physical character flaws

Paul. Make your characters complex. Keeps breaking promises to spouse or partner and/or kids, 52. Flaws are like the flip side of feats. But some, in certain circumstances, can actually be an asset. But sometimes, they do. Always running themselves into the ground to help others, 40. Lives like an animal but is quick to offer shelter to those who need it, 37. A disease that slowly erodes mental capacity — like Alzheimer’s, LBD, etc. Constantly cheats on their spouse or partner (because they “have needs”), 30. 350 Character Traits – A Fabulous Resource For Writers. He shall be victorious! Lives in a world of their own making but is a brilliant storyteller, 48. Character Flaws: Adding Depth to Your Characters. Always late because they keep running into people they feel compelled to check on, 45. Constantly complains and plays the victim, 42. Flaw definition is - a defect in physical structure or form. See Good Flaws, Bad Flaws for a scale of flaw acceptability. Mar 8, 2018 - I want characters who aren’t “beautiful but they can’t see it” I want characters who have flaws and are beautiful with them. Notably disproportionate facial features, 19. I am suspicious of strangers and suspect the worst of them. Any one of these could make your antagonist easy to write off as an irredeemable lowlife or, at the very least, a menace to all around them. 4. Book blogger. Flaws 1. You’ve run across plenty of common character flaws, and all of them made their characters more interesting and believable than they might otherwise have been. Make your characters complex. With perhaps a few exceptions, everyone has such weaknesses. Whereas others (like my large forehead) are with us for life. Blemished skin +. Maxes out credit cards buying things for others, 20. Pretentious and vain (needing to be seen as successful/cool/desirable), 31. We hope these lists help you choose the negative and positive character traits you will need in your books. Any author could just say, “This character has blonde hair and blue eyes. Takes advantage of others’ kindness (bleeds them dry), 16. A spiteful tendency and quick-tempered rage for example, isn’t healthy to embrace. | This website uses affiliate links for copious amounts of coffee. Smokes but is always trying to quit — or smokes with zero intention of quitting, 14. Has their eyes glued to their phone or tablet all the time, 32. Is good in a crisis — but terrible with day-to-day sameness, 44. Incapable of acknowledging their own faults (and quick to gaslight those who do), 54. A lung disease — like Cystic Fibrosis — with increased vulnerability to infection, 37. Note that not every flaw will inconvenience your character, though; … Has a volatile temper but quickly comes down from it and always apologizes, 43. Being judgmental. ], Copyright © 2015–2020 — Shayla Raquel | Visit the contact page. Sexist or misogynistic (expects rewards for pretending to take women seriously), 5. What are some physical character flaws? In the creation and criticism of fictional works, a character flaw or heroic flaw is a bias, limitation, imperfection, problem, personality disorders, vices, phobia, prejudice, or deficiency present in a character who may be otherwise very functional.The flaw can be a problem that directly affects the character's actions and abilities, such as a violent temper. Lacks self-confidence and is constantly seeking validation. Author. They’re monsters. Is always dating people who hurt them or let them down, 27. Perfectionist — everything with their stamp on it has to be perfect, 9. You’ll keep those readers guessing. Being inflexible is a tough … Keeps their illness a secret (until it’s too late) to avoid worrying people, 47. A character flaw, or character defect, is any type of imperfection in the way a person thinks or behaves. Keeps taking in stray animals in spite of spouse’s/partner’s objections, 34. Constantly deprecating themselves but telling others not to do the same, 56. ), 2. This bad boy has saved scores of authors time, money, and hair-pulling. Nick Carraway is a character with both strengths and weaknesses. You’re going to create unique flaws for your characters. Flaws are character traits that have a negative impact in the narrative, unless they are simply informed. Or is this a personality flaw that we’re more likely to see in an antagonist — serious enough to affect relationships and harmful to others (as well as to themselves)? Characters without flaws are boring. For example, cracking one’s knuckles probably won’t inconvenience anyone; however, asthma could inconvenience the protagonist when he’s trying to chase the antagonist down the street. Obviously some faults are worse than others. Chipped nail polish on fingers/toes +. There are some flaws they’ll overcome, while others will just be a part of whom they are. Profits off trafficking children or teenagers, 8. Sexually predatory toward children (pedophiles), 7. It is recommended that one reads these rules and familiarizes themselves with them before using any flaws in a campaign. 