5 Easy Ways to Make Your Characters More FLAWED and LOVABLE

Do you want to write flawed, lovable, and relatable characters? In this new podcast episode, we're exploring five simple techniques for making your characters more unique and realistic by giving them vices and virtues that will make your readers fall in love. Ready to take your characters to the next level? Grab a notebook, and let's dive into this discussion!

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✨ V A L U A B L E R E S O U R C E S✨

MORE VIDEOS YOU WOULD LIKE:

→ WHAT TO WRITE ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE BORED

→ THE ULTIMATE CHARACTER PROFILE

→ WRITERS REACT TO WRITERS IN MOVIES

→ MY CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER OUTLINING METHOD

✨F O L L O W ✨

✨ A B O U T ✨
My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.

Story isn’t about “what happens” — it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel – and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!

[GRASSLAND]

You must have read my mind because I was struggling to give one of my protagonists a loveable flaw yesterday. This helped so much, and now I'm very happy with my character.

[lisadavis]

One of my favorites is when the "cover" does not match the contents of the "book". An example would be a tough, tattooed, hard-living, hard-drinking biker who picks up and cuddles a kitten. It helps me understand how wrong my own stereotypes of people can be. It causes me to be introspective and helps me to learn and grow. Other examples are the evil person who is beautiful or handsome or the really good person who is ugly and how the world either defers to them or discounts, bullies, or destroys them.

[amaliafrunza]

I believe that, for a good character creation, you can also use Johari's Window, with its 4 spaces:
1. Free zone- everybody knows
2. Blind zone- I don't know, the others know
3. Personal zone- I know, the others don't know
4. Unknown zone- nobody knows

[ariannasstudio]

Flawed and lovable most definitely go hand in hand! Especially if ur characters have strengths to balance out their weaknesses

[boredwibilly]

Love all of this! That last tip, giving a compassion outlet, reminds me of Tony Soprano. He's a self-centered criminal mobster, whose family and associates drive him crazy, but he has a soft spot for animals.

[redshot]

2:33 #1 Give them a Misbelief Fear
5:53 #2 let their negative traits trip them up
9:57 #3 give them a secret nobody else knows
12:33 #4 allow them to rely on others in moments of crisis
16:54 #5 give them an outlet of compassion

[Green-cyvrbu]

something I love is starting a character with a flaw, and then as the story goes on, making it get worse and worse thanks to a series of the worst possible events, until they hit the lowest low, inwhich they then have to make the choice of if they'll be able to climb their way back up to become better, and ultimately better than they were at the BEGINNING of the story, or if they've give up and sink into their own hell, and become the worst possible version of themself. both of these are my favourite ways to write arcs using flaws.

[VideoGameRoom]

This video is so helpful. My characters have good traits and bad traits. And when the character has bad traits, I make this person grow and make become a better person.

[chalonhutson]

I’m on the phone with Disney about this since so many movies unflawed character lately!

[LiteratureLindsi]

Great video!!! I especially love tip #4; I feel like as a community, we're finally moving past the idea that the protagonist needs to be fully capable and do everything on their own; and, as a result, we're seeing more likeable heroes and more developed side characters!! It's definitely important for authors aiming for a more realistic story to craft characters that need help from outside sources beyond the typical sage-advice training arc.

[sanecatlady]

I've noticed one of the easiest ways for someone to make me care about their character is to show their character struggling with something (internal conflict) and attempting to overcome that struggle, or cope with it if there are no simple solutions. And the way they go about trying to solve or cope with their problem reflects their internal turmoil

[chalonhutson]

Perfect time for this to drop! Headed to my lunch break, so I'll give it a listen right now!

[JusteenCurtis]

A person can be really stubborn or rebellious but as long as you show they are effected by something, that something does get to them, it shows that there’s something underneath the surface that shows that they do have another side to them beyond the exterior toughness. it makes them more likable and in at least some way we can relate to them.

[unicorntomboy]

For my YA dark fantasy novel, my protagonist's (a pre-teen princess) biggest fatal flaw is insecurity, and desire for external validation from others, doing anything for it, including from less savory individuals.

This fat al.flaw evolves into more overtly sinister behaviours and traits as a young adult, when under the influence of a menevolent, cursed magical sword

[stephaniemaier]

A great example of a Villian with layers and internal conflict is “Locki, ” who began a a secondary character in a greater superhero film and then became the main character in his own series that revealed his soft side.

[kylegovender]

My favorite flaw, right now anyway

They they think they are right and coolest thing ever and then learn they were medicore the hard way

[valerielinares]

@6:44 - I would like to suggest that being too much of a perfectionist is a realistic trait. Having too much of a good trait can be a bad thing. For example, being too much of a perfectionist can cause people to not want to achieve their goals or accomplish tasks because they're stunted by their fear that no matter what they do, it won't be good enough. If someone is too much of a hard-worker, it can keep them from a healthy work-life balance and their relationships with others in their lives can seriously suffer. Maybe they're too honest, and they end up hurting those they care about most. Too much of a good trait can definitely be a bad thing.

[debcarroll]

Thank you! I have done most of these things with my protagonist, but it is very encouraging to have you point them out.

[SkunksMagee]

My new favorite channel. Rocky has an outlet for compassion at the start of the movie, and it builds throughout the story. He feeds his pet turtles. Even though at the start of the story he's muscle for a loan shark, he cares for creatures.

[elizabeths.]

This was a great video with valuable insight. Oddly enough, I think I did most of these when I wrote a fan fic where I turned a despicable side cannon character into a decent human being. He had the disbelieves (the government is extremely corrupt, enemie's enemy is my friend) which was at the route of everything he did wrong in cannon. The reality is some of the government is corrupt and the alternative he serves is far worse. He does have a secret that could get him killed is revealed to the wrong person. The character does trust someone that helped him through a crisis and yeah, I gave him a few outlets of compassion.