How To Write Character Flaws

How To Write Character Flaws

One of the most important aspects when writing a character are flaws since flaws increase reader immersion, reader investment, and the overall compelling energy of a story.

Flaws are necessary in creating character arcs where either these initial problems are improved or exacerbated.

Despite the fact that flaws are important, writers can struggle with how to seemlessly incorperate flaws within their characters in an interesting and natural way without just feeling like they're throwing bad traits in randomly.

Here we go!

A) All Character Traits Are Both Flaws And Strengths

Flaws are often dark reflections of the positive qualities identified in an individual.

If your lover is a strong and determined person then you are also likely dating someone who is stubborn.

If your friend is emotional and caring then they're also overly sensitive.

This is due to the fact that flaws are really just character strengths taken to their logical extreme. As the saying goes "the dose makes the poison". An excessive amount of carelessness, curiousity, love, emotion, confidence, and every single virtue inevitably results in personality defects.

You most likely have your character's strengths somewhat laid out whether these strengths be open-mindedness, kindness, determined, and anything else.

Taking these strengths to their logical extreme, you will often find flaws such as naivety, savior complex, stubborness, and other such flaws.

B) Whether Something Is A Strength Or A Flaw Depends On Context

Character A is trusting and Character B is distrusting.

Let's put them in the situation of meeting someone in order to illustrate how both character's defining traits could be their downfall depending on who this character is.

If this "someone" is a helpful individual, then Character B's flaw of distrust create unnecessary discorse within the group and could drive away this positive influence.

If this "someone" is a manipulative someone, then Character A's trusting nature harms the group as it allows someone harmful to enter.

Whether or not a character's actions are perceived as beneficial or harmful depends on if the result is good or bad for the character's goal.

This means that when you are presented with a character who seemingly has no flaws, what you can do is create situations where these good actions result in bad results.

An open-minded character might accidentally walk face first into a cult because they were too accepting of the weird activities

A kind character might cause their allies to become overly dependent on the individual's generosity

A determined character might be so obsessed with succeeding at this specific task that they fail to see the bigger picture and the more effective solution

I "invented" the concept of an internal rhythm to describe how various aspects of character from their beliefs, background, companions, emotions, and everything harmonize together to form a character's orchestral melody. Their identity.

Afterall, it's not just emotions, or thoughts, or beginnings, or companions, or any singular thing that makes us "us". it's the coalescence of all of these aspects.

How To Write Non-Human Characters

From @startheoverseer we have a question about both me and writing!

Here is the quote: "Have you ever written from the perspectives of characters who aren't human and think/perceive the world differently than humans? If so, do you enjoy it? Any recommendations to make it feel more accurate or interesting?"

The structure for this post will be in the same formatting as the question. First, I'll address my perspective and experience and then i'll give some writing advice.

A) My Own Writing Experience

I've definitely written from the perspective of characters who are either biologically inhuman or who perceive the world through a non-standard path. I've written biblical angels, aliens, androids, parasites, and those not considered "sane".

I really enjoy writing from these types of perspectives. It's an interesting thought experiment that demonstrates the fact that what we consider "human" isn't as structured as we tend to think of it.

B) How To Make It Interesting

Think about is "what is the internal rhythm of this character"?

By "internal rhythm", I am talking about the thought processes, philsophy, and values of a character. Even if a character isn't human, presumably they are going to care about something.

Remember: You need to justify this philosophy. Whether or not you believe it or not, you have to be able to convince your audience that this character has the right to have this belief system.

Twist Human Desire And Perspective

A trick I use for conjuring an interesting internal rhythm is to either take a "positive thing" and twist to be disturbing or I take a "negative thing" and make it into a spector of worship.

I'll take two of my characters: Stansevain and Gabriel

Stansevain is an alien character who is based off of "the horror of understandin. Stansevain lives in a "Hive Mind" where he shares the same feelings, desires, and goals of the greater consciousness where Stansevain's individuality is dead.

Gabriel is an angel who worships the ground of suffering. They're someone who delights in experiencing suffering. For angels, if they experience enough unpolished suffering that isn't alleviated by worship, they will eventually "Fracture".

Use Inspiration

For Gabriel, I was inspired by Lana Del Rey's "Kintsugi", specifically the lines "Think by the third of March, I was cracked open. Finally the ground was cold, they wouldn't open. Brought by the sunlight of the spirit to pour into me". I was immediately reminded of the Holy Spirit and the important lessons gained by suffering.

For Stansevain, I was inspired by the thoughts I had towards the mental illness community. The part of the community that tries to pull each other further down into suffering in a desire to find someone who they can relate to. The horror of forced understanding.