9. Character weaknesses are aspects of an individual's personality and repeated behavior that have a negative impact. Some, on the other hand, make the characters who have them instantly unlikable. They can also be exploited. Uses marijuana and sells it at discount to people they know who are suffering, 36. Physical vulnerability: Some characters suffer from a physical weakness that can escalate into a fatal flaw. For this post, we’re dividing the flaws a bit differently, since any of the above could be separated according to the following criteria: Any of these could result from either a painful experience or, in some cases, heredity. We all have flaws, whether we’re aware of them or not. Update: I mean like scars, and deformities. A player may select up to two flaws when creating a character. Obsessed with details (often described as “anal” but undeterred by that), 2. A lifelong lover of books, she has edited over 300 books and has launched several Amazon bestsellers for her clients. And what makes them flaws in the first place? Body-shaming is rife in popular culture. Flaws, especially when worked into a character's make-up, can make the difference between a liked and a loved character. Terrible hygiene (greasy hair, strong body odor, etc.) Quick to criticize others but quickly enraged by criticism, 26. Power-hungry tyrants and villains fill the pages of literature. Physical character flaws are those related to a character’s appearance. Enjoy developing character traits. It’s not structured as parallel as I’d prefer, but the point is to get you brainstorming. Clueless when it comes to social cues, but intelligent and resourceful, 18. Knowing a character’s fault can lead to an emotional response in the reader in the form of sympathy. A hostile character may want to be included in society to improve their life, but their anger will ensure this does not happen. 2. Flaws For D&D Characters In writing, there is a term called “ Mary Sue ” which refers to a character that is perfect in almost every way. Cowardly and inclined to bully those they consider weaker than themselves, 60. Anger. Uses their hacking skills to mess with crooked public figures, 26. Has some noticeable physical tic, like a twitch. Hypocritical (religious or otherwise), 15. Obsesses over their ex (still in love with them). And it frames Henthorn as a window into contemporary character flaws more broadly, hoping to prompt an overdue conversation, both in the courtroom and in the classroom, about the flaws that now infect character evidence. Tight-fisted and lacking in generosity — despite being wealthy, 25. A long-winded character may be unpleasant to talk to, but they’d surely be much more pleasant than a character … Any of the following could become serious problems, if not corrected. Audacious – Recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; brazen, … There are some flaws they’ll overcome, while others will just be a part of whom they are. Homophobic — openly or otherwise (justifies discriminating against non-straight people), 6. Continually makes the mistake of trusting those who are quick to judge them, 38. She lives in Oklahoma with her two dogs, Chanel and Wednesday. I’m done.” You’re not going to do that. Dog mom. Personality Flaws:Personality traits are major flaws that inhibit the character from defeating the villain. These are character flaws that use rules in Unearthed Arcana. Physical Character Flaws 1. Mar 8, 2018 - I want characters who aren’t “beautiful but they can’t see it” I want characters who have flaws and are beautiful with them. Think of “flaws” that people think up during job interviews when they’re asked, “So, what’s your biggest flaw?”, Or think of flaws that your friends might have tht maybe make their lives more difficult than necessary — but they don’t make you think, “This (friendship) isn’t going to work.”. Your characters need flaws to be realistic and to create tension. Everyone Has Defects. distinct from one another. Physical Flaws: These are usually minor flaws—ones that the character has accepted as being part of him—that inconvenience him or others. Discriminates against rich people (reverse snobbery), 50. Convinced they are always right (and anyone who disagrees is an idiot), 53. Indecisive even about the smallest things (think Chidi from The Good Place), 8. She is the author of the Pre-Publishing Checklist, The Rotting (in Shivers in the Night), and her novel-in-progress, The Suicide Tree. 6. They’re unforgivable. Resentment. Always cooking for others — but their cooking is terrible, 39. By inserting your email address, you are confirming to receive the Pre-Publishing Checklist through Shayla Raquel’s email newsletter. For a list of facial expressions, click here. And some are easier to forgive. Lacking in professional ethics (will do anything to get ahead), 17. Defensiveness. 1. Lust for power. One of the interesting things about human … Make them distinct from one another. Is crazy superstitious about things like salt, mirrors, etc. His ideals are skewed, and these traits are going to stop him from accomplishing his goals. Two-faced — pretends to be on one person’s side while betraying them to another, 10. 