So I’m writing a story and as you can see in the title I want to use negative character development. Most people empathise that character development is really important for a character, but I honestly don’t want that to happen in my story. The MC’s will go through a lot of trauma and since they’re mentally unstable, naive, impulsive and immature teens I kinda think that their actions and experiences will fuck them up. I could give them a good ending while they grow as a person since growing as a person is important, but I honestly don’t see any character development in the story, quite the opposite actually. So I wanted to know if it’s bad if I let them be unstable and immature since I honestly don’t see a reason on why they should grow if their experience traumatised them. And if it is a good idea to give them negative character development, how do I do it?
I personally like it more, cause in every single story he always changes for her. I like it better e when he remains who he actually is. Idk if you get me:)
ouu…
pm me when your story comes out… i’d love to read it 
same!!
Oh I definitely get what you’re saying! It’s nice to know that someone will like it! It’s also a horror or mystery I’m not so sure what the genre is yet so the romance but won’t be THAT important, but it’ll definitely be there.
I will! It’ll probably take a while before I’ll publish it since I just started it and I want it to be perfect before I publish, but I’ll let you know!
I really love that idea! I think its realistic to add negative development since not everyone changes for the better straight away. You can definitely show a downward spiral and perhaps use a particular experience somewhere in the book as the biggest factor in the character becoming self-aware and trying to feel/act better.
I agree with everyone’s advice! The only thing I’d like to add is to be careful when developing your characters. Try to write in a manner that doesn’t promote or romanticize their problematic behavior. Good luck!
Yeah I need to be really careful when it comes to that. I’ll also include stuff like murder and I definitely don’t want to portray it as something quirky cause the MC’s do it. That’s why I want to add trauma and make them “lose their mind” if that makes sense. I’ve never murdered someone so I don’t know what it feels like, but if naive teens get blackmailed to murder it’ll definitely mess with their heads.
That’s good advice! I wasn’t sure if i wanted to improve their behaviour in the ending since I want to give it an open ending, but awareness seems really good. I think that that’ll happen a while after all the drama and trauma happened.
yeah agreed! don’t make certain behaviours seem okay and acceptable, instead show how this negative behaviour affects relationships and people around them. For instance, if an LI is controlling and mean, don’t make that behaviour seem acceptable or romantic - it should be an issue that the MC doesn’t like, and doesn’t think that she can ‘change’ him for the better!
Well there’s always going to be one reader that finds the character development negative because no one thinks the same, obviously. Depends on what topic though
Oh i’m pretty sure that everyone will find the character development in my story negative. It isn’t really my goal to make them grow as a person, so they kinda just “fall” if that makes sense? They won’t become a better person. They might be more mature, but they’re heavily traumatized and they’ll be more “on the edge”.
idk but it’s completely up to you. this is your story
Haha thanks!
np!
As long as it was intentionally done and well written, I love reading it. It’s interesting, especially since it’s different from what you usually see.
Since it’s fun to read, it sometimes makes me love the character even more lol.
As long as your characters change and learn whether how they change and what they learn is “good” or “bad,” then I personally think it’s fine.