3 Reasons Readers Aren't Connecting with Your Characters

We've all been there. We spend so much time perfecting our character's backstory, pondering whether their favorite color is amaranth or lapis lazuli. Definitely too much time deciding how many siblings they have and their entire family tree going up five generations.

To be blunt, none of that matters. I mean, really, when is your reader going to care that your character only drinks coffee on the third friday of the month at precisely 2:51 in the afternoon? Psst, you'll be waiting a long time before the average reader gives a single thought to these oddly specific traits you've given your character.

Unless it is vital to the story—and I mean really vital—it's not that important. Not only that but it could possibly stop any connection between your reader and your character. But what if these oddities are important to your story and your readers still aren't vibing with your protagonist? Well, let me tell you why.

1. You aren't traumatizing your character enough.

   Traumatizing might be a strong word, but your character has to go through it for it to be relatable to your readers. A good character might have had a difficulty to overcome, but a truly great character has to go through way more than one adversity. It's just the way life is. Life batters people up in real life, and it's your job as a writer to make sure your character isn't getting off easy until the satisfying conclusion of your story.

   
   

2. Your character is too perfect.

   Flaws are everything in a character. No one in real life is flawless, and readers will resonate more with a character that has a few realistic flaws or shortcomings. Don't be afraid to humanize your characters. Another great way to do this is through tics or little behaviors they perform subconsciously. Readers love seeing a protagonist that is complex or has markers that make them stand out against all the other protagonists they have read about.

   
   

3. Finally, your character's motivations are unclear.

   Let's face it: even characters meant to be evil or unlikable need to have a motivation that makes sense for their development throughout the story. Motivation is key to keeping your reader interested in your character because it gives them a way to understand any actions your character takes. The motivation can be corrupt or pure, self-serving or altruistic, but it has to make sense. Ultimately, your readers are the ones judging whether a character is in the right or wrong side of a story, so don't make it confusing by jumbling their motivations.

We've all been there where a character just doesn't hit with readers as much as we, the writer, want them to. It's not a slight against your writing at all, and it really does have quite an easy fix. When in doubt, throw another obstacle for your character to try to figure out. Making sure you don't make these simple mistakes will elevate your character and make your readers resonate more with your story.