Even the worst person you know has something good about them.
Maybe not good but at least neutral. The person might be frightfully rude but their desk is always neatly arranged. The person might be a bully that makes everyone feel small but they might always be punctual, always on time.
Even the best person you know has something bad about them.
They might be generous, kind and peaceful but their house is always littered and unkempt. They might be a loving partner, considerate and reasonable but always forgetful and promises might not be kept.
Everyone has flaws and strengths. And so should your characters.
Characters should be complex and relatable. A good balance of flaws is necessary to create a complex character. Flaws add vulnerability and authenticity, while strengths showcase competence and resilience.
What to do when writing character flaws
List the core personality traits of your character, then introduce flaws that complement or contrast with these traits. For example, a highly intelligent character might struggle with social interactions. Add strengths that align with the character’s goals or contribute to their overall arc.
One way to do this is by using the MBTI system.
(Screenshot from the Comprehensive Writing Dashboard. You can get it here.)
With the MBTI system, you can easily see the strengths of each personality type and what they struggle with, depending on if they are extroverted, introverted, thinkers or feelers.
The Enneagram system is also very useful when trying to balance the flaws and strengths of your characters.
It is similar to the MBTI system and is worth checking out if you struggle with creating complete characters. Of course, these personality trait systems should only be used as guides and not followed meticulously as people tend to express traits differently.
What not to do when writing character flaws
The most common pitfall when it comes to creating character flaws is failing to strike a balance. Except your character has an antisocial personality disorder, they will have a balance of strengths and flaws.
Do not create a character with excessive flaws, even if they are the villain or the antagonist. Yes, he is evil and burnt a whole village down but he is smart and considerate of the wildlife.
A humorous example is Dr. Doofenshmirtz in the Phineas and Ferb cartoons. Yes, he created the Ugly-inator and the Freez-inator and all the other evil devices for his selfish purposes. Still, he is a wonderful father, never failing to take care of his daughter.
A more serious and quintessential example of truly balancing flaws and strengths is Isaac from Castlevania. I can barely think of a better combination of flaws and strengths. Isaac was loyal to a fault. He never questioned Dracula's orders, creating a vast army of murderous night creatures and went on to become responsible for the death of thousands of people―vampires and humans alike.
But he also saved a human village from the control of an evil warlock, buried the dead and rebuilt the city. He is intelligent and diligent, swiftly eliminating anyone who posed a threat to Dracula's plans.
It was intriguing to watch Isaac's development throughout the series.
On the other hand, no one wants a perfect character that can do no wrong. If you write a character that always shows up on time, always has the perfect polite smile on, has no strand of hair out of place, is loved by everyone, and is extremely intelligent…people are going to assume that person has something horrendous to hide.
Create balanced characters.
Summary
When crafting characters, integrate flaws that challenge the character and contribute to their growth. Balance these with strengths that showcase their strengths and competence.
Don't overemphasize flaws to the point of making the character unsympathetic, or create a character with unrealistic levels of competence.
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