I naturally write dark stories about people, usually women, who do unforgivable things. Because of this, my novels can make readers uncomfortable, as they offer no happy resolution to the protagonist’s dilemma.  I’ve always owned the darkness of my books. If someone complained, I’d say, “It’s okay if my stories aren’t for you.”

But lately I’ve been tempted to lighten up my characters. Not because I want to or because my characters are guiding me in that direction, but simply because some of my beta readers have suggested that I write stories that are more PG, more Hallmark.

A young girl should miss her father, they say. Grandmothers are supposed to be kind. People who commit crimes ought to turn themselves in.

I’m ashamed to say that on occasion, I’ve softened my character’s edges to please them. I’ve made my characters more likable, more relatable, more mentally healthy. But I’m pretty sure that toning them down hasn’t made them more memorable, interesting, or even more believable.

Several years ago, I attended a writing conference in Hawaii. One of the speakers, a successful writer, said that whenever he had to decide what his character was going to do next, he’d come up with something believable based on the character’s history, and then he’d have the character do the opposite. This response has stuck with me because in critique groups, members often point out believability issues. They say things like “so-and-so is too shy to star in a play, to run for political office, to introduce himself to that bombshell.”

But I say this… don’t we all act out of character from time to time? And aren’t unpredictable people much more compelling both in life and in novels? Besides, what’s so wrong about making readers uncomfortable? It’s when we’re most uncomfortable that we learn and grow.

So, am I going to make my moody characters more normal and happier? No. I’m going to double down and make them even edgier and darker. Will this make pitching to libraries, bookstores, and a segment of the general population more difficult? Probably. But whoever said being a writer was easy?

Thanks for reading. What are your thoughts on writing characters who do the unexpected? Do you attempt to please your beta readers or do you, more often than not, follow your gut?