Good guys are boring
Are you writing a novel or a short story and trying to work out the details of your character?
Or, perhaps you’re in a relationship with a good guy and wondering why you thinking of dumping them. You’re not alone!
Good guys are typically seen as boring.
It may be because they don’t like to take risks, or perhaps because they don’t challenge the norms of society.
The truth is that generally no one is attracted to nice guys. Or not?
The issue with good guys
Good guys don’t have to be boring!
In fact, many good guys aren’t boring. The key is to understand what constitutes good.
- Good as an adjective– to be desired of or approved of
- Good as a noun – righteousness
There is little doubt that a righteous man should be desirable. They put others first, are caring and compassionate. But, they are unlikely to take any risks or enjoy some adventure. In short, you’re going to find this type of good guy boring.
But, the good guy that is to be desired or approved of has more room to maneuver. They can accept the current rules but be prepared to break them because they are fundamentally good, but realistic.
Realism and good guys
That’s the fundamental difference. A good guy that always seeks the moral high ground is hard to cope with. They are rigid in their approach to rules, even if these rules can be detrimental to them and their family.
But, a realistic good guy lives with those rules and bends them where necessary. They are not afraid to push the boundaries and have an adventure.
At the same time, they will not unnecessarily break the rules, although there may be times when this is necessary. That’s a regular good guy that you can create a story around.
You should also consider the fact that many great guys have lewd and licentious desires. These remain hidden from the average person and don’t stop them from being a good guy.
A great example of this is the Fifty Shades trilogy. Christian Gray appears to be a good guy with a successful business. But, he certainly isn’t boring. He knows how to get what he wants and he has significant flaws that were developed during his upbringing.
The Bad Guy
In contrast, the bad guy is someone who has no regard for rules, they are happy to do anything and try anything without regard for the consequences. It makes them seem appealing and adventurous. You’re guaranteed to find excitement, risk, and danger around a bad guy.
However, in the long term, this becomes a less appealing concept as the bad guy doesn’t have time for others and can’t build functioning relationships.
As a character in your novel, the bad guy is likely to be thrilling but ultimately their nature is one of self-interest.
This drives the reader to dislike them and wants them to fail.
Making good guys appealing with a novel writing software
When drafting a novel you need to appreciate that every person is flawed.
The best flaws are those that affect personality and are invisible to most. They drive people, often resulting in their good or bad guy image. It’s the resolution of those flaws that makes the good guy, and the bad guy, appeal to your reader.
That’s why the bad guy can become the good guy, and vice versa.
If you’re concerned about how to keep track of all this then bibisco has you covered. The novel planning software helps you create plotlines and maintain the story chapter by chapter. But, it also excels at character building.
You are not just listing characteristics. The secret to developing characters is to use the interview technique, you can use the bibisco novel writing software to do this.
By adopting this approach you’ll ask your character questions and note the answers. It will build a complete picture of them and their flaws, allowing you to develop the novel and stay in character throughout.
Conclusion
A completely good guy is boring.
They will look after you and do their best to serve the needs of the community. It’s simply human nature to find anything that is too perfect boring.
But, good guys can be exciting if they are prepared to challenge the boundaries and you are prepared to show their hidden flaws.
After all, the flaws make them more appealing and reflect that good guys don’t have to be boring, they also have issues that need to be dealt with.
