{"id":30665,"date":"2026-07-31T01:00:59","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T08:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=30665"},"modified":"2026-07-28T06:38:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T13:38:00","slug":"how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/a>Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer\u2019s Fun Zone, Nick Bailey who is stopping by to chat with us about \u201cHow to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve spent any amount of time in online fan communities over the past few years, you may have heard the term \u201cproblematic fave,\u201d which refers to a character we know we ought to condemn, and root for anyway.<\/p>\n

They’re easy to love and difficult to write.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make your character too hard to stomach, and readers will never make it past chapter three.<\/p>\n

Lean too hard in the other direction, and you risk sanding off their irksome edges, which sort of defeats the point.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, likability isn’t a<\/strong> fixed trait<\/a> your character either has or hasn\u2019t, like intelligence or bravery. It\u2019s manufactured based on what you show the reader.<\/p>\n

In this post, I’ll run through a few ways to manufacture it, so you can pen an off-putting (but compelling) protagonist of your own.<\/p>\n

Give them one redeeming act early<\/h2>\n

One of the simplest ways to make an unlikable character endearing is to give them a brief moment of altruism in your story\u2019s opening chapters.<\/p>\n

If it\u2019s made clear that your reprobate can<\/i><\/strong> be kind, readers will hold out hope for a redemption arc<\/a> throughout the rest of the story.<\/p>\n

In the pilot episode of The Sopranos<\/i><\/a>, we meet Tony, the cold-hearted head of a New Jersey crime family.<\/p>\n

Extortion, adultery, murder — nothing is off the table for Don Antonio.<\/p>\n

But no matter how depraved Tony acts<\/strong>, viewers cling to the possibility that he can change, thanks in large part to a singular redeeming scene in the opening.<\/p>\n

In between all the backstabbing and bloodshed, Tony finds time to feed a family of ducks that have taken up residence in his backyard.<\/p>\n

Watching the little ones fly for the first time is enough to knock him out cold at a family barbecue.<\/p>\n

In a later scene<\/strong>, Tony is brought to tears when recalling the incident to his psychiatrist.<\/p>\n

None of this makes Tony a good person.<\/p>\n

And indeed, you\u2019d be hard-pressed to find a Sopranos<\/i> fan who would describe Tony as likable<\/i>.<\/p>\n

But that brief moment of vulnerability<\/strong> is enough to convince viewers that there\u2019s a man beneath the mobster worth rooting for, and his therapy sessions in subsequent episodes help keep that hope alive.<\/p>\n

Explain their actions (without excusing them)<\/h2>\n

Where an early redeeming act lets readers know that a character is capable of compassion, this next technique goes one step further, planting a relatable motivation<\/a> at the heart of everything they do.<\/p>\n

You\u2019d be surprised how much readers<\/strong> are willing to let slide, provided they understand why<\/i> a character is behaving badly.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the most iconic example of this in action is Walter White, the chemistry teacher turned methamphetamine manufacturer from Breaking Bad<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

The impetus for his late-stage career change is undeniably sympathetic: following a terminal cancer diagnosis, Walt wants to make sure his family is financially secure long after his passing.<\/p>\n

Much like Tony Soprano before him<\/strong>, Walt isn’t damned by his criminality alone.<\/p>\n

It’s the way he manipulates and belittles his supposedly precious family that really makes him hard to stomach.<\/p>\n

Still, the altruistic motive allegedly lurking behind his every move keeps viewers in his corner regardless.<\/p>\n

While the spoiler-free Breaking Bad<\/i> viewer meets Mr. White with no idea what he’ll become, readers of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes<\/i><\/a>\u00a0have no such luxury.<\/p>\n

They are already well acquainted with<\/strong> Coriolanus Snow, President of Panem and butcher of children.<\/p>\n

But the Snow they meet in The<\/i> Hunger Games<\/i> prequel is a far cry from the monster of the original trilogy.<\/p>\n

Here, he’s hungry, destitute, and desperate — by the time Coriolanus does anything inhumane, readers have already spent a hundred pages willing him out of poverty.<\/p>\n

Even though they know<\/i> Snow will<\/strong> grow into a detestable tyrant, they can’t help but hope he succeeds.<\/p>\n

Play up their talents, play down their crimes<\/h2>\n

The first two techniques I\u2019ve covered both ask something of your character. One requires a flicker of compassion, the other a reason we can empathize with.<\/p>\n

But a character doesn’t necessarily<\/strong> need to be good<\/i> for a reader to root for them.<\/p>\n

They just need a writer who knows what to dwell on.<\/p>\n

Take Tom Ripley, the covetous con artist at the center of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Tom is unquestionably immoral: he swindles struggling artists out of their savings, and kills his friends the moment they become inconvenient.<\/p>\n

But unlike our previous examples<\/strong>, Tom has no noble justification for his transgressions, nor does he stop to feed the ducks every now and then to keep readers on his side.<\/p>\n

Instead, Highsmith pays great attention to Tom\u2019s many talents: he\u2019s a gifted mimic, a fluent forger, and a superb improviser under pressure.<\/p>\n

His crimes, meanwhile, are understated — the focus remains squarely on how Tom\u2019s actions affect him<\/i>.<\/p>\n

When he murders someone<\/strong>, all we are told is that the victim\u2019s cry is loud, and that it frightens Tom.<\/p>\n

The subsequent body disposal reads more like a chore than a crime-scene cleanup.<\/p>\n

