So many posts so far and my only post on characterization was on villains.

Okay, I gotta admit, characterization is one of my biggest weaknesses as a writer and I don't like talking about it. You could almost say it's a flaw I have. A flaw makes me weaker, it makes me suck, and it's not something I'm supposed to reveal. But on the other hand, it also makes me more relatable.

This brings us to the topic of this post.

Character flaws!

It's funny, in a way. In the real world, we go to great lengths to hide our weaknesses. But if your fictional character has no flaws, they'll be called a "Mary Sue".

Mary Sues, as you all probably know, are characters so perfect that they are obnoxious. One particular type is popular in Wattpad stories. You all know it. The type that is incredibly beautiful, but considers herself ugly, who has a super awesome name, beautiful eyes, has a tragic backstory, is admired by all the bad boys, and whose only flaw is that she is too clumsy.

The most common advice on avoiding such characters is to give them flaws.

But do all characters need flaws? Why do we hate to have flaws in real-life, but we think our fictional characters should have them? And why are characters that don't really have flaws so popular?

The purpose of character flaws

In my opinion, giving characters flaws is a double-edged sword. A lot of readers and authors like projecting themselves on their favorite fictional characters. This is why main characters are generally heroes and why heroes are good people: Most people want to think that they are good.

But it goes beyond that. If you watch movies (or even Wattpad stories, really), you might notice that "heroic" male characters are usually very strong, and female characters almost always look like supermodels. Why? Because that's the cultural ideal and characters who don't fit that mold are often cast as villains or comic relief.

If you understand this, you probably also understand why these cliché romances with protagonists that always feel the same get millions of reads here on WP: Simple wish-fulfillment.

But why do stories with "perfect" protagonists have such a bad reputation?

It's simple: They are boring. That is, unless the character has your demographic traits and you can project yourself onto them.

In order to be exciting, stories must have problems and the characters need to overcome those problems. If a character has no weaknesses, challenges are hard to write. That's why Superman, for all his super strength and laser eyes, still has a weakness to kryptonite. Now, it IS possible to give with no flaws challenges, but it is, well, challenging.

Let's discuss the ways.

1. Rely on action

Recently, I discussed with a friend whether or not Kirito from Sword Art Online is a Mary Sue. He thought he is one, but the fact that SAO has such an action-heavy plot compensates for that. Now, don't get me wrong, I think that no action in the world can fix a Mary Sue, but he might have been onto something.

If you look at a lot of action movie heroes, many of them don't have so many flaws, but their movies still can be exciting. Why? Because no matter how awesome you are, a bullet in the head or a fall from a tall building means the end for you. And action movie heroes tend to have really bad luck.

Many heroes are put up against conflicts that would challenge even the peak of what humanity has to offer. The main character from The Martian, Mark Watney, doesn't really have character flaws, but I still love that story. Why? The story is about him being trapped alone on the planet Mars with only his spacesuit and his very, very limited resources from his mission keeping him alive. His only hope to get home is to somehow repair the radio system and message his fellow astronauts. But even then, they're gonna take an eternity until they can come back and he needs to survive until then.

Honestly, even the best astronaut in the world would be overwhelmed in such a daunting situation. That makes for an engaging novel/movie.

However, I don't think such a strategy is viable for most stories. Because after a while, putting the protagonist into fights or life-threatening situations all the time becomes boring (in The Martian, it works due to the author's encyclopedic knowledge on spaceflight and how to stay alive in space; that way, he can always give Mark Watney new and varied challenges). Hence, most stories normally need internal and social conflicts, in addition to those action-heavy external conflicts.

A character without flaws can't have internal struggles. Social conflicts with a flawless character are also hard to write, because they only work if everyone who doesn't like the protagonist becomes some kind of villainous caricature. This whole "everyone who doesn't like the protagonist is evil" thing is a very common Mary Sue trait.

Also, sometimes, not even action will help you if the protagonist is so overpowered that victory is certain (this is a problem I had with Kirito, tbh).

2. Creating non-action conflicts with a flawless character

So, yeah, in my opinion, the biggest issue with flawless characters is that it's hard to create conflict in the "downtime" (that is, in scenes where there is no action). I think it's possible, but it requires a specific setup.

The character might lack knowledge. For example, they might be an inexperienced newbie who has just been whisked into a magical world and needs to learn how everything works. Or they're just new to school (a very common Wattpad cliché) and need to get to know everyone. Since many flawless characters are written as audience surrogates, you have an excuse to introduce the world and the characters to the reader.

This lack of knowledge or experience can temporarily be used to create conflict, but the keyword here is "temporarily". Once you have introduced the world, this option is gone.

