Opinions Needed

[Vella_Malachite]

OK, so, like many others here, I am attempting to write something at least slightly resembling good fiction.

My conundrim is this: I want to add in a character that the readers will sympathise with, and is a generally well-liked character (Yes, I do plan on killing her off), but at the same time, she annoys (read: a slightly stronger term, think 'ticks off', but with something else where the 'tick' is) another character to the ends of this Earth and beyond.

The character that gets annoyed is quite a hotheaded character, has a tendency to punch people out, etc, so that bit won't be hard...:smallamused:

My problem is that I need to find a way to make the other character (personality as yet unknown), an annoying character, maybe saying things too often, mild lack of tact, asking the wrong questions, while still remaining a likeable character. Does anyone have any ideas?

[Totally Guy]

A catch phrase might do the trick.

[13_CBS]

I'm not much of a literary person, but perhaps you could make your annoying character highly humorous?

It would also help if the annoying part of the character's personality comes from a part of her that she can't fix. Perhaps she's just a bit dim, or (if you want to go for something more tragic) maybe her harsh/different upbringing makes her think differently from other people.

[Fostire]

That sounds like Maes Hughes from fullmetal alchemist.

[Kaelaroth]

Over do her likability? Make her too awesome, and have the major character feel overshadowed somewhat, something she can't understand, and therefore makes no attempt to rectify.

Alternatively, make her enormously blunt.

[valadil]

There are some people I know who are awesome characters, but I can't stand to be in the same room with them. They'd be wonderful candidates for reality TV, where I can laugh at them without having to interact. I think that's the type of character you want.

Another approach is to give this character sympathy when the other character gets pissed off. Everyone can relate to someone overreacting and flipping out.

[AKA_Bait]

You might also want to make the character child-like in their world view. theycan ask pestering and personal questions, or make truthful but insulting comments all the time but so long as it's obvious to the read that they are doing it not because they have any malice behind it but because they just don't know any better they will be likeable in spite, and partially because, of the behaviour.

[ColonelFuster]

You could generate character-reader sympathy by just having them be oblivious. Really.
If you keep the readers in the dark about a few things, like... the main character's bacstory, or the reson the gods left the earth, or what have you- the likable character can be trying to figure that out. That way, you have the exact right moment to kill them off, too: right before the secret is discovered (uber-dramatic!)
Having them be dripping in awesome for a completely different reason than the other characters is good, too. If someone already has 'comic relief,' make Mr. Likable a born killer with deadly boxing skills. If 'awesome fighter' is already taken, have them whip up a storm of laughs with their misguided antics. If 'drama' is in order, don't forget that secondary characters need love interests, too!
Hope this helps- and we're looking forward to reading it! Go Vella!

[UglyPanda]

Wait, are you trying to make a character likable yet annoying to the readers, or likable yet annoying to one character? I'm assuming the latter. I can get behind someone who screws around with the other characters, but I can't get behind someone intended to piss me off, it's hard for me to start liking someone like that.
The character could have a few personality traits and habits which are fine on paper but annoying in real life. This can include: Mispronouncing other people's names, repeatedly cracking knuckles, muttering curse words under their breath, etc.
I'm guessing since the character who pisses off this one off (Who I'm going to call Martyr for clarity's sake) is going to die that this character is supposed to have some sort of change of heart or something. If you want to piss off the reader, then you could make him perfectly normal, but doesn't even care about Martyr's death until long long after he has started defrosting.

[Purple Cloak]

You could try making them a nice person, thus likable, but rash and impulsive, which brings in the "their being stupid AGAIN?" element that seems to work somtimes.

If you've played Persona 3, Junpei might be a good example of a likable charicter who can be annoying.

But I would advise against the catch phraze idea, that can get TOO annoying.

[Totally Guy]

But I would advise against the catch phraze idea, that can get TOO annoying.

Inconceivable!

[Uncle Festy]

My suggestion?
Look at Elan. He's really likable, an awesome character, but he drives Roy nuts. That might be a good model to steal from. :smallwink:

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

Oh, this is easy! Kind and honest to a fault. It makes some people nuts, especially those who talk with their fists too often. G-d knows, people have gotten angry at me often enough for being a nice guy. :smallredface:

[KerfuffleMach2]

Wiity one-liners and a slight disregard for personal feelings.

[Uncle Festy]

@^: Nah, that'll make him dislikable to the audience. We only want him to tick off Mr. Hothead.

[Copacetic]

You want my opinion? Great, I'm giving it away like kittens!


Anywho, Make the character a smart alec. Maybe a little too cocky for his/her own good, but still likeable.

[nothingclever]

You could just make the character really naive/optimistic so that although she's always acting in a positive way she's totally asking for someone to betray her trust. You could specifically make the character unaware of proper social etiquette or someone that simply says really awkward or blunt things.

