So, I was just wondering, when does a MC cross the line of being too whiny for you? And how does the MC having depression or a lack of will to live change your answer? My MC has both those issues I said and I personally don't think he's annoying or anything with it (I have researched writing depressed characters) but I'm a bit worried that others who don't know him as well as I do will think he's annoying, whiny, etc. He isn't supposed to be a whiny character, just someone who can't handle the difficulty of his life. (FYI he does let up a bit later on, not completely, but some. It's just more so in the beginning of the story that he may come off as whiny)(FYI2 its a 1st person story, in case that changes anything)
Having even only absently browsed a lot of fandom content, I think this is something you'd get a lot of differing opinions on. I mean, I've seen people condemn a character as too whiny for - off the top of my head - 1) being a fourteen y/o [those bastions of emotional stability] whose only parent just suddenly died, and 2) having a bit of a breakdown after being gaslit by her husband, raped, wrongfully admitted to a psych ward for months, and forced to give birth. To me, because of that, it quickly falls into "can't please everyone" territory and I just go with my own judgement. I think people will call a character 'whiny' because they just don't like them for whatever reason, therefore they don't care about whatever problems the character has. That said: I think to me a character is too whiny when what they're talking/complaining about demonstrates their sense of entitlement. Think Dudley Dursley whining about only getting sixteen presents when last year he got seventeen. Or when it's a problem with a straightforward solution that they just don't want to do - eg, me whining about having to eat ice cream out of mug because I haven't bothered to wash any bowls This is where things get ... uncomfortable, let's say, when it comes to both people and characters with mental illnesses. Because to people without them, the problems that they cause can seem quite fabricated: "Just perk up, just stop worrying about it" etc. Too often characters portrayed to have mental illnesses are regarded as 'whiny' because factions of their audience can't relate / don't view these as 'real' problems. I don't really have a blanket solution for that. Maybe someone else does, and I'd love to hear it! Until then, my primary advice would be to accept the fact that you're not going to please everyone. Some folks will think he's whiny, and that's fine. Beyond that, I'd say focus on how your character feels - try to make the reader at least sympathize, if they can't empathize, with the fact that the character genuinely feels that he's not overreacting, and everything he's experiencing honestly seems as dire to him as he's making it out to be. For him, these are the appropriate emotional responses. I also think a dose of self-awareness on the character's part helps, to let the reader know that, yeah, he's right there with'em - he gets that he's being irrational and he doesn't like it either, and may even find himself whiny, but it doesn't make the feelings stop.
I don't like whiny MCs. The MC is the reader's viewpoint into the plot, and if they lose respect for the MC the story ends. Looking at pop culture (movies, TV) and best-selling novels, people like to read about winners, not losers. A perfect example is Tyrwin in Game of Thrones (the books, not the series). He is dealt a bad hand at every turn, fails periodically, but he never gives up. Books or HBO, everyone loves him. A writer has to make his own choices, though.
also depression doesnt make you whiny .... people who go on and on about how they are sooooooooo depresssssedddd are generally just a bit sad. People with real depression often try to hide it, it also makes it hard to give a shit about anything and when you don't care you don't whine
I wouldn't have much sympathy for this, either, but my annoyance could probably be lessened if there was something else about this character that helped lighten the load. Like, if his whining is genuinely funny. Like, Stephen Wright style gloominess. Or if he really, really does have a lot weighing him down and is really trying to get past it but just keeps failing... But if he just sits around and bitches? Annoying, plus really no story, right?
For me, a"whiny" MC would only be annoying if that's the only thing that stands out about him/her. For example, a depressed alcoholic could be a boring, annoying read, but if that character combines that with a very dark sense of humour stemming from his moods, it can be an interesting read. Since I know there's more than just that gloomy side, I would still get invested in that character. Of course, there has to be some kind of evolution/growth throughout the story. If it's clear from the start that the char is going nowhere and will remain the same from cover to cover, any character would probably annoy me eventually. It's all about complexity, action-reaction and character growth, I guess. At the moment, I am writing about a fourteen y/o, spineless boy without will or vision, but his natural curiosity, as well as the way in which events shape him throughout the plot is what I find will make him an interesting read.
I would define whininess as openly self-centered, expressing self-pity or petty grievances such as complaining about long lines at the grocery store, or getting passed-over for promotions at work. Since you are writing in first person, I think a little whininess is expected, and probably a good thing. First person affords a glimpse into the psyche of the narrator, or in this case, your MC. A little whininess should give some authenticity to the story. There are basically two kinds of people -- those who openly whine, and those with the compunction to fake not whining. We all want more than we get, but we also want to be esteemed by our peers, hence, the skillful fakery of not whining. I never, ever whine... unless I'm writing first person. Then I whine a lot.
