I’m over a Peg Phifer’s Whispers in Purple today with a guest blog about listening to that still voice inside us that gives guidance. I hope you’ll join me there today.
Here is today’s writing tip.
Give your character a flaw.
No one is perfect. Everyone has something they can’t conquer. Superman couldn’t tell the love of his life who he really was for fear of endangering her life. Kryptonite turned him into a wimp. Achilles had a vulnerable heel–the only place he could be injured–and someone found out about it. Samson loved Delilah too much, blabbed his secret, and she robbed him of his strength. If your character has no vulnerability then why read the book? If you know he’s undefeatable, untouchable, then there’s no suspense when he gets caught in a bad situation because he can get out of it too easily. Look for a flaw, secret or visible, that will get the character in trouble.
What flaws have you given your characters?
I’ve had characters who were too hung up on order – having everything in its place. Also characters who don’t want to change direction/admit they’re wrong, even when they begin to suspect that the path they’re going down will not take them to their goal. Flaws are a definite must!
Flaws. Gotta love ’em.