SquarePeg Books

I wonder if I’m avoiding my manuscript because of my anti-hero.

He’s a racist asshole.

But he’s also necessary to the plot. As is his downfall. Which the way I have planned will work out as:

Reader: “Damn. You are a racist son of a bitch! Why hasn’t someone ganked you yet?”

Reads a few chapters.

Reader: “Ouch. Dude, you’re still a racist shit and you deserved it, but I feel for you, bro. That was harsh.”

At least, that’s the “hoped for” response from the imaginary reader.

It’s really hard to make a bad-guy even semi likable. Especially when the bad guy is so at odds with your own personal feeling on similar topics. You have to get inside their heads, which is all gross and slimy and not in a good bio-hazard sort of way (Which I could totally handle and would absolutely love to get in on a human cadaver conference – it’s that $$money$$ thing that keeps getting in my way. The metaphorical slime is what’s all sticky and making me want a bar of Lava soap and a pad of steel-wool.).

It’s an odd reluctance. Doesn’t everyone want to have characters that are well-written and memorable and possibly even slightly original instead of the stereotypical 2-dimensional types? Doesn’t everyone find that work kind of exhilarating?  Doesn’t everyone- *beepbeepbeep.*

Oops. Laundry. Then dishes. Then taking the non-existent dog to the dentist for a root canal. Then I’m certain I can find something else to do aside from making a villain… likeable.

Yuck.