Conclusion: I hope this helps you @startheoverseer . I also hope you learned a little bit more about me!

Writing Requests!

Hi, here is another little post from your lovely tall person who is the tallest person in my family!

Ask for whatever topics you want just as long as you promise to interact with the post.

I get anxious whenever someone doesn't interact with a fulfilled request. It can literally be one like. I just want to make sure that you have seen it and that i'm not just speaking out in the world.

Again, ask anything writing-related you want. Or even ask something personal about me if that's your cup of tea :)

Weird hybrid ask between writing advice and a personal question. Have you ever written from the perspectives of characters who aren't human and think/perceive the world differently than humans? If so, do you enjoy it? Any recommendations to make it feel more accurate or interesting?

I'll finish this post today! Ok?

It said open tag and that's what i'm using to justify this hostile takeover!

Lust- Verne Lawless has such a romantic dedication to companionship that he often sacrifices parts of his own personality in an attempt to gain love and affection! Not necessarily romantic though

Envy- Surryn Zi Llovidá has envy for their sibling since they always manage to get all the attention while seemingly like a lovely individual which they genuinely are.

Wrath- Yituing is resentful at how their time-warping abilities have forced them to be the "savior" for everyone. Now Yituing just wants to destroy all the gods!

Greed- Gabriel Rosario Moxcir Lumeran is your average no-hands-having businessman who gets reincarnated into a different world. Very power-hungry, don't trust them with anything

Gluttony-Théo Hémery is a hedonistic player who indulges in consumerism. Not pretentious and very aware of the stereotype.

Sloth- Yuuma Mochizuki is often noted for their petulant behavior and general childish nature. Expect to see them wasting away in irresponsibility

Pride- Hetrunmeass is an exceedingly prideful android with an ax to grind against humanity. However, if you can give them an efficient objective argument for why humans should exist then they're very willing to give up their grudge.

tagging: @12-cluh , @differentnighttale, @blargh-500, @madmadhuman, @loverboyxbutch, @largestmothinnorthamerica, @melda0m3, @startheoverseer, and literally everyone else

Seven Deadly Sins Tag

Thanks for the tag @the-golden-comet @thatuselesshuman definitely a fun concept, this one

Rules: Which of your OCs would you assign to which of the seven deadly sins and why?

Lust-

Lord Halley wants what he sees as his birthright; the eyrie of Eagleheart. And yet the more rational members of his court see the dream of regaining his ancestral home as just that, a dream.

Envy-

Fen wants a life where he does not need to remain hidden. Definitely something to be envious about.

Wrath-

Reed and Dirge have quite a bit to be angry about. Anger at those above their stations, anger at their Lord, and anger at their neighbors.

Greed-

Another one for Lord Halley. He has power and influence, and it isn’t enough. He always wants more.

Gluttony-

Hunger for recognition and praise fits Cya almost to a ‘T’.

Sloth-

Rail. He is plagued by a child’s short attention span, and an attitude that isn’t so much laid-back as it is sit-back-and-relax-and-hope-you-aren’t-the-one-called-first-to-offer-an-idea.

Pride-

It’s safe to say that Playa has a bit of an ego, and don’t wound it unless you want to know about it for the next month.

Tagging @illarian-rambling @mysticstarlightduck @kaylinalexanderbooks @davycoquette @sableglass

@the-ellia-west @ominous-feychild @roselinbooks @lychhiker-writes @riveriafalll

@phoenixradiant @winglesswriter and open tag

Writing Prompt: Hanahaki Disease

Hanahaki Disease is a fictional disease in which the affected individual produces flowers from their mouth as a response to believed-to-be unrequited romantic love. The cure is either surgery or a successful love confession.

Here are some different twists and turns in this prompt:

It's revealed that Hanahaki Disease isn't cured by reciprocated love but by overcoming the fear of rejection! So no relying on your friends to deliver the confession :)

An aromantic character seemingly develops Hanahaki. However, in actuality, this individual doesn't have Hanahaki! The flowers were apart of a dubious plan to "convert" this aromantic character to alloromantic by forcing them into a relationship

Hanahaki has other varients such as platonic Hanahaki for a friendship unreciprocated!

The villain pretends to have Hanahaki in an attempt to guilt trip the protagonist into an unhealthy relationship!

An immortal character contracts Hanahaki and isn't forced into revealing their secret affections for another character to avoid death! Unfortunately, this doesn't cure Hanahaki but turns it into an annoying chronic disease.

There is a way to cure Hanahaki using surgery without having to medically eliminate the memories of their beloved. Unfortunately it's only given to the rich. Now, a group of characters try to wrangle enough money to afford this treatment for their friend in a short amount of time.

I hope you enjoy these Hanahaki-based prompts :)