Story likeability

[LaRascasse]

In my ongoing story, one of the main plot devices is a woman who is fucked on webcam (unknown to her) and gets her revenge in an even more illegal way. That is just one of several questionable decisions she makes.

Does a story become less "likeable" if your protagonists aren't on the right side of the law all the time?

[lovecraft68]

Not at all.

The "anti-hero" is a very popular concept these days. People enjoy characters that don;t do things on the up and up to get what they need.

The trick however, is to get the reader to like the character even though they may technically be unlikeable. If you can do that, no one cares what they do and if its a revenge story all the better.

[bashfullyshameless]

Mostly it just depends on the context of the illegal action. My stories are rife with illegal activity, and yet I doubt anyone would say the protagonists aren't "good guys."

I tend to list said illegalities & immoral acts as a warning at the front. Check a few out:

http://www.literotica.com/s/whoever-you-want-to-be

http://www.literotica.com/s/justice-in-the-raw

http://www.literotica.com/s/the-gateway-to-sin

...pretty sure if I can get away with all that, "legality" isn't really the issue that sways a reader's feelings on whether a story is likable or not.

[LaRascasse]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Not at all.

The "anti-hero" is a very popular concept these days. People enjoy characters that don;t do things on the up and up to get what they need.

The trick however, is to get the reader to like the character even though they may technically be unlikeable. If you can do that, no one cares what they do and if its a revenge story all the better.

Revenge is just part of it. My character is manipulated into doing a lot of bad stuff even though she is not a bad person, just someone who makes bad choices.

Originally Posted by bashfullyshameless

Mostly it just depends on the context of the illegal action. My stories are rife with illegal activity, and yet I doubt anyone would say the protagonists aren't "good guys."

I tend to list said illegalities & immoral acts as a warning at the front.

Maybe I'll add a disclaimer somewhere.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by LaRascasse

Revenge is just part of it. My character is manipulated into doing a lot of bad stuff even though she is not a bad person, just someone who makes bad choices.



Maybe I'll add a disclaimer somewhere.

I think women who make bad choices are a staple in erotic stories

[oggbashan]

It depends on how far you can get the reader to suspend their disbelief.

If it is a good story with interesting characters and a reasonable plot, you should be able to get away with almost anything.

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by oggbashan

It depends on how far you can get the reader to suspend their disbelief.

If it is a good story with interesting characters and a reasonable plot, you should be able to get away with almost anything.

You can even get away with murder. Even in loving wives.

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by TxRad

You can even get away with murder. Even in loving wives.

as long as the body is not put under the patio.

[sorry. English TV reference]

[Ironiclaconic]

Originally Posted by LaRascasse

In my ongoing story, one of the main plot devices is a woman who is fucked on webcam (unknown to her) and gets her revenge in an even more illegal way. That is just one of several questionable decisions she makes.

Does a story become less "likeable" if your protagonists aren't on the right side of the law all the time?

No one dislikes characters if they do something illegal. They dislike characters if they engage in grossly antisocial behavior. Likeable characters can cheat, steal, or murder so long as the reader knows they are enacting proportional justice to a grossly antisocial unlikeable character.

Being victimized and wanting revenge should immediately get most readers on her side.

[electric1]

The most popular category here is incest, which is usually illegal even among consenting adults. Other popular categories include nonconsent and voyeurism, which also violate laws. So if Literotica readers dislike law-breaking characters, they sure don't seem to dislike the stories themselves.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by electric1

The most popular category here is incest, which is usually illegal even among consenting adults. Other popular categories include nonconsent and voyeurism, which also violate laws. So if Literotica readers dislike law-breaking characters, they sure don't seem to dislike the stories themselves.

I'm sure the people into those fantasies don;t see it that way and don't even acknowledge the point you just made.

[bashfullyshameless]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

I'm sure the people into those fantasies don;t see it that way and don't even acknowledge the point you just made.

I thought he made a very good point, actually. It answers the question asked by the original post pretty much exactly. Literotica does, in fact, have several categories focusing in on stuff that is largely illegal in real life, and yet that doesn't stop the categories from being popular.

Turns out, a lot of the stuff that Batman guy does in his stories is pretty much all illegal, too, and yet I hear that character has quite a following...

[electric1]

Come to think of it, nearly all of my stories involve something illegal. And the only complaints I've drawn are for protagonists occasionally facing consequences for breaking the law. In one story, a character breaks the law and gets blackmailed for it - I got a complaint about the blackmail. In another story, the whole premise was that the story was set in a town where all sex is illegal, and someone complained because the protagonist wound up in jail. I don't seem to get any complaints at all when my characters break the law and get away clean (unless it's the law against adultery - then look out!).

