Character Flaws

Guided Worksheets for paid subscribers

Once again, the Holidays got away with me. But here we are!

Character flaws are easy to talk about in theory. They’re harder to design with intention—and even harder to apply when you’re deep in the middle of a draft.

Most writers know their characters have flaws. Fewer can clearly articulate what those flaws cost, how they interfere with the story, or why they matter beyond surface texture.

The worksheet below is designed to slow that process down. It walks through identifying a protagonist’s core flaw, determining how deeply it operates in the story, and tracing the consequences that flaw creates across plot and relationships.

If your characters ever feel a little too polished, too protected, or oddly untouched by their own mistakes, this exercise is meant to help you see exactly where that’s happening—and what to do about it.