this, but I also believe that characters need to be
flawed to be relatable. Have you ever been annoyed by the cute-as-a-button
heroine of a novel whose only flaws are freckles on her nose or a tendency to
care too much?
I enjoy the challenge of writing about deeply flawed and
human people. People who struggle and fear and hate, but also who are
ultimately redeemed. It has been interesting reading some of the reviews of When
He Fell, because many readers seem to dislike one of the main characters,
Maggie and Joanna. Some people like Joanna and hate Maggie, and some people
hate Maggie and like Joanna! I’m actually pleased about that, because it shows
that readers can relate to at least one of them.
My editor has said that many female readers judge
heroines far more harshly than they do heroes, something I’ve found to be true
as a writer—and in real life. Women tend to judge other women more than they
judge men, which is another reason why I like to write about flawed characters,
and flawed women in particular. I want to challenge readers to think about why
they’re reacting to a character the way they are, why they are condemning their
actions rather than empathizing with them. We all make grievous mistakes. We
all struggle with negative emotions. As a reader I am willing to follow a
character down a dark path as long as he or she learns from their mistakes and
is redeemed, at least in part, by the end. I believe the characters are redeemed
at the end of When He Fell, although their redemption comes at a high
price. What about you? Do you enjoy reading about flawed characters? Is there a
particular character trait or action that will turn you off a book completely?
BLURB:
The powerfully gripping new book from USA Today
bestselling author Kate Hewitt.
Josh and Ben are nine years old
and best friends, until a single, careless act in the school playground
destroys the lives of both families – and wrenches their small Manhattan school
apart.
As both mothers Maddie and
Joanna try to find out what really happened between the boys, they discover the
truth is far more complicated and painful than either of them could have ever
realised... with lasting repercussions for both families.
And when tragedy strikes again
in the most unexpected of ways, the lives of these two women will be changed
once more, and this time forever.
When He Fell explores the
issues of parental responsibility and guilt, and whether there are some acts
that human nature just cannot forgive...
BIO:
Kate Hewitt is the author of over 40
novels of women’s fiction and romance. She loves telling an emotional story in
a variety of genres, and has been nominated for the Romance Writers of America
RITA Award twice. An American ex-pat, she lives in the Cotswolds of England
with her husband, five children, and an overly affectionate Golden Retriever.
You can follow her adventures in village life on her blog, http://www.acumbrianlife.blogspot.co.uk
LINKS:
AUTHOR LINKS:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/katehewitt1
Instagram: https://instagram.com/katehewitt1/
Giveaway: (A paperback copy of This
Fragile Life – Kate's other book)
No comments
Post a Comment