My Love for Desperate Characters
April Book Talk
As a reader who crisscrosses genres, tropes, and book interests, I have found one common theme in the books I love and those that are just okay: complete and utter desperation for someone or something. The more desperate the main character(s) are, the better.
Just like desperate people, desperate characters act and speak in ways they wouldn’t have allowed in another life where all their needs are being met. The Scam Goddess podcast, hosted by Laci Mosely, calls this the desperation meter. The higher your desperation, the more likely you are to entertain offers you would have previously disregarded, talk to people you would have walked past, and grasp at the tiniest bit of hope when presented.
So, why do I love desperate characters? Because they create the best stories! They are driven to do something, anything, to change their circumstances. Think of your favorite book and consider the main character.
They were most likely desperate for
Love
Community
Success
Acknowledgement
Money
Adventure
Peace
Or a hundred other things!
Their journey to fill their unfulfilled needs led you through an engaging and complicated journey that kept you satisfied from the beginning to the end of their story. Regardless of genre, desperate characters are everywhere, and I can’t wait to read more of their stories and enjoy how their messy lives unfold.
Looking for your next favorite book? Check out some of my favorite desperate characters!
Read this romance if you are looking for characters desperate for love and success.
Death of the Author by Nnedi Oforafor
Read this science fiction novel if you are looking for characters desperate for acceptance and connection.
Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby
Read this crime fiction novel if you looking for characters desperate for money and adventure.
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