5 Ways to Creating a Likable Character

I'll be showing you how to make your characters more involved in the story and how to make the reader become invested in your character's storyline and how they're struggling through their personal lives. These struggles can be their lovelife, job, social life, surviving, or even saving the world. This will make readers connect with your character and transport themselves into the character's position.

Here are five ways to creating a likable character:

Make your character have a purpose.

The best way for the reader to connect with your character is by thinking about what they need in their life. This can be shown in the beginning of the story or by slowly introducing the reader to the character's vulnerable state. This can be their love life, saving someone they care about, or getting a job. This will make readers empathize on your character and understand how they act in certain situations.

Example: John sat there on the stool in front of the bar binge drinking until he forgot about his sister's funeral.

Have a strong antagonist.

What makes a person who they are is someone they hate. Every hero needs a villain, and even villains need a villain. A strong antagonist will make your character choose difficult decisions whether it is right or wrong. This will make the reader share a hatred towards the antagonist and care about what decisions your character makes through their obstacles.

Example: The other kids surrounded us as I faced my bully, I was scared because I didn't know how to fight, but I was ready, I was going to try to win.

Make your character have a flaw.

A completely perfect character without any problems is boring. Readers want to see hardship, struggles, and pain. This can include anything mentally, physically, socially, or something spiritual. Flaws make characters interesting and easier to connect with.

Example: He stood there for a moment, then pulled out a key to place it in the lock and pushed the metal door up to see his mattress in the self-storage unit.

Decide on their morals.

Throughout the story you should always give your character choices for them to decide on. This will show what kind of person they are, good or bad, and help the reader understand them like no other character in your story could. Decide if they're smart, dumb, selfish, or selfless. Choose whether that character overcomes their darkness, or becomes engulfed in it.

Example: He gripped onto my hand, and I clenched it. I stared deep into his lost eyes, and he saw nothing staring back at him. I let go.

Hurt the protagonist.

You can do this by killing someone the protagonist holds dear, as well as the reader, putting them in a difficult position, or breaking them. First have the reader understand who that character is, how they act, and what their morals are. Then, you have your protagonist struggle against all odds to fight for that character.

Example: John sat there on his knees holding onto Jane's body as she exhaled the last of her breath. There were no tears coming from his eyes, only his bloodied hands trembling as they stayed above the bullet wound.

Having your reader feel empathy towards your character is hard, but by using these five methods you can bring your character to life which will either make the reader feel empathetic, or a hatred towards them. Your character doesn't always have to be likable, or even be a villain. For example, Walter White from 'Breaking Bad,' Severus Snape from Harry Potter, and Francis Underwood from 'House of Cards.'