Like if the hotheaded character is constantly looking out for her she could put herself into danger knowingly because of her optimism or unknowingly. If you have antagonists in your story with unexplained motives or that are fighting despite possibly having a way to reconcile their differences with the protagonists this character could attempt to interact with them to get their side of the story and explore a path of reasoning your readers are interested in.

As an example if the hotheaded character is a good guy ultimately looking to create peace but unwilling to negotiate with his enemies because of a grudge or just his unreasonable nature the female character could attempt to get in between the two sides to solve their dispute and end up getting killed in the crossfire. The character would be liked for being a moral person and advancing the plot by providing a way for you to explain to your readers why the two sides can't reconcile their differences through her questions.

She could ask plainly "Why must you people keep fighting? What reasons do you have other than X? Why can't you just do Y instead?" You could have an antagonist act really evil by killing her almost immediately after giving an answer or refusing to do so. The way she dies would seem really unfair even if the character is annoying making people care about her anyway.

[WhiteMonkey]

Satements of the obvious particularly when regarding the shortcomings of others. When offered bluntly and with out tact they will surely offend, even if that's not the intention behind the statement.

"You smell bad."
"Your cooking is bad."
"You missed him."
"They got a way. Huh?"
"You are unlucky."
"You look shabby."
"You're loud."
"You can't drive worth a poop."
"You don't know anything about women."
"That was the wrong thing to say."
"That's a bad gift. Only a bonehead would get that."
"You shouldn't have slept with her. That was dumb."

Even inquiries.
"You aren't a very good fighter after all; are you?"
"I can tell, you're a virgin aren't you?"
"Why did you do that? You're dumb."
"How come you eat so loudly?"
"Why do you always get such bad haircuts?"
"Do you like haircuts that make your head look misshapen?"
"Do you like ugly cloths? All your clothes are ugly."

[Winter_Wolf]

Brutal honesty. That will make an otherwise likeable person annoying very fast. Trust me, I'm an expert.:smallwink:

Offset that with fierce loyalty, which I think most people like. 'Course, I'm not real good at knowing what other people like, so this advice is worth every penny you paid for it.

Man I really should not have had that caffeine so close to bedtime.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Actually an overly sensitive, overly moral character will tick of a hot headed character a lot more. Think stereotypical (no offense intended to anyone here), high school bible girl who runs around trying to tell everyone they're going straight to hell.

This is the extreme version, I'm thinking someone who's not very religious and is actually sensitive and caring, but critiques the hotheads actions all the time along the lines of "did you bother to ask if that guy wanted to get punched in the face?" or "look, hitting people doesn't help anything."

[BooTheHamster]

Two words: Elliot Reid.

[thubby]

make them a genuinely good person, just slightly annoying.
for example, she might lack tact, but she helps old ladies cross streets.
or make her the realistic, level headed one. in addition to driving the extremist up walls, she'll be easily to relate to.

[Vella_Malachite]

Whoa, so many replies...

Yeah, I was kind of leaning towards getting them to be moral and naive and quite open, but not really understanding the main character at all (for the record, the main character's name is Candrin, and the annoying character's name is Mayenna, both female), but I was trying to think of a way to get it right, because there's already a naive character (sort of), and Mayenna couldn't be too naive and moral, otherwise I'll lose audience sympathy for her. But I do need sympathy to stay with Candrin as well.

So I've already got a wise character, a personable character, a hothead and the obligatory naive young lad, so what is the remaining character slot...

[thubby]

the guy who really is a jerk, but is just too cool to hate?
one of my player's most loved npcs was an assassin who would slug them as soon as look at them. but everything he did was so cinematic that even being assaulted by him was cool.

[An Enemy Spy]

Whatever you do, don't overdo him and unleash another Jar Jar on a world that is just starting to recover from the last one.

[Don Julio Anejo]

Seriously, what's wrong with Jar Jar? True, he wasn't funny like Lucas intended, but I can't say he was annoying or overbearing either...

[thubby]

Seriously, what's wrong with Jar Jar? True, he wasn't funny like Lucas intended, but I can't say he was annoying or overbearing either...

to my limited understanding, he was completely different in the books.

[Vella_Malachite]

the guy who really is a jerk, but is just too cool to hate?
one of my player's most loved npcs was an assassin who would slug them as soon as look at them. but everything he did was so cinematic that even being assaulted by him was cool.

...that's the person I'm trying to annoy...

I need a more girlish character, I think, to get the added level of complete and utter misunderstanding. While it would be so funny to pit Candrin up against someone like her, it would be so much...more satisfying to pit her against someone with whom her wavelength will have no hope of crossing in a million years.