How likeable does a main character have to be.

[Chaos985]

I'm thinking about a sci-fi space story. in the books, the main character has huge charisma, most story characters love him.  Readers might not feel the same way.

Its hard to describe why, but think Lex Luthur without the psychotic obsession to take over the world in 20 minutes, and a lot of charisma.  He has a understanding of "good" and an understanding of why people who follow that path win.

[WonderandAwe]

Your reader has to be at least sympathetic to the main character.  You might hate what they do, but you should at least understand where they are coming from. 

[Abstruse]

Depends on your audience.  You want someone who your audience will identify with.  Most people who read a lot -- I hate to say it and don't take offense, I'm one too -- are not the most social people in the world.  We sympathize with the nice guy who gets screwed over.  We want someone who everyone hates even though he's doing the right thing.  It's the reason why characters like Harry Potter, Spider-man, Harry Dresden, and others like them are popular.  They all do the right thing regardless of the consequences to their social lives.  They're persecuted for doing the right thing.  They're more or less loners who have a few close friends.

I can't identify very well personally with someone who's super-popular that everyone loves and adores.  It just rubs me the wrong way, reminds me of the people I typically hate on sight.  The only reason I can stand Bruce Wayne is because I know that it's just a disguise Batman uses to function in normal society.

Okay, I'm rambling...but you get the idea I hope!  The character doesn't have to be likable to the rest of the world, as long as WE love him.

The Abstruse One
Darryl Mott Jr.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Very few people are unsympathetic to themselves.  Very few people do not see themselves as on the side of good in their own life. The trick is to get inside their head well enough and make their problems and their perspective convincing.  What they are actually doing is kind of secondary.

It's an interesting exercise to write things from the viewpoint of someone you personally would find morally repulsive and see if you can make them sympathetic.  I recommend it - as a learning exercise, not necessarily as a way of generating marketable fiction.

[Chaos985]

the character will appeal to some people though. I know i cant be the only one tired of heros who repeatedly have the chance to kill the villan, but dont because its the wrong thing to do.  Then when something finally happens that they have to, they spend the next 5 chapters worring about whether they did the right thing.  This character runs into problems, he will usually try at least once yo deal with it in a diplomatic manner.  If it dosent work he shoots it, and moves on.

[Slife]

Likeable enough to keep the reader interested.  Anything past that is gravy.

[Machaut]

The main character doesn't have to be at all likeable.  It's far more difficult to write in the voice of a villain, or an unsympathetic character, but it can be done, and done well.  A good example is The Still by  David Feintuch.   

[terioncalling]

So long as he/she is interesting, I'd probably read it.  Doesn't have to be likeable.

I was about to point at Hannibal Lecter as an example of interesting character but not really likeable with all the killing...but he's not the main character in Red Dragon, Silence, or Hannibal.  Though I'm gonna guess he is in Hannibal Rising...anyone know?

[Abstruse]

...except Hannibal IS likable.  That's what makes him so dangerous.  He's a suave, sophisticated, eloquently spoken, handsome man who looks at you like you're a goose that's about to become pate.  That's how he gets away with so much that he gets away with.  People start to trust him instinctively (and through his own manipulation).

The Abstruse One
Darryl Mott Jr.

[terioncalling]

Ah, true enough.     So my example is of the good.  Woot.

[Valkyrina]

Disclaimer: I write for fun. I am not published - possibly never will be. Take anything I say with a pinch of salt, a shot of tequila and a squirt of lime - people tell me I'm hilarious when they're drunk.

My main character doesn't necessarily have to be likeable. I base them on my own personality (I have few enemies to be fair) and always write from a first person perspective.

It's hard not to connect with that.

It's rare I ask other people (who won't have my personality to base the character on/to artificially flesh it out) to proof read.

As an exercise I once wrote a story from an I perspective but gave no hints as to either of the 2 characters personalities and history except for the actions and thoughts of the then and now.

Turned into a short love-story.

 

Put that one on an anonymous blog page.

[Velkyn_Faer]

Some stories have characters that the reader will absolutely loathe. I have read a few such stories, though I can't think of titles off the top of my head. Stupid memory gaps... (I hope people don't take that seriously.) Anyways, if it is done right, the character can be hated but still be interesting.

Velkyn

(This post seems kinda lacking, I know, and if I think of examples I'll be sure to post them, but I can't get much more down than that.)

[Valkyrina]

I have read a few such stories, though I can't think of titles off the top of my head. Stupid memory gaps...

"some books are undeservedly forgotten. None are underservedly remembered."

forgot who the quote is by.

mmmmm memory-loss.

[Belial]

Think of Raistlin Majere. He's definately not very likable.

He's manipulative, he's sarcastic, he's bitter, he's a survivor, he's cynical, all in all he's our darker selves.

He is however, easy to empathize with.

He has an older brother who always casts a shadow over him. Everyone loves his brother, and he needs his brother to survive. His brother is stronger than him, better looking than him, and gets all the girls. All that Raistlin has over Caramon is his brains.

We've all had someone like that in our lives (whether or not that person is male or female, or even related to us). From the viewpoint Raistlin's choices can be dissapointing, but we can never damn him for them. Although there are much nicer and more traditional heroes in the Dragonlance cycle, Raistlin stands out above them all. Even though he's not very likable.

So I would say that the reader does not have to like the character very much, but he must empathize with him.

Hell as Dalamar says about Raistlin, "'We've all been laughed at one time in our lives. We've all been jealous of a sibling. We have felt pain and suffered, just as he has suffered. And we've all longed- just once- fore the power to crush our enemies! We pity him. We hate him. We fear him- all because there is a little of him in each of us, though we admit it to ourselves only in the darkest part of the night.'"

[Velkyn_Faer]

I guess some people could say that Felix from Armor isn't likeable. For a while I hated him and the Engine, much as Crow did while watching Felix using the suit. There are likeable qualities about him, I guess, but there are some parts when he is a 'filthy human being' as one man called him.