I’m reading Treasure Island and noticed that the main character, Jim Hawkins, has something in common with my favorite protagonist, Stephanie Plum. Each character has almost no expertise in the main conflict in the story. Treasure Island is about boats and pirates. Jim worked in his parents Inn in the country. Stephanie Plum is a novice bounty hunter with little physical strength or background in fugitive apprehension. Both have plenty of zeal and not a lot of brains for the task at hand.
Why is this important?
The characters allow the reader to follow along in a journey of discovery. The reader follows knowing that mistakes will be made and wrong turns will be followed. We give a little more suspension of disbelief and we don’t argue about their incorrect choices. Sometimes we might even laugh.
Compare this to novels where the protagonist is supposed to be one of the best at his job: a lawyer, a spy, a medical doctor, a shrink. The actions of these characters must be precise, effective, and brilliant. I haven’t read too many of these types of stories that are funny which is what I’m writing.
I have chosen my protagonist to be a master at one area of technology but the rest of the characters in the story take her to other areas she knows little about. At times she will be brilliant (and not funny) but mostly she will be out of her technology area of expertise (and funny).