In a post on Writers in the Storm, Ellen Buikema offers advice for writing memorable character flaws. “A character flaw is an undesirable trait that negatively affects the writer’s character,” she explains. “Fortunately, the struggles caused by these imperfections often forge great strength of character.”
Perfect characters are boring and have little to learn on their journey. Flaws force your protagonist to struggle and grow, which is way more interesting. Buikema discusses the three categories of flaws: physical, emotional/personal, and ideological.
Cultural ideals determine what we value, so Buikema defines flaws as deviations from our culture’s norm. But that doesn’t mean a flaw has to be something you dislike or would consider less valuable. For example, beauty could be considered a flaw if your character seems too aggressive or is people assume she’s stupid. Emotional flaws can be shyness, oversensitivity, neediness, or a need to control. Ideology–your character’s beliefs and values–can also create conflict.
Your character might also have minor flaws that can range from cute to maddening. Indecision, tardiness, gossiping, laziness, preoccupation, clumsiness, naïveté, or poor hygiene might not a gross flaw, but can be memorable. The flaws might not be negative, but they can create obstacles for your character.
Now we come to the good stuff: major character flaws. “A significant character flaw can damage the character and the people within their reach in a physical, mental, or moral manner,” Buikema writes. “These character flaws can drastically impact a character’s life and the lives of those around them.” Examples include addiction, recklessness, greed, possessiveness, deception, narcissism, vengefulness, thoughtlessness, and temper. Even heroes can have major flaws.
Finally, there are the fatal flaws, the qualities that bring a character to a bad end. These can include addiction (again), recklessness, cruelty, resentment, power lust, paranoia, and obsession. Sometimes, a positive character trait can be a fatal flaw, if it blinds a character to the poor qualities of others. “Ned Stark, in A Song of Ice and Fire, assumes that others share his sense of honor,” Buikema notes. “This mistaken belief leads to his demise.”
