How do you choose who is the protagonist?

[Verdant]

I’ve noticed in a lot of novels, the protagonist is soemone of either high status (rich/well known family), constantly told to be beautiful/smart, special personalized powers, or is blatantly overpowered. I suppose it’s a popular method in general but I personally never go off of this lol

I’ve noticed in my works (two of which were cancelled or never published. The other releasing in a week or so?), the protagonist is only chosen because I found their personality interesting. That’s really it.. They never are even the most powerful or special or unique character (probably in their friend group as well).

This has gone so far that in my latest work, literally none of the main characters (or good guys) have anything inherently special about them lol. They’re equivalent to lower class people and none of them individually are overpowered or really smart or anything.. I love their personalities and powers but i’m slightly worried that this won’t be received well since this seems uncommon in novels..

 

[Mr.Grey-Cat]

Actually, the protagonist can be anyone as long as the author want them to be. They can be an orphan that live in the slums, a woman in a brothel, a bandit living in a mountain, or even a pet bird kept by some noble.
The problem now is to make sure the audience get interested in that protagonist, and to make sure the story actually need said protagonist.
Otherwise, if the audience don't have any interest or expectations from the protagonist, then you have failed as an author.
The same with story, if it don't really need that specific protagonist then why are we reading about them exactly?

 

[RepresentingWrath]

There is nothing wrong with higher class people. How you use such MCs is a problem.

So, example I'm going to use is, you have a usual, typical self-insert type of story. MC was poor, suddenly got rich via inheritance. Sounds generic, eh? Well, what if MC isn't kind, and everyone wants his money(women included), and not him? There is no kindhearted, poor woman to help and guide him like in hollywood movies, same as in other similar novels he has no friends, no relatives. Is it going to be interesting or not? I think it will. And this is also a rather generic development. You can make it more interesting once you add more realistic characters, entangle them alltogether.

 

[Nolff]

So, basically:

My brother in literacy, you're the creator of the characters.

Like, wha- It's literally obvious!

 

[KoyukiMegumi]

I've never seen a protagonist be one because of their popular or interesting personality. Perhaps that's how others choose, but to me, the protagonist is the person around whom the story revolves. Without them, there wouldn't be a story, and without them, the plot couldn't go on.

My protagonists are survivors and unwilling heroes. Without them, there wouldn't be a story to be told.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

I got four different stories that I'm actively writing now. Naturally, there are four different MCs I have to write about. Here's how I write them:

1) For my long-running 'The Human Saint is Bored' series, I envisioned my (harem-isekai) MC as a teacher who isn't overpowered and actually has to exert huge efforts not only to survive his new environment, but to solve problems (usually through diplomacy and/or warfare). One of my pet-peeves in isekai is that a lot of MCs are 'chosen' ones; either through the gods, or by their OPness. As for mine, I was careful of portraying him as an 'accidental' choice, since his summoner is panicking and has no other else in mind except him.

2) I'm writing a 'faux'-autobiography of my life as a teacher in my first school (The Ballad of the School Hallways). As it was a blatant 'self-insert', I added fantastical elements to it.

3) My other story (DECK, which is also my oldest as well as the least developed) had an MC whom my readers complained is too edgy. Well, I agree to their observations, as I've written that MC when I was in my 'edgy' phase. So, I'll be rewriting that character; but I did give him the traits a typical 'teenager in high school' would have. My day work as a teacher helps a lot in giving me 'data' that I need for my portrayals.

4) And lastly, for my 'manga-turned-novel' Paulina Rex, I chose a soldier MC because that story is a politically-charged one. However, I'm not that keen on writing heavy and dark stuff, so I made him 'morally-ambiguous' instead of 'edgy'. And of course, he's got his foils.

 

[ThrillingHuman]

Every main character I made represented to some extent my understanding of the world in a vague and metaphorical manner.
Were they powerful? Yes, it was necessary for them to interact with the world and explain what I saw.

I've never seen a protagonist be one because of their popular or interesting personality. Perhaps that's how others choose, but to me, the protagonist is the person around whom the story revolves. Without them, there wouldn't be a story, and without them, the plot couldn't go on.

