tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post1389041984624027679..comments2024-03-17T06:03:00.362-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Broken, but Still Good: 3 Ways to Create Character FlawsJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-83243745920660788272020-12-10T06:34:03.812-05:002020-12-10T06:34:03.812-05:00Thank you! It was lovely, if quiet. I hope yours w...Thank you! It was lovely, if quiet. I hope yours was wonderful as well. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-12677779276291290012020-11-25T15:26:32.495-05:002020-11-25T15:26:32.495-05:00Janice, I wish you and yours a safe and grateful T...Janice, I wish you and yours a safe and grateful Thanksgiving; thank you so very much for all the help and guidance you give us. Marta C. Weekshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08201300362483291904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-55180341187453956292011-05-30T08:05:48.609-04:002011-05-30T08:05:48.609-04:00I constantly tell my students that characters shou...I constantly tell my students that characters should have flaws. Great post! The most important reason for creating flawed characters: they are more realistic. Since "real people" always have flaws, our characters must have them, too.Miss Good on Paperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12322651575015033263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-60298158935472067712011-05-28T07:00:28.630-04:002011-05-28T07:00:28.630-04:00Lisa: Thanks! Lilo and Stitch is one of my all tim...Lisa: Thanks! Lilo and Stitch is one of my all time favorite movies. Loving Stitch is TOTALLY important, LOL.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-25043415575572647192011-05-27T11:20:48.113-04:002011-05-27T11:20:48.113-04:00Such an awesome post!!! I LOVE it. I also love Sti...Such an awesome post!!! I LOVE it. I also love Stitch, but I guess that's not as important. :D You put it so well. Thank you.Lisa Gail Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03648323153868702165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-91585931051819471162011-05-23T15:51:54.922-04:002011-05-23T15:51:54.922-04:00Terry: Exactly, in some many ways all throughout t...Terry: Exactly, in some many ways all throughout the book. That tug is so vital, whether it's a subtle tug or a big action-adventurey tug.<br /><br />Barbara: It really is. Even if we'd never do what characters we like do, if we feel connected to them we stay with them.<br /><br />Carol: Yeppers. It also makes it more fun to plot around them.<br /><br />Candace: Good luck! <br /><br />Carradee: Great comment. You're totally right. I think immediately of Hannibal Lecter. Loved him on the page, but keep that guy away from me! (grin) And thanks for passing my book along! Much appreciated :)<br /><br />Barbara: Good luck on those!<br /><br />Orlando: Thanks!<br /><br />Jessi: The racism was a trait that just happened in THE SHIFTER, but I'm glad it did. It really showed how easy it was to hate an entire group of people for the bad things a few did. I think had I done it in a real world setting it would have come across differently (sad to say). But in fantasy you can approach tough topics in a safer environment because it's all made up.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5831826805831623692011-05-23T11:57:00.994-04:002011-05-23T11:57:00.994-04:00This post is especially helpful because I do have ...This post is especially helpful because I do have some making flawed characters, especially the main characters. <br />There have been times I've played with using racism as a character flaw but I've worried that maybe it's too big of a flaw because so many people are really against racism. I've never had a main character with that particular trait but I have done it with secondary characters.Jessi L. Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12368094392959597176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-38257451994397614302011-05-23T10:20:27.687-04:002011-05-23T10:20:27.687-04:00Wonder post, I agree with you 100% on the characte...Wonder post, I agree with you 100% on the character flaws. Great Stuff!Orlandohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10103458688711351378noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-7055071250656816602011-05-23T01:47:16.060-04:002011-05-23T01:47:16.060-04:00I will apply your ideas to me current re-write. Th...I will apply your ideas to me current re-write. Thank you, Barbara P/S.: "Off of"? Nooo. No.Barbarahttp://www.barbarasievers.denoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90496546709763513722011-05-21T15:19:46.299-04:002011-05-21T15:19:46.299-04:00Good thoughts. It often seems like most book char...Good thoughts. It often seems like most book characters are "short-tempered" or "stubborn", and when I sat down and wrote a novel from the perspective of a paranoid character who was a bit oblivious, I discovered why: it's easier to <em>show</em> someone being stubborn or having a short temper.<br /><br />"Showing" that your first-person narrator is oblivious is harder, because some readers will hate it. I have one friend who can't stand unreliable narrators. I find it sad, but also amusing, because that means our favorite UF authors vary widely. (But that friend liked <em>The Shifter</em>, JaniceāI gave her a copy. :) )<br /><br />You want the friends and romantic interests to have different flaws than your MC, too, so folks can balance each other. It gets interesting when you create characters who are enjoyable on the page, but you realize you wouldn't like them all that much (or you'd be terrified of them) in person.Carradeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05431561739001270522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-44949469283930807562011-05-21T12:37:11.446-04:002011-05-21T12:37:11.446-04:00Great post. My character has a few flaws that I...Great post. My character has a few flaws that I'm exploiting, but I like your idea of turning positive traits into flaws at key moments. Off to do some brainstorming...Candacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10737441502962855490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-49679483432851573322011-05-21T11:45:48.808-04:002011-05-21T11:45:48.808-04:00I can see how flaws make characters real in the mi...I can see how flaws make characters real in the minds of readers. Like you said, everyone has them to some extent.Carol Silvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14782238478160905171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-16809639440683403592011-05-21T11:42:15.920-04:002011-05-21T11:42:15.920-04:00Characters with flaws are endearing, and just for ...Characters with flaws are endearing, and just for the reason you stated - because no one is perfect. When we see ourselves in someone's writing, that's true connection and is a wonderful thing.Barbara Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06547166495514562286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-25658820745896322172011-05-21T08:48:00.205-04:002011-05-21T08:48:00.205-04:00Good point on the unpredictability angle. We know ...Good point on the unpredictability angle. We know our characters will have to face the fears we give them--I'm forming a new character and am keeping all these things in mind. It's about "push-pull" -- both internal and external.<br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.com