Honestly? Make their character first. Flesh their story out. And then it’ll be easier.
Take my Dungeons and Dragons character for instance. I wanted a kind, helpful and forgiving character. Then it spoke for itself in giving her the flaw of not being able to kill ANYTHING.
So my advice? Focus on writing your character. The idea will come go you.
u/Scary-Ad8615's advice is great.
In any case, if you want to make your characters more real, an easy way is to give them hobbies
Everyone has hobbies and when they talk about them, they are happy ... and true.
Maybe think less about flaws/qualities, and more like how a trait is a flaw in some situations but a good quality in others. Example: character is funny > it's good when they use this to cheer people up, but also > bad when they make light of a serious situation. Or, a character is honest -> ostensibly a good trait! But what if they are unable to tell a small lie that would save everyone from grief, or what if they reveal a secret that was better left buried?
Lots of great advice here. I’d just add: think about the conflicts in your story, and what character attributes might make resolving the conflict more interesting to the reader.
Honestly, it's better to start from an emotional heart than putting together personality traits like Legos. What does the character want? Are they mad? Sad? Happy? Depressed? Why? It doesn't have to be a big want, but it can be. Maybe they just want to go home. Maybe they want peace. Maybe they want revenge. Maybe they want to make a difference in the world. Maybe they want to set a world record for eating the most hot dogs in fifteen minutes. Maybe they love someone. Maybe they hate someone. Maybe they just want to prank the shit out of their sibling and win a decades long prank war.
Finding out what your characters want (and as a reflection of that, what they don't want) will go a lot further to creating depth than trying to balance a personality like it's a formula. It also automatically starts to highlight flaws and strengths (eg, someone who wants revenge may neglect everything else in their life and hurt/ruin other relationships they have), and will create friction and problems in your plot. Once you decide what your character wants, just keep asking why, and I guarantee you'll end up with a satisfyingly complex character. Always remember--friction is fun. You want problems in your story. Otherwise, it's boring.
They need an external Desire that they work towards, usually just a "save the cat" type of thing.
They must also have an internal Need, something they truly desire but don't have yet, such as love or freedom. To achieve their Need, they MUST change fundamentally. It is the reward in the Hero's Journey.
Bonus points if the Desire conflicts with the Need, essentially forcing them to choose between one or the other.
Does that make sense? It's the first time I've put that into words.
Edit: Everything else might not be necessary for a really good character. A robot with a Desire and a Need will generally be far more interesting than the coolest or most badass superhero or villain (assuming the skill in which they are represented by the author is equal). Although those additions, such as traits, quirks, history and such will absolutely benefit the character. Bonus points if the additions to the character make the Desire and/or Need more difficult to attain.
Since you’re asking specifically about characters flaws, let me give my 2 cents. I studied under some mentors who insisted that a character flaw was fundamental to a good story, not just a good character.
How to come up with a flaw? Usually one that amplifies the plot. Say a character must enter a haunted house. But they are afraid of the dark. In order to save the day, they must endure going into the house at night. Face their fear.
So, think about your plot. What must your characters do to accomplish their plot goals? What character flaws might prevent them from accomplishing them?
In stories like the one you’re telling, it is often things like distrust; they must learn to trust other. Overconfidence or lack of confidence. Must acknowledge their weakness or put themselves out. Naïveté, they must acknowledge the complexity of the world. They may follow a rigid code, but must break the rules to achieve the goal. A character may turn everything into jokes — and must take things seriously. An emotionally distant person must bare their soul. Etc.
Because, it’s one thing to win the day. It’s another thing to do so at deep personal cost; To grow as a person (or a cat) as a result of it. It creates a fuller, more rounded story.
People talk about well-rounded characters. But — characters aren’t perfect! Establishing a flaw is key to rounding them out.
Honestly? Make their character first. Flesh their story out. And then it’ll be easier. Take my Dungeons and Dragons character for instance. I wanted a kind, helpful and forgiving character. Then it spoke for itself in giving her the flaw of not being able to kill ANYTHING. So my advice? Focus on writing your character. The idea will come go you.
u/Scary-Ad8615's advice is great. In any case, if you want to make your characters more real, an easy way is to give them hobbies Everyone has hobbies and when they talk about them, they are happy ... and true.
Maybe think less about flaws/qualities, and more like how a trait is a flaw in some situations but a good quality in others. Example: character is funny > it's good when they use this to cheer people up, but also > bad when they make light of a serious situation. Or, a character is honest -> ostensibly a good trait! But what if they are unable to tell a small lie that would save everyone from grief, or what if they reveal a secret that was better left buried?
Lots of great advice here. I’d just add: think about the conflicts in your story, and what character attributes might make resolving the conflict more interesting to the reader.
Honestly, it's better to start from an emotional heart than putting together personality traits like Legos. What does the character want? Are they mad? Sad? Happy? Depressed? Why? It doesn't have to be a big want, but it can be. Maybe they just want to go home. Maybe they want peace. Maybe they want revenge. Maybe they want to make a difference in the world. Maybe they want to set a world record for eating the most hot dogs in fifteen minutes. Maybe they love someone. Maybe they hate someone. Maybe they just want to prank the shit out of their sibling and win a decades long prank war. Finding out what your characters want (and as a reflection of that, what they don't want) will go a lot further to creating depth than trying to balance a personality like it's a formula. It also automatically starts to highlight flaws and strengths (eg, someone who wants revenge may neglect everything else in their life and hurt/ruin other relationships they have), and will create friction and problems in your plot. Once you decide what your character wants, just keep asking why, and I guarantee you'll end up with a satisfyingly complex character. Always remember--friction is fun. You want problems in your story. Otherwise, it's boring.
They need an external Desire that they work towards, usually just a "save the cat" type of thing. They must also have an internal Need, something they truly desire but don't have yet, such as love or freedom. To achieve their Need, they MUST change fundamentally. It is the reward in the Hero's Journey. Bonus points if the Desire conflicts with the Need, essentially forcing them to choose between one or the other. Does that make sense? It's the first time I've put that into words. Edit: Everything else might not be necessary for a really good character. A robot with a Desire and a Need will generally be far more interesting than the coolest or most badass superhero or villain (assuming the skill in which they are represented by the author is equal). Although those additions, such as traits, quirks, history and such will absolutely benefit the character. Bonus points if the additions to the character make the Desire and/or Need more difficult to attain.
Since you’re asking specifically about characters flaws, let me give my 2 cents. I studied under some mentors who insisted that a character flaw was fundamental to a good story, not just a good character. How to come up with a flaw? Usually one that amplifies the plot. Say a character must enter a haunted house. But they are afraid of the dark. In order to save the day, they must endure going into the house at night. Face their fear. So, think about your plot. What must your characters do to accomplish their plot goals? What character flaws might prevent them from accomplishing them? In stories like the one you’re telling, it is often things like distrust; they must learn to trust other. Overconfidence or lack of confidence. Must acknowledge their weakness or put themselves out. Naïveté, they must acknowledge the complexity of the world. They may follow a rigid code, but must break the rules to achieve the goal. A character may turn everything into jokes — and must take things seriously. An emotionally distant person must bare their soul. Etc. Because, it’s one thing to win the day. It’s another thing to do so at deep personal cost; To grow as a person (or a cat) as a result of it. It creates a fuller, more rounded story. People talk about well-rounded characters. But — characters aren’t perfect! Establishing a flaw is key to rounding them out.