Agatha's Guide to Character Writing

Male Characters: The Perfect, Macho, Non-realistic Male Archetype

Every time I read of someone’s love interest on this site, I realise that there is this strange archetype we all create (it’s something I am guilty of as well).

The reason behind this is summed up nicely by Wattpad author Cataclysm in the forum thread ‘Writers! Where are all the ugly people? (characters that is).

“Writers use attractive people with not many flaws because that's what readers like to read about.”

Okay, but isn’t it still a bit weak, character wise. I believe a good character attempts to branch out or break the stereotypes that may surround them. These stereotypes can be due to religion, race, gender or any number of things. Readers may like to read this archetype but as a character if he’s only good point is his six pack then I don’t think he’s worth a dime.

This male archetype is just not fair to males, like texts that fail the Bechdel test are not fair to females. The archetype creates such an unrealistic situation. All the men I know do not fit this archetype and it would be nice if characters who are realistic, return to more stories on here.

However this archetype can be acceptable to some degree, there are men out there who are that outrageously good looking, but you have to be creative with it. You could have the standard macho-man who’s a jerk high school story, but make it everyone knows his a jerk and he can’t get a date and has self-esteem issues, I have a friend like that, hid all his self-esteem behind faux pas muscles, and trust me he had pretty low self-esteem.

What I just want to say is this archetype sucks, if all you make them are shallow jerks, something had to make them that way and nobody is that shallow.

A/N: Probably going to rewrite this chapter, watch this space.