A character flaw is a fault, limitation, or flaw that a character has. It is a flaw that prevents your characters from being perfect. Character flaws are not limited to the protagonist rather, the villain, love interest, secondary characters, and enemies should all contain character flaws. Character flaws are essential in literature because they help your characters feel realistic and interesting.
Why Give Your Character Flaws?
Character flaws serve many useful purposes, especially ensuring that your characters are likable. Without giving your character flaws, your characters will feel too perfect and unrealistic. Whereas carefully constructed character flaws can achieve the following:
Cause conflict between two characters.
Create an obstacle that stops the character from solving a conflict or achieving their goal.
Make the character likable and relatable.
Connect or create attraction between two characters.
Provide specific quirks and traits that differentiate characters from each other.
How do Character Flaws Impact the Plot?
Apart from creating deep and engaging characters, character flaws can help impact the plot and conflict of a novel. In regards to external conflict (example: a villain to defeat), a character’s flaw may affect their ability to achieve their goal or overcome the villain. For example, in the heat of the conflict, a pacifist and non-violent character may suddenly feel overwhelmed with guilt and sadness that hinders their ability to carry out their duty in a fight. For internal conflict, character flaws are especially important and are often at the heart of the character's arc of the story. Based on their flaws, characters might blossom in some scenarios and shrink in others. Flaws also create conflict in characters’ relationships, which can lead characters to make harmful decisions.
Categories of Character Flaws
Minor Flaw: A minor character flaw is a flaw that only minimally affects the character, it is not something that will affect them greatly. This includes minimal physical flaws, such as crooked teeth or poor hygiene.
Major Flaw: A major character flaw is something that significantly affects the character. For example, judgemental or dishonest.
Fatal Flaw: A major character flaw is something that gravely affects the characters and leads to their downfall, sometimes it even results in death. For example, self-destructive or violence.
Tips for Using Character Flaws
Have Multiple Character Flaws
Explain the Character Flaws
Make the Flaw fit With the Character
Like us humans, character flaws are what make characters interesting and engaging, which is why I hope these tips help you effectively use character flaws.