Why Emotionally broken characters in stories?.

Blade runner 2049

Pain, suffering, loss, all of these are common among the characters I’ve written. Not every character is heartbroken but something is missing within them. The silence they surround themselves with. But why give so much pain to them and write a happy character?

A character build with precision and a deep arc is often considered a great Lead, those who lack aren’t these things aren’t as memorable as them. And that’s a very big reason too why there are many characters with suffering in their life, but there is more to it.

EMOTIONAL CONNECTION

A person in reality isn’t always happy. We have external problems like illness, social issues, physical issues, and we also have internal problems like guilt, trauma, anxiety, fear. Sometimes when you aren’t facing any issues from outside there is still so much going on inside.

Internal problems are inevitable. Each one of us has and will feel emptiness inside and people who help us with them are close to us. That’s the same reason why broken characters are usually more memorable to us because we connect with their feelings. Situations can be different but the feeling is what makes us love them.

REALISIM

Since problems are inevitable, they aren’t in your control. You can’t prevent them but you can solve them. By this logic, the more you make a character face these unpredictable challenges the more you bring your story closer to reality.

The world in your story doesn’t have to be real, but the feelings and moments needs to be.

For example: Your story might have a fantasy world where anything is possible but it still can’t be free from unwanted challenges, which is the real aspect in your story.

Realism brings us closer to stories. Like The Great Gatsby novel, Forrest Gump film, Full Metal Alchemist manga and FMAB anime. All of these stories have emotions in their story, unwanted problems, challenges in characters life which brings them stand out to us.

PERSONAL CONNECTION

Great characters don’t just have random problems, the complications in their life are relatable to us and that’s because of the writers.

When you are writing you don’t just give your characters random things to worry about instead you give them struggle related to your actual life. That way, if even you enhanced or added to the problems their base is still linked to your reality.

The more you attach your character with yourself the more you will be able to give emotional depth to them. Nobody likes random burden instead something personal, closer to them, that’s what they like.

That’s why while writing, don’t just write because you find any idea cool but how much emotionally you are connected to it. Your connection to the story is what brings out the best from them. You want them to be memorable.

Write as you are writing yourself, but better.