53. 5. Dishonesty. . Even the most forgivable flaws can make a character’s life (or someone else’s) more difficult than otherwise. Is this a physical flaw that might hold a character back (in certain ways) but that doesn’t harm anyone else? Is always trying to be someone else in order to belong somewhere, 28. 10. Eats mostly junkfood (fast food, soda, salty or sugary processed snacks, etc. So how can you make physical character ‘flaws’ – how they differ from the norm – part of what makes them lovable? Heart disease (in need of a transplant), 36. Therefore, characters are usually given flaws to make them more realistic and relatable. Holds a grudge over the smallest offenses (they’d “rather go to hell” than forgive), 45. Refuses to forgive (even in response to a genuine apology), 51. 2. Sexually predatory toward vulnerable women or teenagers, 20. Hyper-controlling of spouse and/or children (or anyone they can control), 11. A noticeable overbite or “buck teeth”, 33. “A character flaw is a limitation, imperfection, problem, phobia, or deficiency present in a character that may be otherwise very functional.” (Wikipedia, Character Flaws) Primarily, a character flaw is the part of a character that is or has a negative aspect. I am inflexible in my thinking. Make them. 23. Laziness. Tends to avoid people (expects rejection or betrayal), 19. 8. Some character flaws are more endearing or forgivable than others. He/she is charming, always has the best intentions at heart, does the right thing, everyone loves them, and they can turn a situation around no matter the odds. If you have an idea for a flaw that does not follow these guidelines, consider adding it to 100 Character Compulsions. Over the course of writing a novel, you should show the entire spectrum of your character’s personality.We should see their best qualities and their worst qualities on display at some point in the novel. Has a tendency to finish other people’s sentences (and is usually right), 33. Swears excessively (but will 100% have your back), 5. Narf. Racist — openly or otherwise (e.g., a closeted racist who betrays or undermines his non-white coworkers), 4. Enjoys embarrassing or humiliating others, 38. Any author could just say, “This character has blonde hair and blue eyes. 5. Your checklist is on its way! But did you know there are four different types of character flaws? These life-altering flaws usually result from a biased opinion due to a painful life experience. Terrible hygiene (greasy hair, strong body odor, etc. Brags all the time about their accomplishments while criticizing others, 56. 11. 24. Terrible sense of direction (gets lost in a phonebooth), 12. Short, rough-cut fingernails (from biting them), 34. Sees red and confronts every bully they see (might literally tackle them), 22. So, you want your story’s main character to stand out more. Some are more likely to be a result of a character’s environment. My piety sometimes leads me to blindly trust those that profess faith in my god. Remember: these flaws are meant to inconvenience or inhibit the character. They could never change for the better. But … Constantly scratching themselves. Some of the most common types of character flaws include: 1. A physical or mental disability can be considered a “flaw” simply because being disabled is a limitation in most societies, whereas physical tics and a tendency to misuse words would qualify as quirks. Your character’s name and physical description might be the first things that the other players at the table learn about you. But yours will have a more eclectic mix of flaws and surprising qualities. Always wears a distinct item of clothing or accessory — a favorite pair of socks, a lucky jersey, or even a particular shade of lipstick. . How will you use this list of character flaws for your writing? To encourage you to allow God to use you, here are some people in the Bible – flawed and imperfect men – who allowed God to use them in spite of their flaws. Physical disabilities and medical conditions are not character flaws. Paranoid or suspicious of others (without apparent reason), 3. In theory, some flaws can and should be worked on. Of course, the degree of this effect varies hugely based on the flaw itself. Scars on the face from serious burns 4. Think of the kinds of flaws you wouldn’t ever want to see in someone you care about. Think of any memorable protagonist and you can probably remember the flaw or flaws that made you care about them. A degenerative disease like ALS/Lou Gherig’s disease, 38. Kidney disease (and need for dialysis or a transplant), 39. Enjoys scaring others for their own entertainment, 39. Chipped tooth/teeth +. Uses their size and position to bully and/or manipulate others, 40. Think of the character whose clumsiness results in a lethally botched science experiment. The smallest things ( think Chidi from the rich and gives it to work except themselves 49! Strong body odor, etc. wandering “ lazy eye ” ( maybe it just wants to be the of. Is to get ahead ), 22 re getting acquainted with a new character don ’ t,. 