Character Flaws: Types And Guidelines

One key to making your characters relatable is with flaws. They’re (fictional) humans after all, and none of us are without flaws.

Like humans, not all flaws are created equal, and some carry more weight than others. If you’d like to ensure you’re infusing your characters with the flaws that will make or break them and give your story and readers exactly what they need—read on!

Character Flaws: Types

The level of flaws depends on the story you’re telling, but a good idea is to use a combination. While a character with no flaws is a boring Mary-Sue, you also don’t want your characters to be so flawed that your readers won’t root for them. Even villains should have flaws that both redeem and vilify them.

Can Live With It Flaws

These are the minor flaws that will keep your good guys good, and not turn most of your readers against them.

Relatability is a big part of Live With It Flaws and will get a reader on the same side as your characters. These flaws should be about things a reader will forgive and can be as tame or as mundane as you like, such as…

Someone who thinks pineapple doesn’t belong on pizza (it does).A person who excessively cleans.A people-pleaser.Can Change Them Flaws

The next level of flaws are a little more major and should be flaws that will rub a reader the wrong way, but still be something your character will change or overcome throughout the story to show their growth.

Stubbornness.Not letting others help.Cheating.Lies that lead to something bad.Can’t Come Back From Flaws

These are the character flaws that don’t bring about change or the ones that change things for the worse, with your characters not heeding the lessons taught.

A character who refuses to let anyone in and ends up alone.A flaw they don’t change that leads to their downfall.An act so wrong it can’t be forgiven.Character Flaws: GuidelinesAdd Relatability

Regardless of the level of flaw added, all flaws must be relatable.

Even if the situation in your book isn’t something every reader might have done, if you add a relatability element, they will bring their own level of understanding.

Just as not every reader is a parent dealing with a sick child, they’ve been that child, or they have a pet, or they’ve undertaken a caretaker role at work or with their parents. They know the overwhelming tiredness of it all, and that understanding will make them relate when your character’s flaw is to snap at someone or be rude at the end of a long day.

Add A Solution

The flaws must be overcome for satisfaction—either fully or partly.

Yes, some flaws will never change. A Live With It Flaw like your character being over-organized and annoying to others isn’t a flaw that goes away by the closing chapters as it’s essentially who that character is. But learning to balance that flaw and not be so rigid is an acceptable, satisfying solution that will pacify readers.

Add A Transformation

A flaw works well when it transforms the character, even if it’s not all positive.

The key to a satisfying character arc is that your characters aren’t the same at the end of your book as they are at the start, so give them a flaw that will help transform them.

Tailor It

The final tip for character flaws is tailoring said flaws to each character.

While it’s not uncommon for more than one character to fear open water, your MC may fear the ocean because of a trauma in their childhood. The backstory for the flaw may help you build them up and flesh out your plot, so tailoring the fear to them specifically is a win-win.

Even if two characters share a flaw to bond, you can manifest the flaw differently for both. One character could use their fear of failure to drive them to great heights, while another uses the same flaw to evolve into a shut-in who never leaves their home.

Tailoring flaws in a way that works for your characters is one reason character types and their guidelines can help create well-rounded fictional people. Use that with the other tips here, and you should end up with characters that real people will want to read about—flaws and all.

— K.M. Allan

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