Hello everyone. I'm quite new here. :)

I'm just wondering what people here think of characters in romance stories; what sorts are clichéd, what sorts you would like to read and what sorts you wouldn't. What bugs you about some characters? What attracts you to them? If you're reading a story, would you say characters are the most important things-- or perhaps plotlines, settings, or something else? And do you have any pet peeves about them (such as the infamous Mary-Sue)?

In addition; what about your own characters? How do you see them-- as tools, or as friends, as people, as things? What helps you to create characters? What sorts of characters do you enjoy writing?

Thanks!

Standard Cliched stories:

Good Girl Meets Bad Boy - Good girl attracts the nature of a bad boy and opposites attract. Good girl influences bad boy and the two fall in love...

Unpopular Girl Meets Popular/Rich Guy - Unnoticed, popular girl somehow draws attention to popular, rich boy.

Though most people dis cliches, I find it completely depends on how you write it and what uniqueness, details, and plot twists you include. It also depends on character development.

What bugs me about characters? When the author rushes the relationship too fast. They meet and there is attraction...then two days later they are making out! Give it time, develop the plot and the characters. Tease the audience a little bit at a time. It is a whole lot better that way.

The most important part DEFINITELY is the characters! The setting and plotlines can be interesting and amazing but if your characters are lifeless shells there is nothing in your story. It is the characters development and comlexity of their personalities that matter---especially in a romance story. It is the interaction of the characters and the feelings that matter the most. Plotlines come second. (Ever read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series? GREAT characters! And the plotlines are amazing, too!)

As for the Mary Sue....if you throw in some great plot twists and the rest of the story is great...it doesn't really matter. I have read some great stories that casted a mary sue as the main character. It completely depends on what you do with the story and how you do it.

I never see characters as tools. More like real people. It is best to develop characters as you go. Don't have them totally figued out in the beginning. Discover little by little who they are. Its half the fun of writing a story!

Good luck!

I totally agree that rushing a romance is like the worst thing you can possibly do. I hate it when, in stories, people meet and two days later they're both professing their love for each other. Life isn't like that. If, in real life, a guy told me he loved me after two days, I'd be like "Back off, creep."

Cliches can be good or they can be bad. I prefer more original writing, definitely, but I admit that my story is a huge cliche- a girl in an all boy's school. She's not into her roommate, though (he's gay) and her past isn't buttercups and sunshine. She's got a real reason for being there.

Mary Sues are one thing I can't stand. Unlike cliches, there are no such things as good Mary Sues. People are not perfect, and therefor people in stories should not be perfect.

I don't care if the main character is really pretty, or really smart, or a really good artist/musician/photographer, or awesome at sports. But for God's sake, don't let them be all of those things!

I think the most annoying thing for me is when I can tell that an author is purposefully using a cliché or a specific character type. If your story happens to involve a somewhat common line of storytelling, but your characters are unique and the circumstances are not the decide-all factor of the story, then I tend to be a lot more open to it. Of course, if it's romance, I must confess I do enjoy a happy ending (unless it's really really good angst), although the more junk a character has to go through to get to their happy ending makes it that much more worthwhile to read.

So, no rushing, original character personalities, and actually finishing (and knowing when to finish) the story. That's what I like :)

What bugs me is that almost ALWAYS the male is the dominant one in the relationship. He's usually taller, older, smoother, and much more experienced. Stuff like that. I mean, mix it up a bit people! I'd like to see someone try a shorter, younger, innocent male lead.

I also like to read about strong female leads. Maybe I'm just a crazy feminist?

^ I don't hate that, I think its just nature, but I get what you're saying. There's also a whole dominance thing that is always boy/boy of relationship is all tough and masculine and the girl/girl of the relationship is all frail and pretty. _ Bleh! I'm writing a romance (one-sided slash) and my boy is all girly and flamboyuant and the "girl" (Xander. xD) is all stoic and "don't touch me."

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