Writers Helping Writers^®

Character Flaws

Writing 101: Building a Balanced Character

January 7, 2015

Writing 101: Building a Balanced Character

January 7, 2015

Here’s the truth about compelling characters: they’re neither good nor bad, perfect nor fundamentally flawed. Instead, they’re all of these things. Each character has a set of good, admirable qualities…

10 Reasons Why Your Protagonist Needs Flaws

December 14, 2014

10 Reasons Why Your Protagonist Needs Flaws

December 14, 2014

When we see the word Hero or Heroine, we think heroic, which is ironic as they are often jaded, lost, and brimming with flaws and false beliefs about the world…

Hidden Emotions: How To Tell Readers What Characters Don’t Want To Show

July 7, 2014

Hidden Emotions: How To Tell Readers What Characters Don’t Want To Show

July 7, 2014

One of the struggles that comes with writing is when a character feels vulnerable and so tries to hide their emotions as a result. Fear of emotional pain, a lack…

Story Midpoint & Mirror Moment: Using Heroes’ Emotions To Transform Them

June 11, 2014

Story Midpoint & Mirror Moment: Using Heroes’ Emotions To Transform Them

June 11, 2014

I recently read a Huff Post psychology piece on Turning Negative Emotions Into Your Greatest Advantage and immediately saw how this could also apply to our characters. Feel free to…

Understanding Character Wounds: A List Of Common Themes

February 27, 2014

Understanding Character Wounds: A List Of Common Themes

February 27, 2014

Characters are the heart of a novel, and within that heart is the Hero’s Inner Journey. The protagonist’s path is much like yours or mine–one that will (hopefully) bring him…

The Four Types of Character Flaws

November 7, 2013

The Four Types of Character Flaws

November 7, 2013

Hostile Characters, like real people, will have flaws, aspects of their personality that shape their behavior and worldview in negative (destructive) ways. These flaws cause them to think, act, and…

Finding Your Character’s Weakness

October 17, 2013

Finding Your Character’s Weakness

October 17, 2013

Flaw: Arrogance Jordan McCollum is here to discuss the importance of giving your character realistic flaws, so please read on. Who doesn’t love a shiny new idea? Crafting a plot,…