Zany, mean, and stupid characters can be really funny, but it’s easy to go over the top and make them impossible, and once that happens I don’t enjoy the book as much. The strange thing is that oftentimes these kinds of people actually exist – they really are that stupid. I’ve known a few, but if I shared some of their words and deeds with you, you’d never believe me. You’d spend the whole book rolling your eyes and saying “come on!” So I can never write about them, because it just wouldn’t be believable, and therefore it wouldn’t be funny. I admire writers who are able to capture zaniness and stupidity without going over the top – it can’t be easy.
(Of course, in some genres, it’s ok. In science fiction, for example, characters can be as insane as you want – you don’t need to worry about suspension of disbelief. But in chick lit, when readers usually want to relate to the book, you have to be more careful.)
Well, honestly there are really books with that kind of characters that are impossible to relate to. It’s hard to find a heroine that you wouldn’t call as over-imagined or poorly writen. 🙂