tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post1883677558988168963..comments2024-03-26T17:32:38.865-04:00Comments on YA Outside the Lines: THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH (HOLLY SCHINDLER)Brian Katcherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15159532800819759917noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-77594699656226045902014-10-03T10:21:11.190-04:002014-10-03T10:21:11.190-04:00I think it's pretty critical to peel off those...I think it's pretty critical to peel off those masks as a writer. In Gone Too Far, my character definitely has some unsavory thoughts and feelings. I find that the most important part of the journey, though, is helping my characters to peel off the inner masks--the ones they don't even realize they're wearing.Natalie D Richardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17073957192387152361noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-2640271157697421562014-10-02T22:27:03.093-04:002014-10-02T22:27:03.093-04:00This is truly fascinating--I'd never considere...This is truly fascinating--I'd never considered the difference between male and female characters, Jen...And Courtney, you're right--a big part of it is also what you think a book should do: present us as we are, or present us as we aspire to be. Holly Schindlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16742207239654178917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-36708289777847251282014-10-02T08:07:36.278-04:002014-10-02T08:07:36.278-04:00This post really hits home with me. When my first ...This post really hits home with me. When my first book came out, I have to admit, I was shocked at the amount of people who couldn't stand my MC. Do you think YA writers face tougher criticism in this area? I've read plenty of adult fiction, with male protags in particular, whose realness might be viewed as unlikeable and yet, it makes them more interesting -- more like real people. I have had dear friends who might not seem like the most likable folks in the world, but I'm more concerned about honesty -- with friends and with characters.Jen Doktorskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16143138396478408692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-68772623631139898442014-10-01T20:06:33.362-04:002014-10-01T20:06:33.362-04:00Holly, we are so on the same page here, I am a big...Holly, we are so on the same page here, I am a big fan of ugly truths, which sometimes means unlikeable characters. I LOVE reading unlikeable characters and I feel like my responsibility as a writer is to make sure my characters have dimension. As long as they are well-rounded, fully developed and REAL, then even if they are unlikeable, readers will get them and maybe even have some empathy.Stephanie Kuehnerthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15337734171729461782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-67377173432142023412014-10-01T14:35:17.790-04:002014-10-01T14:35:17.790-04:00I struggle with the likeable protagonist thing, to...I struggle with the likeable protagonist thing, too. (And with the "relatable" protagonist, but that's a different story. This may sound really sophomoric, but I guess readers want a reason WHY an unlikeable character is unlikeable, or at least why an otherwise likeable character has unlikeable traits. For many people (sometimes including me), reading is a form of wish fulfillment, so we want to read about a character we can admire and imagine ourselves in her shoes. We need the character to be better than we are. It's a hard balance to strike as an author.Courtney McKinney-Whitakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10251306522999532890noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-37407561047724913322014-10-01T13:42:31.161-04:002014-10-01T13:42:31.161-04:00Likable vs Unvarnished is always tricky...
Yvonne...Likable vs Unvarnished is always tricky...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.yvonneventresca.com/blog.html" rel="nofollow">Yvonne</a>Yvonne Ventrescahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06935915085584796351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-82858580325848965562014-10-01T12:24:35.908-04:002014-10-01T12:24:35.908-04:00Reading definitely is the only way to fully get in...Reading definitely is the only way to fully get inside another person's head...even if that person is fictional! It's the closest we can get to really getting to know what another human being's life experience is like. That's why the process of writing is so hard...we're trying to capture what it's like to be someone else!Stephanie Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10461865229341760836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388578325782539013.post-46910992133614633832014-10-01T11:21:16.129-04:002014-10-01T11:21:16.129-04:00I also sometimes struggle with likable protags. Yo...I also sometimes struggle with likable protags. You want a character people like, but want him/her to be real too. And, sometimes, too real scares readers off.Margie Gelbwasserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04792618571270670531noreply@blogger.com