The Book Blogger Hop was originally created by Jennifer @ Crazy-For-Books in March 2010 and ended on December 31, 2012. With Jennifer’s permission, it was relaunched on February 15, 2013 by Billy @ Ramblings of a Coffee Addict. Each week the hop will start on a Friday and end the following Thursday. There will be a weekly prompt featuring a book related question. The hop’s purpose is to give bloggers a chance to follow other blogs, learn about new books, befriend other bloggers, and receive new followers to your own blog.
What are your favourite characteristics of a main character?
(submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer)
I like characters who aren’t passive. I like when characters drive the story forward under their own steam, rather than allowing the events to kind of…wash over them. Specific characteristics is a little harder to pinpoint, and it kind of depends largely on what genre I’m reading. No matter what genre, however, I like characters when they overcome something, and when you can see a real journey from the start of the novel to the end.
In Horror, I like relatively smart characters. I like seeing characters put things together, realise how truly screwed they are, and still lose somehow, even if they eventually make it out. It feels more significant when this happens to a character who should know better, but for some reason in the moment forgets themselves. Not to say the character has to be super intelligent, but someone who with just the slightest nudge would see the path, not someone who has veered wildly away from it through their own stupidity.
In Romance, I tend to prefer characters who are funny. I like when the couple have a bit of fun banter, or the POC character can look at things with a sense of humour, even if it is a bad situation. I like when we get to see completely through their eyes, and see exactly what draws them to the love interest. If they’re not particularly funny, because maybe the book has a different tone, I want longing, I want characters who are otherwise Perfectly Sensible, but in the face of The One, kind of lose it a bit.
In Fantasy, I like characters who are determined to overcome. Whether it’s overcoming an antagonist, their circumstances, or just a problem sitting in their way, I like following characters who look for a solution, rather than waiting for some deus ex machina to hand it to them.
What are your favourite characteristics for a main character? Does it vary depending on genre? I’d love to know!
Unwrapping Words 