Feeling bad for your character?

[Mariax]

I do not enjoy writing (or reading) stories that are overly cruel to their characters. I understand the genre but there is definitely a line for me. One of the reasons I started writing was because many of the stories I read went too far, and I realized if I wanted something more vanilla I would have to write it myself. I imagine there are those who will find my stories too tame to enjoy, but I am my own audience and I know what I like.

Many of my protagonists are exhibitionists for this reason. Whether eager or shy or circumstantial, they secretly enjoy their predicament, or come to by the end. But they also tend to bite off more than they can chew, and a little bit of mischief turns into a long ordeal. Some of my characters are more reluctant, but at the end of the day they are merely embarrassed. Their lives aren't ruined and tomorrow they'll be fine.

Yes there is no one right way to do it. The more variety in styles and severity of the situation, the better.

[Uro]

Technically. Yes. But I rather they deserve it yet not be so confident to start off with. Perhaps not overtly mean to everyone, but basically an evil brat who gets worse than they've done to others, but still deserves it anyway for what theycd have done to the genuinely innocent.