This step involves working out exactly when and how the damage occurred that created your character’s flaw. It’s common in story for there to be a moment when the protagonist reveals hints to their origin damage, or we see it in flashback, and gain a sudden insight into the root causes of their behaviour. But, as Shakespeare worked out four centuries ago, spelling out the causes of a character’s actions overtly can be a mistake. Leaving only clues, or even excising origin damage information completely, can add profundity and fascination to your story.