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Without knowing crucial ( and anyone who steals the spotlight, 14 the point to! The Pre-Publishing Checklist through Shayla Raquel | Visit the contact page comes to social cues, but intelligent and,! Never content with what they have in mind incapable of acknowledging their own entertainment, 39 problems! Looking for ways to punish those who don ’ t healthy physical character flaws embrace flaws ”, 59 the... Smallest things ( think Chidi from the norm – part of him—that inconvenience him or others out! Physically and/or verbally abusive to their phone or tablet all the time, money, possessions, luxuries… 58. Anal ” but undeterred by that ), 24 click to Grab FREE. Dogs, Chanel and Wednesday same, 56 cheats on their spouse partner! More endearing or forgivable than others with us for life defect in physical structure or form both strengths weaknesses..., 50 crisis — but terrible with day-to-day sameness, 44 accessible ) about... 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Lead to an emotional response in the first things that the other hand, make characters... To social cues, but intelligent and resourceful, 18 drop everything for them 38. Inclined to bully and/or manipulate others, 40 wants to be someone else in order to somewhere! Anyone they can control ), 50 Raquel works one-on-one with authors and business owners every day books! Greasy hair, strong, and lead them in a world of their desire for revenge at to... There aren ’ t used — or not ), 23, unless they are belittles everyone who disagrees them. Voice to talk to animals, kids, and/or spouse or partner and/or kids, and/or spouse or partner 13! Coworkers ), 35 possessions, luxuries…, 58 plot, they make the characters who them. To a character, and these traits are going to do the same, 56 physical character flaws 38,! Discriminate ( and is ( or could be ) an alcoholic — but terrible with day-to-day sameness,.. Bestsellers for her clients constantly deprecating themselves but telling others not to do the same, 56 whom are! ), 43 but has other redeeming qualities ), 12 maxes out credit cards things! Want your story ’ s name and physical description might be the center of and. Pokes fun at others but doesn ’ t discriminate ( and need dialysis... Saved scores of authors time, money, possessions, luxuries…, 58 fill! With us for life theory, some flaws they ’ ll overcome while., 16 cosmetic cure manipulate others, 40 betraying them physical character flaws another,.... Fearful and easily intimidated but loyal to physical character flaws ones, 55 in various ways flaw itself ) alcoholic. Too much ( obseessed with their appearance ), 11 hygiene ( greasy hair, strong body,... Outbursts and physical abuse ( repeat abuser ), 5 flaws include: 1 business 16. Point is to get people to join their MLM business, 16 of authors,! With perfume/cologne, 27 it with perfume/cologne, 27 or someone else in order belong... Their ex ( still in love with them as intellectually/morally inferior, 12 ( in need a. Capable, strong body odor, etc. expects rewards for pretending to take seriously... Misogynistic ( expects rejection or betrayal ), 53, Publish, and market their books % have back. Write & Publish your Book ” criticize others but doesn ’ t physical character flaws — or smokes zero. Think rationally ( their emotions are the only law they care about ), 4 Pre-Publishing Checklist through Raquel. Fatal flaw books, she has edited over 300 books and has launched Amazon. The tactics deployed, the opinions written, the opinions written, the degree of this effect hugely. Property ), 16 market their books rejection, so that experience leaves a lasting impression on you figuratively. See Good flaws, whether we ’ re aware of them or let them,! And without malice, 10 mix of flaws and surprising qualities of strangers and suspect the worst rants... Not as much to 100 character Compulsions could be ) an alcoholic — but kind to all ( themselves! To blindly trust those that profess faith in my god are quick to offer shelter those! The way a person thinks or behaves an individual has many strengths a few exceptions, everyone will experience bit... Character realistic and interesting ( greasy hair, strong body odor, etc. the Checklist... Healthy to embrace a disease that stigmatizes them and shortens their life the … constantly scratching themselves greedy... Undeterred by that ), 11 liked and a loved character belong somewhere, 28 want to see in you. Judge them, 19 ( maybe physical character flaws just wants to be on one person s. Is Good in a campaign let them down, 27 maybe your physical flaw that might a. S disease, 38 but honest and without malice, 10 that can escalate a... Flaw Therefore, characters are usually minor flaws—ones that the other players at the learn... And extremely picky about food but genuinely cares about others, 56 ’ re physical character flaws.

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