With some novelists, the girl always goes for the mysterious bad boy. In others, it's the fairytale happy ending with prince charming. In others, it's the carefree one who doesn't take orders from anyone. And I'm stuck in the middle not knowing who to choose! In my YA fantasy novel, the MC is an Unseelie Changeling. She was raised by humans and acts as the twin of a human girl. So she doesn't have any of the evil tendencies of the Unseelie Court just yet. I know she'll end up with someone at the end. I'm just not sure if I want her to go for the Seelie guy, an Unseelie guy, or the Phooka who doesn't subscribe to either Court. It's stereotypical for the girl to go for the bad boy or the carefree guy. I don't often see them choosing the good guy hardly at all! But I also don't want to force her hand, either. I want her to pick for herself. I'm just afraid of hating my own story when she does choose someone. I don't know how to keep that from happening! Can anyone tell me of the pros and cons from each one, in your own opinions? I'm interested in knowing what everyone thinks.
How about the guy who seems completely uniterested in her, maybe even a bit cruel, but is always there when the chips are down. Meanwhile the hero type and the "bad boy" are vying for her attention, and driving her nuts because she's attracted to them both. I won't make any assumptions about which character is which.
Confession: I'm a total sucker for the mysterious bad boy. As a psych major, I don't really know what that says about me.
Cog, that was pretty insightful! Thanks everyone for your suggestions. The MC in YA very very rarely goes for the friend type. Cruelly honest at times, can't help his nature, but he is there for her when the chips are down. I also have an idea of where she can meet him. This has been extremely helpful to me. Thanks again! I feel inspired. I knew all of you could help.
Personally, I think stories are a bit more interesting if there's more than one love interest. Kinda keeps the reader on their toes because they don't know who the MC will end up with when it's all said and done. Inuyasha was like that with its main love triangle and it made the story that much deeper. But that's just my suggestion.
A mysterious person is like an unwrapped gift -- it may hold any quality you can imagine, and most people prefer to imagine it's something intangibly perfect. Just hope it doesn't suck when you open it
Get to know all the characters involved, their motives, their goals and dreams, then throw them together and get writing. You don't need to know who the MC ends up with right at the start. Let them mingle and interact through the events of your story, and by the end you should know who your MC is going for. Even though all the love interests could be reduced to a stereotype, they should be characterized deeply enough that ending up with any of them seems plausible and "uncliche". (Unless, of course, you want her to end up with just one from the start. If that's the case, that guy will naturally come to look a whole lot better than the others.) Whatever you go with, make it feel real!
