Writing the main character of your story with limitations he/she cannot overcome

[Chaaruzu_Corner]

I'm talking about an MC that is not powerful. It's also not weak at first then grows stronger or is it about an underdog that gets stronger through hardwork and determination.

No I'm talking about writing a main character where there are things that he/she cannot do no matter how hard they try. She is physically weak and sickly, and also has some mental problems as well such as a form of panic attack and so forth, and adding in a little bit of self esteem issues. Imagine writing a character like that, oh wait I am right now.

Personally speaking it's great so far, it's really nice and fun writing the main character to have limited options of what he or she can do on her own, and need to have other characters supporting her because she genuinely needs it, rather then the MC being able to do everything on their own. Although I do like that type of MC it feels nice to have a change of pace lol. But yeah, what do you guys think?

Of course in the future the MC will be able to overcome them but she is in no way will be someone that's perfect at everything at the end.

But yeah, cheeky sentence here but if your wondering who that character is it's Arianne from my story Reborn to be a Villainess, I Despise Everyone :P

 

[RepresentingWrath]

It highly depends on the definitions of those words you use. If an mc isn't smart and relies on someone smarter, is it a limitation? If an mc has a different specialization or education, to solve something or do a job, the mc asks others does it count as a limitation? Or it doesn't count? Then, did you mean that the mc must be handicapped in one way or another?

 

[BenJepheneT]

It highly depends on the definitions of those words you use. If an mc isn't smart and relies on someone smarter, is it a limitation? If an mc has a different specialization or education, to solve something or do a job, the mc asks others does it count as a limitation? Or it doesn't count? Then, did you mean that the mc must be handicapped in one way or another?

i'd say that it's limitations imposed by the story's plot/theme that prevents the character from achieving a satisfying conclusion in regards to the context of said story. let's say that we're reading a story regarding the horrors of war, and that the message being put out there is war bad. the MC has a limitation he can't overcome, in which he's a raging psychopath so psychologically torn by war that he can't put down his rifle. any opposition can't be met with compromise but with absolute violence, as it's the only way he's seen work in his days.

that is just a hypothetical example. judging from OP's OP, I think he meant what he said in a broad sense. so if you're in a story about enjoying the little things in life but MC's too much of an obsessive brainiac to see it, then yeah that's probably a limitation.

I'm currently writing one myself. the story's context goes that my MC's born in a literal dog-eat-dog society. he's born with strength in which he doesn't want, but is sadly unable to get rid of it and unfortunately, is forced to become adept with it or else it's death for him. there's just something about him that people can't leave him alone. to that society, he's an outcast, a pacifist in a warzone. he manages to escape and move out to a different society with different, more peaceful cultures; a society of pacifists. however, that society's outcasts manages to sniff him out, and thus engages in a cycle my MC wants no part in. his strength literally serves as a cockblock against his goals.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

i'd say that it's limitations imposed by the story's plot/theme that prevents the character from achieving a satisfying conclusion in regards to the context of said story. let's say that we're reading a story regarding the horrors of war, and that the message being put out there is war bad. the MC has a limitation he can't overcome, in which he's a raging psychopath so psychologically torn by war that he can't put down his rifle. any opposition can't be met with compromise but with absolute violence, as it's the only way he's seen work in his days.

that is just a hypothetical example. judging from OP's OP, I think he meant what he said in a broad sense. so if you're in a story about enjoying the little things in life but MC's too much of an obsessive brainiac to see it, then yeah that's probably a limitation.

I'm currently writing one myself. the story's context goes that my MC's born in a literal dog-eat-dog society. he's born with strength in which he doesn't want, but is sadly unable to get rid of it and unfortunately, is forced to become adept with it or else it's death for him. there's just something about him that people can't leave him alone. to that society, he's an outcast, a pacifist in a warzone. he manages to escape and move out to a different society with different, more peaceful cultures; a society of pacifists. however, that society's outcasts manages to sniff him out, and thus engages in a cycle my MC wants no part in. his strength literally serves as a cockblock against his goals.

Oh, that sounds like a hard thing to pull off.

 

[BenJepheneT]

Oh, that sounds like a hard thing to pull off.

it's not that hard when you just pin down the point of your story. say for example, it's a story about grief and loss, but the story goes that the MC's way of dealing with his grief is by causing it to others. to write an MC with limitations he can't overcome, just find out what your story wants to do, and make the MC do the opposite. simpler example, a harem building story, but the MC is a dumbass rock who can't see a hint to save his life oh wait

 

[RepresentingWrath]

it's not that hard when you just pin down the point of your story. say for example, it's a story about grief and loss, but the story goes that the MC's way of dealing with his grief is by causing it to others. to write an MC with limitations he can't overcome, just find out what your story wants to do, and make the MC do the opposite. simpler example, a harem building story, but the MC is a dumbass rock who can't see a hint to save his life oh wait

Yeah, I meant it's hard to write this well. Everything is easy when you look into the basics, rules, etc. When it comes down to actually writing, I find this theme a more problematic one. Mainly because of my own worldview.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

I'm talking about an MC that is not powerful. It's also not weak at first then grows stronger or is it about an underdog that gets stronger through hardwork and determination.