Another tactic I often see writers use is to have the character be bullied or persecuted by others. Again, if the character is flawless, this type of behavior will be very unrealistic (seriously, who gets bullied only because they have superpowers, they are new to school, or because have dead parents?). Nonetheless, it can work. If the character has been framed for a crime they didn't commit, it makes sense that others will mistrust and mistreat them. (But then again, this only works as long as the protagonist hasn't cleared their name.)

So, can you create interpersonal or non-action conflicts without giving your characters any real flaws? I think you can, but it's hard.

3. "Fake" flaws

Some writers try to have their cake and eat it. In this case, they give their characters traits that are phrased like flaws, but don't leave the bounds of what is socially acceptable. Many Wattpad protagonists will think they look ugly, but any time the narration gets more specific ("My eyes are too big", "My hair is too red"), they really don't sound ugly. Or, they might be shy and socially awkward, but only around their crush. They're never so socially awkward that it strains relationships with their friends or makes them act in socially acceptable ways.

"Fake" flaws are like the flaws you are supposed to mention in a job interview. Your manager might ask something like "what are your weaknesses", but you aren't supposed to mention anything that could actually cost you the job (like "I lack discipline"). Instead, you are more likely to mention a strength and phrase it like a weakness ("I'm too perfectionist", "I always work too hard").

Now, don't get me wrong, this can work for stories. Many people, particularly teenagers, lack self-confidence, particularly concerning their looks. As realistic as these insecurities are, make sure you implement them carefully and subtly into your story. This whole "I am not pretty" stuff is extremely cliché and can feel like whiny teenage angst if it's too heavy-handed. It also helps if it's not the character's only flaw.

4. Having flawed side characters

Many authors write ensemble casts where the leader (that is, the protagonist) is the most non-descript of the bunch while everyone else has a very quirky, colorful and flawed personality. In the Harry Potter books, Harry might be the protagonist, but it's Hermione's bossiness or Ron's stupidity that makes the interpersonal scenes more engaging. The idea is that, since unlikable side characters are less likely to put-off readers than unlikable main characters, the side characters get all the flaws.

If you ever watched or read a story where you thought the main character was also the most boring character, it's probably because the author relied on this strategy. As with all the other items on this list, it can work if do it right. Above anything else, those interesting side characters will need spotlight and agency. If the hero is too overpowered, it is likely that these quirky side characters will feel like they stop mattering (a sadly common problem in shonen anime, if you ask me).

This tactic is very commonly used in romance stories. The idea is that the protagonist is perfect and attracts a whole harem of beautiful people with zero effort. Therefore, the only source of tension in the romance is who of those many jealous cuties will triumph in the end. It's how basically every love triangle ever and every harem anime works.

5. Giving your hero real flaws

Enough of all that above. Now, we get to the option that most online writing advice out there recommends. Let's assume you want to give your hero real flaws. The type of flaws society deems unacceptable. The type of flaws you aren't supposed to mention in a job interview. The type of flaws we don't like to admit we have. Trauma. Selfishness. Drug addiction. Incompetence. Cowardice.

Those flaws will have a lasting effect on the story, in the positive or in the negative sense. No-one will deny that they are real and they'll always be there to provide your hero with challenges. However, it's a two-sided edge because these types of flaws require full commitment from the storyteller and might take the story in unexpected directions.

For one, they can make the story darker and reduce the wish-fulfillment. Not everyone wants to project themselves onto a selfish coward of a hero. With wish-fulfillment reduced, you might need other story elements to hook the reader.

Not all of these flaws have this problem. Trauma, for instance, can increase sympathy for the hero. However, it's also sensitive territory. Many stories don't depict trauma realistically, they depict it along the lines of "My parents are dead, I want revenge". Since trauma is a sensitive subject matter, it is understandable that readers won't be pleased if your story depicts it unrealistically. A reader of Starsnatcher became very angry when he saw how unrealistic the trauma of characters like Lucas or Kira was. Realistic depictions of PTSD or substance abuse aren't easy and require research.

In general, if there is a type of flaw that heroes are rarely given, it's because it's hard to write. However, a good writer can make them work. Since characterization is an area where I have a lot to learn, I can't give you any specific tips.

However, I can tell you one thing. Readers in this day and age LOVE realistic heroes. This is part of why Game of Thrones is so popular: People who play the role of the "ideal hero" (like Eddard Stark) are the first to die.

Making a realistically flawed character is therefore the option on this list that is the hardest to implement, but also the most rewarding. If you give your hero one such flaw, they should have a character arc where they either outgrow it, learn to live with it, or succumb to it. Giving your hero real flaws is the only sustainable way to catalyze character development and create impactful conflict.

Personally, I'd rather use the other four strategies on it, as they are easier and I'm a flawed writer myself. I don't think there is a solution that works for every writer. If none of us or our stories had flaws, all stories would work the same.

But I hope these five points will help you find a solution that works for you.