My protagonists are survivors and unwilling heroes. Without them, there wouldn't be a story to be told.

I disagree.

 

[AmeronWerschrux]

I've never seen a protagonist be one because of their popular or interesting personality. Perhaps that's how others choose, but to me, the protagonist is the person around whom the story revolves. Without them, there wouldn't be a story, and without them, the plot couldn't go on.

My protagonists are survivors and unwilling heroes. Without them, there wouldn't be a story to be told.

It's quite funny that I literally made a series where a mob character (the protagonist, or the story revolves around) is surrounded by protagonists XD

He's the protagonist, because he is the only one who isn't a quote-unquote "protagonist".

 

[KoyukiMegumi]

I disagree.

You're allowed to disagree. Your protagonist is what you make it.

It's quite funny that I literally made a series where a mob character (the protagonist, or the story revolves around) is surrounded by protagonists XD

He's the protagonist, because he is the only one who isn't a quote-unquote "protagonist".

He is the unchosen one!

 

[melchi]

Am I the only one that thinks this sounds like starting a story without a main character designated? After writing for a bit pick the most interesting character to be the main character?

Sorta sounds like a giant prologue....

 

[AmeronWerschrux]

Am I the only one that thinks this sounds like starting a story without a main character designated? After writing for a bit pick the most interesting character to be the main character?

Sorta sounds like a giant prologue....

Sounds like an interesting idea! Quite similar to my premise as well! You could do that!

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

The whole story i made is very centered toward protagonist, because the story is the way i envision how the protagonist would share his life story and experiences to others.

The whole other character, as much personality as they have, and as much as interesting they're, are simply other people the Protagonist met and interact with, and no matter how impotant they are, are atill limited coverage from Protagonist's POV.

Of course, as an author, theres a master lore book for the other characters.

And probably i woukd have to change these mindset if i want to attract more readers, as multi main character novel are more popular than single main character in English royal-road esque webnovels.

Especially with changing POV and side stories of other character because sometimes the readers usually like other character more than Main protagonist.

Or when one of the main character is actually skyrocket in popularity due to how he/she act or speak during certain part of story.

Like Rem from Re:Zero, she is pretty much gain skyrocket popularity unexpected from the author himself.

-----------

Still tho, if you have difficulties choosing main protagonist from the cast of main characters, that means your story is usually more Narrative driven than character driven.

Look at Fate:Zero for example of Narrative driven story in which the plot just keep going no matter

 

[NotaNuffian]

Personally, you need to get people to engage with MC first, in order for them to like them.

Why people enjoy MC being rich/ upper class? Because it is a fantasy/ wish fulfilment and something of a niche to envision the lush lifestyle of being financially stable.

As for me, I enjoy when MC starts with a backfoot and got himself a cheat to climb to the top. Be it Grind Assist, an Isekai Portal, Murder Machine or lately a fav of mine, Multiclass System, something that allows the MC to gain strength exponentially in a short period of time is fun as he punches through the current societial immobility like paper.

I can engage with a middle class/ poverty strickened MC more.

 

[Rhaps]

I have a list of 100+ unused dnd characters that my players skipped/kill right away.

I can just pick a random one on the list, and that one will be the MC.

I won't ever run out of character. Never. Ever.

 

[Tsuru]

I’ve noticed in a lot of novels, the protagonist is soemone of either high status (rich/well known family), constantly told to be beautiful/smart, special personalized powers, or is blatantly overpowered. I suppose it’s a popular method in general but I personally never go off of this lol

I’ve noticed in my works (two of which were cancelled or never published. The other releasing in a week or so?), the protagonist is only chosen because I found their personality interesting. That’s really it.. They never are even the most powerful or special or unique character (probably in their friend group as well).

This has gone so far that in my latest work, literally none of the main characters (or good guys) have anything inherently special about them lol. They’re equivalent to lower class people and none of them individually are overpowered or really smart or anything.. I love their personalities and powers but i’m slightly worried that this won’t be received well since this seems uncommon in novels..

