7 Reasons Readers Don't Care About Your Characters

Summary

This video explores the seven most common reasons readers might not care about your characters and provides practical solutions to fix them. It covers characters who succeed too easily, serve as author projections, lack an interior life, exist merely as plot devices, face low stakes, are described rather than shown, or have unjustified negative traits. Using examples from popular books and films, including *Star Wars*, *Lord of the Rings*, and *The Fault in Our Stars*, the video emphasizes the importance of struggle, internal depth, agency, and clear motivation to create relatable, engaging, and emotionally compelling characters that resonate with readers.

Takeaways

• 😀 Characters who succeed too easily without struggle are hard for readers to relate to and may feel unrealistic.
• 😀 Avoid creating characters that serve as a projection of the author or wish-fulfillment, as this can alienate readers.
• 😀 Develop your character's interior life; show their thoughts, feelings, and self-awareness to create intimacy with the reader.
• 😀 Do not make characters mere plot devices; they should have agency, choices, and personality.
• 😀 Ensure that your characters face high stakes, ideally across multiple levels: global, community, personal, and internal/psychological.
• 😀 Show character traits through actions rather than telling the reader; this builds credibility and engagement.
• 😀 Justify negative traits or morally complex actions to create sympathy or understanding, without overexplaining.
• 😀 Multiple failures and efforts in a character's journey make them more relatable and likable.
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• 😀 Contrast between a character's usual behavior and radical departures can be used to highlight growth or change.
• 😀 Use examples from literature, film, and pop culture to illustrate character principles and provide concrete guidance.

Q & A

What is the first common mistake writers make when developing characters?

The first mistake is creating an 'easy path character'—someone who succeeds too easily without effort or struggle. Characters like Rey in *The Force Awakens* face this criticism because their abilities seem unearned.

Why do readers dislike characters who succeed effortlessly?

Readers find it hard to relate to characters who don’t face struggles, as it doesn’t mirror real-life experiences. Effort, failure, and growth make characters more engaging and believable.

What is the concept of 'author projection' in character writing?

'Author projection' occurs when the character feels more like a reflection of the author rather than an independent figure. This happens when the character serves as a mouthpiece for the author's personal desires or opinions.

How can writers avoid creating 'author projection' characters?

Writers should distance themselves from their characters by ensuring the character’s actions, thoughts, and desires feel authentic to that character, not just the author's personal views or wish fulfillment.

Why do writers struggle with writing characters with an interior life?

Writers trained in visual media like film may struggle to convey a character’s internal thoughts, as movies prioritize external actions. In novels, however, inner thoughts and emotions are crucial to building depth.

What is the key solution for ensuring a character has an interior life?

To develop a character's interior life, writers should include inner monologues, thoughts, and self-reflection, especially early in the story, to help readers connect with the character on a deeper level.

What does the term 'plot device character' refer to?

A plot device character is one who exists solely to move the plot forward, such as the 'McGuffin' (a character with no real agency), 'exposition fairies' (characters who only provide background info), or 'red shirts' (characters meant to be killed off for dramatic effect).

How can writers ensure that a character is not just a plot device?

Writers should give each character their own motivation, backstory, and growth throughout the story, making sure that even minor characters contribute to the narrative meaningfully and are not just there to serve a plot function.

What role do stakes play in character development?

Stakes are crucial for creating emotional investment. Characters with low stakes (like losing a job or missing out on a college) often feel less compelling. Writers should layer stakes, including personal, community, global, and internal stakes, to make the character’s journey more engaging.

What is the 'show, don’t tell' advice, and how does it relate to character development?

'Show, don’t tell' means that writers should demonstrate a character’s traits through their actions and decisions rather than simply telling the reader about them. This makes the character feel more real and relatable.

How can a writer justify a character's negative traits effectively?

A writer can justify negative traits by providing the character with a backstory or motivation that explains their actions. This doesn’t mean excusing their behavior but helping readers understand why they act the way they do. However, overjustifying can make the character less believable.

Are there any genres where characters’ negative traits should remain unexplained?

Yes, in genres like horror, the pure malevolence of a character can be more effective if their evil traits are unexplained. Sometimes, absolute evil creates a more terrifying and impactful character.

What are the four levels of stakes in character development?

The four levels of stakes are: 1) Global existential stakes (e.g., the survival of the world), 2) Community or group stakes (e.g., the fate of a group or society), 3) Personal external stakes (e.g., life or death), and 4) Internal or psychological stakes (e.g., moral or emotional battles).

Why is it important to avoid overjustifying a character’s negative traits?

Overjustification can make the character seem less authentic and more like a forced attempt to make the reader sympathize with them. A small amount of justification is effective, but too much can make the reader suspicious of the character’s intentions.