The result is a reader who finds themselves admiring a murderer, and hoping he gets away with it.<\/p>\n

The Conclusion<\/h2>\n

These three techniques all rest on the same idea: your readers can only judge a character by what you choose to put in front of them.<\/p>\n

So don’t be afraid to let your<\/strong> protagonist be truly awful — just make sure you’ve given readers a reason to stay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

About the Author<\/h2>\n

\"Nick<\/a>Nick Bailey writes about anything and everything in the realm of writing and self-publishing<\/a> for Reedsy, an online marketplace that connects authors with editors, designers, and marketers to help them publish a book.<\/p>\n

Aside from reading, Nick enjoys hiking, electronic music, and filling up his personal cookbook with new recipes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":30667,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":"","tve_updated_post":"","tve_custom_css":"","tve_user_custom_css":"","tve_globals":{},"tcb2_ready":0,"tcb_editor_enabled":0,"tve_landing_page":"","_tve_header":"","_tve_footer":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[3342,4053,8099,8103,8092,7,8089,408,8091,8093,8094,4042,8102,8098,6904,8095,8100,8101,8096,8090,5145,8097,11],"class_list":["post-30665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing-tips","tag-breaking-bad","tag-compassion","tag-coriolanus-snow","tag-crimes","tag-fixed-traits","tag-motivation","tag-nick-bailey","tag-patricia-highsmith","tag-problematic-fave","tag-redeeming-act","tag-redemption-arc","tag-reedsy","tag-talents","tag-the-ballad-of-songbirds-and-snakes","tag-the-hunger-games","tag-the-sopranos","tag-the-talented-mr-ripley","tag-tom-ripley","tag-tony-soprano","tag-unlikable-characters","tag-vulnerability","tag-walter-white","tag-writing"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey · Writer's Fun Zone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey · Writer's Fun Zone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Writer's Fun Zone\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-31T08:00:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@BethBarany\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@BethBarany\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Guest Contributor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Guest Contributor\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168\"},\"headline\":\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-31T08:00:59+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1024,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Breaking Bad\",\"compassion\",\"Coriolanus Snow\",\"crimes\",\"fixed traits\",\"motivation\",\"Nick Bailey\",\"Patricia Highsmith\",\"problematic fave\",\"redeeming act\",\"redemption arc\",\"Reedsy\",\"talents\",\"The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes\",\"The Hunger Games\",\"The Sopranos\",\"The Talented Mr. Ripley\",\"Tom Ripley\",\"Tony Soprano\",\"Unlikable Characters\",\"vulnerability\",\"Walter White\",\"writing\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Writing Tips\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey · Writer's Fun Zone\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-31T08:00:59+00:00\",\"description\":\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/31\\\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Writer's Fun Zone\",\"description\":\"Writing Tips & Podcast for Fiction Authors\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Beth Barany Productions\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/05\\\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/05\\\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":246,\"caption\":\"Beth Barany Productions\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/bethbarany\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/BethBarany\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/bethbarany\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/c\\\/BethBarany\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/bethbarany\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168\",\"name\":\"Guest Contributor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Guest Contributor\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/writersfunzone.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/guest-contributor\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey · Writer's Fun Zone","description":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey · Writer's Fun Zone","og_description":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists.","og_url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/","og_site_name":"Writer's Fun Zone","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\/","article_published_time":"2026-07-31T08:00:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":300,"height":300,"url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Guest Contributor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@BethBarany","twitter_site":"@BethBarany","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Guest Contributor","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/"},"author":{"name":"Guest Contributor","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168"},"headline":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey","datePublished":"2026-07-31T08:00:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/"},"wordCount":1024,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png","keywords":["Breaking Bad","compassion","Coriolanus Snow","crimes","fixed traits","motivation","Nick Bailey","Patricia Highsmith","problematic fave","redeeming act","redemption arc","Reedsy","talents","The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes","The Hunger Games","The Sopranos","The Talented Mr. Ripley","Tom Ripley","Tony Soprano","Unlikable Characters","vulnerability","Walter White","writing"],"articleSection":["Writing Tips"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/","name":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey · Writer's Fun Zone","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png","datePublished":"2026-07-31T08:00:59+00:00","description":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For explores three techniques to create flawed yet compelling protagonists.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Write-an-Unlikable-Character-That-Readers-Still-Root-For-by-Nick-Bailey.png","width":300,"height":300,"caption":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2026\/07\/31\/how-to-write-an-unlikable-character-that-readers-still-root-for-by-nick-bailey\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Write an Unlikable Character That Readers Still Root For by Nick Bailey"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/","name":"Writer's Fun Zone","description":"Writing Tips & Podcast for Fiction Authors","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Beth Barany Productions","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/cropped-cropped-WFZ_BANNER_DRAFT_NEW_mock_1C_w_edits.jpeg","width":1024,"height":246,"caption":"Beth Barany Productions"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bethbarany\/","https:\/\/x.com\/BethBarany","http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/bethbarany\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/BethBarany","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bethbarany\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/6da98818636d0a12baec6dd6b03db168","name":"Guest Contributor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f3a34f16e4191c23786121e3cb54e0dadf1dd00c7c8ec2686195240a1680e394?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"Guest Contributor"},"url":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/author\/guest-contributor\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30665"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30668,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30665\/revisions\/30668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30667"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}