1) Its the contrary/ The story revolve around the MC

2) The reason you always saw this kind of story is :
a) You only read only a certain category (manga, manhua, manhwas, novels translated). You are stuck in a sealed environment/well, not knowing the outside "series" out there.
b) The recent series and not old ones, are MEGA OP MC focused
c) If you read chinese novels (raws) you could find easily more "diversity" (nah not the derogative america slang, the correct "diversity" one)
Movie director, variety show, time travel to the past, anime/manga creator (in another modern earth without the classics), sports, lawyer, dad plot, farming, fishing, etc etc list goes on

3) Reason of only having OP protags series now
is because of "modern taste"

You can say that Onepunch-man was a early sign of it
-----------If you check old series, there was something special to them but never THAT op.
Zach bell had a genius brain but overall random lambda schooler body MC
Steins gate was just a random chuuni university guy with a beard. Just that he had a passive to remember stuff between time changes.
Pokemon was just a random teen MC. Until he could tank fking laser beams, explosions, petrification to death, charges from 5tons animals etc
Fullmetal alchemist, beside the fact LIKE OTHER BLASPHEMERS(that seen god door guy) he can instant alchemy and a metal arm. He got nothing.
Re:zero. Not fan of it but MC was the most COMMON random guy.
To Aru majutsu. Again. Total normal guy. Beside his left hand that nullify powers. A random gun could kill him.
----------NOW
People dont have the timespan and curiosity to see the slow growth of a character.
To make it simple.
Look at McDonald popularity VS a random restaurant.
That easy to understand.
Its the dopamine, this quick drug to the brain that makes people like "OP MC" that have plot BE FAST.
Even me, that like slow stories, is beginning to be influenced and having hard time to stomach slow novels i find now.
Soda, games, mangas.
Its the fact that "pleasure" is FAST.
And why "school" is disliked. Because "pleasure/dopamine" isnt there and FAR TOO LONG to receive (big diploma > big job after XX years)

4)
You can say that basically, its like smut or FANTIA
Even if someone doesnt do smut or like writing slowplot or like drawing their favorite characters (niche one/side charac)
Seeing colleagues, getting all the attention, OR WORSE, ALL THE MONEY
then ofc they will switch to write/draw smut, annoyingly do FANTIA-paywalling, write fast food plot, draw popular characters that is buzzing (Stellar blade, Honkai, Genshin, MHA, Frieren, Konosuba, Spy family, etc)

Its the market fault. And the customers are the reason. And human nature.

There are "focused" people that never change, like example : Misaka Mikoto character, artists focusing on her despite no longer popular
but when they get 0 popularity, 0 likes (more like 50+), 0 comments. People would give up, but some dont.
Are they idiots ? Guess what. I would say no. But the majority of people would say Yes.

Some become successful thx to their skills and staying dedicated to this "niche/unpopular/previous characters"
but like Vtubers, and in every industry, the floor is full of "corpses". But everyone turn a blind eye to it. Because they dont care, nor know sometimes.
---You are one among thousands, dozen thousands, millions etc of "unpopular" creator.
Is it pitiful, yes. Do i feel bad for you, yes.
But sadly its the sad reality.
Its like the saying : Follow the times or be crushed by the times.
Its same for "market". Or creators follow the trend, surf on the wave trend. Or they will be crushed.

---Place & Time (crab eater logic)
SH is mostly focused on smut. Yuri/Futa. JP stuff. Isekai and fantasy.
Even the ex-number 1 SH series, "Slave harem". I am tired to repeat and others to hear me saying it, but the dude, directly BASHED/spit on the commenters that tried to help him "typo errors". Bc "its free", "not VIP readers-users of my own website", "Its PDF so its a pain to edit"
Its deleted now (his comments), but basically point is, be successful doesnt mean = be op creator.
In fact, "man of the house", "slave harem", had HORRIBLE flaws. That commenters criticized, only for author to double down "so what do you want me to do about it? you are dumb if you think MC can simply go kill the slave trader" (btw said slave trader, IN A TOTALLY DESERTED PLACE AND MC BE FAR STRONGER THAN HIM nor is there DETECTION or CORPSE READING or CRIME DETECTION magic, AND nearby TOWN EVEN ACCLAIMED HIM AS HERO)
But guess why THIS series was ex-number 1 popularity SH series ?
First smut series on SH. That simple.
It was trash. The MC sucked. The plot was KR bs of "drama behind dungeons". But it won bc SMUT. Harem smut. Nekomimi smut. SLAVE smut.
And yes its unfair for "good authors" or even "later smut authors with far better skills"

---Are all trends good ? No. NTR and social medias, are clearly bad. But the higher people wont bother to find solutions. Just like they dont give a f to pollution or other stuff. Or exposed of crimes. Just russia and "east big country" leader are big examples.

