Write a Character the Vonnogut Style!

What was Kurt Vonnegut best at?  He could make you laugh at the darkest of situations, including events such as the Dresden fire bombing (which he lived through) and more.  But he also made you fall in love with his characters in a very peculiar way.

Vonnegut said in his 8 Basics of Creative Writing, "Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for. [...] Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of."

This makes sense, because what is plot in the first place?  It is a series of events leading up to a conclusion, and what makes the events interesting are not the parts where the character is feeling hunky doory, but the parts where the characters struggle.

Creative Writing Prompt:  Write a scene with a loveable character, someone easy to relate to, and then "Be a sadist".  Figure out your characters greatest achievement, want, desire or goal and take it away from them.  Put you character through a trying circumstance, and let us see what that character is made of.  Will he or she shrink and buckle under pressure, or will he gain more resolve, build upon his will power?

The point of this is simple, when writing a novel or otherwise long work, you might have the tendency to get very attached to your character, which is by no means a bad thing.  However, if you are unable to write their greatest fears manifest, or have a hard time writing them struggle through hatred, poverty, violence etc. then your writing will suffer for it.

Recommended Reading:
Slaugher-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut - I'm sure you saw this recommendation coming, but today I highly recommend reading Slaughter-House Five, Vonnegut's infamous story about the Dresden Bombing, and time travel, among other things.