Do Protagonists Need To Be Likeable?

How humor cuts this hero down, making him hard to love.

Will readers stop turning pages if they don’t like the main character?

This question of needing a protagonist to be likable was discussed recently by some of my writing colleagues, prompting me to look at this concept a little deeper.

The argument makes sense on its face—a reader or viewer will follow a hero’s journey if they like that main character. Who…