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June 4, 2025 20 mins

Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re reacting to Carl Duncan’s video, “5 Signs You Wrote an Unlikable Character” through the lens of writing unforgettable characters in fantasy (and we're only addressing 3 of them so you can check out the other two and support his channel!) Whether you’re crafting morally gray heroes, tragic villains, or chaotic-neutral scene-stealers, we’re breaking down what likability really means in a genre built on prophecy, politics, and peril.

Here's a link to Carl's full video, where you can also subscribe to his channel.

Want your question about fantasy writing featured on the show? Email your advice prompt to fantasywritingforbarbarians@gmail.com or join our Discord and let us know what's on your mind.

Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni, author of The Pixar TheoryKillerjoy, and more. Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here.

Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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