[LaRascasse]

Maybe I'll give an example. The aforementioned guy who webcammed her, she plants cocaine under his bed and calls the cops.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Criminal Law exists to limit competition in the market.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by bashfullyshameless

I thought he made a very good point, actually. It answers the question asked by the original post pretty much exactly. Literotica does, in fact, have several categories focusing in on stuff that is largely illegal in real life, and yet that doesn't stop the categories from being popular.

Turns out, a lot of the stuff that Batman guy does in his stories is pretty much all illegal, too, and yet I hear that character has quite a following...

I was saying he makes a good point, but my point was the average person isn't even thinking along those lines so it really is no big deal.

As for Batman and all other superheroes reading between the lines I always find it amazing the cities embrace these guys even though they are responsible for millions in property damage.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

I was saying he makes a good point, but my point was the average person isn't even thinking along those lines so it really is no big deal.

As for Batman and all other superheroes reading between the lines I always find it amazing the cities embrace these guys even though they are responsible for millions in property damage.

Youre right. Otherwise most popular writing would fail. Folks get weary singing in the choir.

[MatthewVett]

Originally Posted by LaRascasse

In my ongoing story, one of the main plot devices is a woman who is fucked on webcam (unknown to her) and gets her revenge in an even more illegal way. That is just one of several questionable decisions she makes.

Does a story become less "likeable" if your protagonists aren't on the right side of the law all the time?

So long as they're the underdog. Don't make the person who caught her on cam the maid or something. Makes him or her a wealthy jerkass, someone with all the power in the relationship, and people will forgive a *lot.*

[MatthewVett]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

As for Batman and all other superheroes reading between the lines I always find it amazing the cities embrace these guys even though they are responsible for millions in property damage.

Which they're alive to pay. I agree people should move out of Gotham, but when someone's trying to detonate a thermonuclear warhead in your city, and you *can* complain about property damage afterwards, there's not much to complain about Batman.

[loquere]

Originally Posted by LaRascasse

In my ongoing story, one of the main plot devices is a woman who is fucked on webcam (unknown to her) and gets her revenge in an even more illegal way. That is just one of several questionable decisions she makes.

Does a story become less "likeable" if your protagonists aren't on the right side of the law all the time?

I've come to realize, that at the end of the day you have to be happy and true with yourself, the samwazoo lies to your stories.

-Is it just about sex, or is there a bigger meaning or picture? Be content with writing a good message.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Originally Posted by loquere

I've come to realize, that at the end of the day you have to be happy and true with yourself, the samwazoo lies to your stories.

-Is it just about sex, or is there a bigger meaning or picture? Be content with writing a good message.

I think it was William Randolph Hearst who said, IF YOU WANNA WRITE MESSAGES GO TO WORK FOR WESTERN UNION.

Wrong. It was Samuel Goldwyn. WRITE ME A COMEDY AND SEND YOUR MESSAGES TO WESTERN UNION.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by LiquidMatthew

Which they're alive to pay. I agree people should move out of Gotham, but when someone's trying to detonate a thermonuclear warhead in your city, and you *can* complain about property damage afterwards, there's not much to complain about Batman.

Actually comic geek that I am Marvel did indeed address this issue with a coupel of pretty funny min series Called Damage Control which was a group of agents who had to settle up for whatever the heroes did.



Details(and better image) here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damage_...l_%28comics%29

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

I was saying he makes a good point, but my point was the average person isn't even thinking along those lines so it really is no big deal.

As for Batman and all other superheroes reading between the lines I always find it amazing the cities embrace these guys even though they are responsible for millions in property damage.

I remember when Val Kilmer made his Batman movie, he said he just couldn't take it seriously -- here was a guy who had convinced a whole city that it was quite fine for him to don a costume and run around fighting criminals.

And as for all the damage, "The Incredibles" and "Watchmen" take a different approach to that.

[BuckyDuckman]

I have a couple readers who have pointed out the brother in my most recent story is a dick. Um, yeah, he is. I know. I wrote him that way. His sister, btw, is an idiot for letting her brother "get the goods" on her. Oh wait, maybe there's an underlying suggestion there? Maybe she... nah, of course not. She's always pissed off about being caught, so there's no way she secret enjoys is it, is there?

>sigh<

It's just porn. Relax, get off, poke at the five star mark because my idea either got you off or kept you reading and be done, okay?

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

I remember when Val Kilmer made his Batman movie, he said he just couldn't take it seriously -- here was a guy who had convinced a whole city that it was quite fine for him to don a costume and run around fighting criminals.

And as for all the damage, "The Incredibles" and "Watchmen" take a different approach to that.

Yeah the Watchmen got "retired"

Rorschach and The Comedian are still my all time favs. Bad ass mother fuckers.

They were not our fathers Superman that is for sure.