No I'm talking about writing a main character where there are things that he/she cannot do no matter how hard they try. She is physically weak and sickly, and also has some mental problems as well such as a form of panic attack and so forth, and adding in a little bit of self esteem issues. Imagine writing a character like that, oh wait I am right now.

Personally speaking it's great so far, it's really nice and fun writing the main character to have limited options of what he or she can do on her own, and need to have other characters supporting her because she genuinely needs it, rather then the MC being able to do everything on their own. Although I do like that type of MC it feels nice to have a change of pace lol. But yeah, what do you guys think?

Of course in the future the MC will be able to overcome them but she is in no way will be someone that's perfect at everything at the end.

But yeah, cheeky sentence here but if your wondering who that character is it's Arianne from my story Reborn to be a Villainess, I Despise Everyone :P

Yeah none of my characters are all that perfect and powerful, but they solve things with drugs so they dont have to be.
Your enemies can be as OP as they want, but throw some coke on them and they're too busy tweaking to do anything.
....wait. That might end up being very bad.
Eh.
Whatever.
Let everyone die, then.

 

[Nahrenne]

I'm talking about an MC that is not powerful. It's also not weak at first then grows stronger or is it about an underdog that gets stronger through hardwork and determination.

No I'm talking about writing a main character where there are things that he/she cannot do no matter how hard they try. She is physically weak and sickly, and also has some mental problems as well such as a form of panic attack and so forth, and adding in a little bit of self esteem issues. Imagine writing a character like that, oh wait I am right now.

Personally speaking it's great so far, it's really nice and fun writing the main character to have limited options of what he or she can do on her own, and need to have other characters supporting her because she genuinely needs it, rather then the MC being able to do everything on their own. Although I do like that type of MC it feels nice to have a change of pace lol. But yeah, what do you guys think?

Of course in the future the MC will be able to overcome them but she is in no way will be someone that's perfect at everything at the end.

But yeah, cheeky sentence here but if your wondering who that character is it's Arianne from my story Reborn to be a Villainess, I Despise Everyone :P

My MC's limitation is that they're a contracted crystal beast in a land that is ruled by humans. They can't speak to the humans, nor go far away from their master.
It's actually quite fun with this limitation because the humans can be having conversations in front of them while the MC is mouthing off about - or to - them without them even realising it.
My MC is also quite narcissistic and believes that they are more intelligent and knowledgeable than the humans, despite the fact that the MC is incredibly naïve and a glutton - easily swayed by food.

X

 

[Underload]

Ans to the eg.: Make him accidentally kill his wife in the war. Take his memory. Ingrain the thought: They killed her. make a character that knows. There you go.

 

[Biggest-Kusa-Out-There]

I went for an MC that literally sucks with sciences in a world where the magic system has complex formulas/is highly scientific. She has trouble at first even when reading the time, and her number management is dubious af, to the point she fucks up how old she is on numerous occations. She's a really good artist, tho, lol.
She also has a crippling fear of heights, and has two OP skills that require her to jump REALLY HIGH, so she's just not going to use them in a long while because of this, even though nothing will happen to her because of her level of power. Phobias are just that way.
She also has aracnophobia, and reeeally dislikes bugs and bad hygiene.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

My MC (me in a nutshell) knows her limitations at the start of the story and just says no when she doesn't want to do something. On the flip side, she is very good at saying yes when she sees an opportunity. This has confused some of my reviewers on writing.com because she seems like a contradiction to them.

 

[Emi_the_Fairy]

Reminds me of the MC of a story I'm letting simmer until I nail some more stuff.

Basically, the MC is a girl abducted into an alien society where her socialization on Earth causes her immense problems while also being confronted by the beings who tried to abduct her. Like OP said, she eventually reaches the point where she can meet those challenges, but its a long arc for her to get to that point, and my initial plans keep her very weak in the face of intense threats.
She has issues like wanting to be self-sufficient, having hang ups with tech, not being combative, etc.

 

[Mysticant]

A MC with an unsurmountable limitation would hinder the wish-fulfillment reader experience to some extent. It is something to work with, but not my real cup of tea. I would rather bump up my side characters and villains than forcefully cripple my MC unless I have a decent plot for him/her. Well my MC has his own limitations which will be turned into strengths I guess. Not through physical growth but rather through the maturation of thought.

 

[AliceShiki]

I like characters with real limitations for sure!

Like, my current RP character is blind... And well, she's not ever going to stop being blind. Having to write about a blind character is pretty fun alright~

And the character for the story I'm writing is a commoner child and she is due to some circumstances dealing with nobles, and well... She is just a child, and a commoner to boot, so she can't really do anything on her own, nor disobey anyone around her... She's pretty limited in her range of actions because of that... It's fun~