---Is it fine to follow what is popular ? Depends if the creator crave popularity.
Spy family was popular. Art spammed. Now no longer
Cyberpunk (rebecca) was popular ? Art spammed. Now no longer
Gyaru cosplay doll ? Rare art now
Gundam Suretta Miorine ? Had dozens of yuri futa ero fanfics on pixiv/week. Now not even 1/week or month.
Now creators are like migrating birds. They focus on what is CURRENTLY popular.
Because the "LIKES" addiction. Which (unlike before) can also result into "MONEY" (biggest motivation of all) is why people do it.
In fact, there is even "request oneshot writing" in pixiv. Creators get paid to write a oneshot of characters. AO3 writers too.
They simple like the popularity (AND corresponding money if they can)





The choice is now in your hands. In rome, do like the romans, or stay the same. One will lead to be included and the other will result to be ignored (unless a genius idea or miracle happens).
Which one is correct decision ?
Only the future, luck, your imagination and your (trusted) skills will tell.


TLDR : Its money fault.
Most problems, are due to money. In fact, even World peace would be achievable too if everyone had enough money.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I choose whomever I want to win the most.

 

[Thraben]

The protagonist (specific term: audience perspective character) is the person whose eyes, ears, and mind the story is most interesting viewed through, or whom pushes the narrative most effectively.

If they don't do these things, it usually means they're a 'false protagonist' or a 'disconnected perspective'. Climb/Gazef/Brain/Jircniv/Neia are many, many examples of the former in Overlord, Watson is a great example of the latter in many Sherlock Holms adaptations.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I decide what I want the protagonist to be before the story even gets a word. The protagonist must be interesting enough for me to want to write them. In a way, they are self-inserts but not the type I hate. I hate the cardboard protagonists. I understand people do that so readers will be able to insert whatever personality they want, but I find it boring. I will drop the story if the main character is boring.

 

[Y2N1]

Definitely the one who suffers the most.

 

[BetterNickPending]

I’ve noticed in a lot of novels, the protagonist is someone of either high status (rich/well known family), constantly told to be beautiful/smart, special personalized powers, or is blatantly overpowered. I suppose it’s a popular method in general but I personally never go off of this lol

I’ve noticed in my works (two of which were cancelled or never published. The other releasing in a week or so?), the protagonist is only chosen because I found their personality interesting. That’s really it.. They never are even the most powerful or special or unique character (probably in their friend group as well).

This has gone so far that in my latest work, literally none of the main characters (or good guys) have anything inherently special about them lol. They’re equivalent to lower class people and none of them individually are overpowered or really smart or anything.. I love their personalities and powers but i’m slightly worried that this won’t be received well since this seems uncommon in novels..

Good. Nature is healing.
We have epidemic of special and overpowered protagonists. To the point that it is lately almost impossible to find anything without protagonist with "cheat level abilities."

That said no one will want to read about a farm boy who dies of cold in chapter two.

Take for example Frodo and Sam. Yes Frodo had some money, but Sam was just a gardener. They had no special powers, magic, or in fact fighting abilities. They basically were carried by rest of the team for the first half of their journey. And had help and some luck during second half. But were heroes because despite all adversities they were pushing forward. Each of them could not complete mission on his own.

It is nice to find a book, comic, anime, series where protagonist has to struggle to survive not limit himself to not destroy the whole world.
Unfortunately beginnings can become deceiving and after you got invested in story MC becomes overpowered.
See the popular lately "solo levelling." I was so let down by it that could not manage to read the second half.

TLDR:
It is good to make your protagonists down to earth, just don't overdo it so they eat dirt all the time.