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123 Ideas For Character RECENT POSTS
10 Editing Errors
Flaws – A Writer’s Resource
Writers Should
Avoid At All Costs
Use this post to explore 123 ideas Banned Books
for character flaws
flaws. Use them for Week – The 10
the characters in your books. Most Challenged
Titles Of 2019
Pay special attention to creating the
10 Ways To Be A
four main characters in your novels.
Great Writing
Great characters have good and bad
Group Member
traits. They also have character
https://www.writerswrite.co.za/123-ideas-for-character-flaws/ ⾴⾯1/22
flaws. Be sure to include the flaws Publishing

when you complete the character 5 Things You Need
questionnaires for your fictional To Know To Write
creations. Science Fiction
MOST
What Is A Character Flaw? POPULAR
155 Words To
According to Oxford English
Describe An
Dictionaries, a character flaw is ‘a Author’s Tone
fault or weakness in a person’s Banned Books
character’. Week – The 10
A character flaw can be defined Most Challenged
more fully as an undesirable quality Titles Of 2019
in a person. It is an imperfection, 75 Words That
limitation, deficiency, phobia, or a Describe Smells – A

Resource For
problem that affects the way others
Writers
perceive us. These character flaws
350 Character
are present in everybody.
Traits – A Fabulous
A flaw can be a problem if it affects Resource For
the way a person interacts with Writers
others. A reckless person could 106 Ways To
endanger other people. A flaw can Describe Sounds –
also simply make a character more A Resource For
three-dimensional and empathetic. Writers
We relate to people who are not The 17 Most
perfect. Popular Genres In
Fiction – And Why
[Use our Character Creation Kit to
They Matter
create great characters for your
123 Ideas For
stories.]
Character Flaws – A
Writer’s Resource
3 Types Of Character
Cheat Sheets For
Flaws
(via Wikipedia) Writing Body

Language
“In general, character flaws can be
140 Words To
categorised as minor, major, or
Describe Mood In
tragic.
Fiction
204 Words That
1. Minor Flaw
Flaw: A minor character flaw is Describe Colours –
an imperfection which serves to A Resource For
distinguish the character in the mind of Writers
the reader, making them memorable and ONLINE
individual, but otherwise does not affect COURSES
the story in any way.
How To Write A
2. Major Flaw
Flaw: A major character flaw is Book
a much more noticeable and important How To Write A
hindrance which actually impairs the Short Story
individual, whether physically, mentally, How To Write For
or morally. Sometimes major flaws are Children
not actually negative, but are classified as How To Write A
such in that they often serve to hinder or Memoir
restrict the character in some way. How To Blog
3. Fatal Flaw
Flaw: This is a specific sort of How To Write A
flaw, also known as “Hamartia“, which Script
is possessed by Aristotelian tragic How To Write A
heroes. It is a flaw which causes an Romance
otherwise noble or exceptional character Hooked On Writing
to bring about their own downfall and, – Free Course
often, their eventual death. Examples of Show Don’t Tell –
this could include hubris, misplaced Free Course
trust, excessive curiosity, pride, and lack Visual Storytelling

– Free Course
of self-control.”
ARCHIVES
We can use a flaw to help us plot a Click to view
book. Look at the examples below.
Examples Of Character Flaws

In Fiction
1. In Little Women, Jo March’s

bluntness and stuborness cause
conflict with her family.
2. In Macbeth, the protagonist suffers from
hubris (excessive pride
pride), and
murders the king. He then becomes
paranoid
paranoid, which causes him to order
the killing of other characters.
3. In Schindler’s List, Oskar Schindler
must overcome his greed in order to
save his workers.
4. In Peter Pan, Captain Hook is
obsessed with Peter Pan.
5. In Moby-Dick, Captain Ahab is
fanatical about and obsessed with
killing the whale.
6. In Othello the cruel
cruel,
manipulative Iago uses Othello’
jealousy to drive him to murder.
7. In Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory, Veruca Salt is unbearably
selfish and greedy and spoiled
and behaves badly to get her way.
8. In Pride and Prejudice, Darcy and
Elizabeth both show degrees of pride
and prejudice
prejudice.
9. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan
is completely shallow and is only
concerned with her status and financial
wealth.
123 Ideas For

Character Flaws
Use this list (From Dark World RPG
via The Character Therapist) of
character flaws to help you created
rounded characters when you write
your novels and stories. We have
added a few of our own choices at
the end of the list.
1. Absent-minded – Preoccupied to the

extent of being unaware of one’s
immediate surroundings. Daydreaming,
inattentive, oblivious, forgetful.
2. Abusive – Characterised by the
improper infliction of physical or
psychological maltreatment towards
another.
3. Addicted – One who is addicted to a
compulsive activity. Examples:
gambling, drugs, sex.
4. Aimless – Devoid of direction or
purpose.
5. Alcoholic – A person who drinks
alcohol habitually and to excess.
6. Anxious – Full of mental distress or
uneasiness, because of fear of danger or
misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.
7. Arrogant – Having or displaying a
sense of overbearing self-worth or self-

importance. Inclined to social
exclusiveness, rebuffs the advances of
people considered inferior. Snobbish.
8. Audacious – Recklessly bold in
defiance of convention, propriety, law, or
the like; insolent; brazen, disobedient.
9. Bad Habit – This is usually a repulsive
personal habit. Examples: picks nose,
spits tobacco, drools, bad body odour.
10. Bigmouth – A loud-mouthed or
gossipy person.
11. Bigot – One who is strongly partial to
one’s own group, religion, race, or
politics and is intolerant of those who
differ.
12. Blunt – Characterised by directness in
manner or speech; without subtlety or
evasion. Frank, callous, insensitive,
brusque.
13. Bold – In a bad sense, too forward;
taking undue liberties; over assuming or
confident; lacking proper modesty or
restraint; rude; impudent. Abrupt, brazen,
cheeky, brassy, audacious.
14. Callous – Hardened to emotions, rarely
showing any form of it in expression.
Unfeeling. Cold.
15. Childish – Marked by or indicating a
lack of maturity; puerile.
16. Complex – An exaggerated or
obsessive concern or fear.
17. Cruel – Mean to anyone or anything,

without care or regard to
18. and feelings.
19. Cursed – A person who has befallen a
prayer for evil or misfortune, placed
under a spell, or borne into an evil
circumstance, and suffers for it. Damned.
20. Dependen
Dependent – Unable to exist, sustain
oneself, or act appropriately or normally
without the assistance or direction of
another.
21. Deranged – Mentally decayed. Insane.
Crazy. Mad. Psychotic.
22. Dishonest – Given to, or using, fraud,
cheating; deceitful, deceptive, crooked,
underhanded.
23. Disloyal – Lacking loyalty. Unfaithful,
perfidious, traitorous, treasonable
24. Disorder – An ailment that affects the
function of mind or body. Read:
Personality Disorders – A
Writer’s Resource
25. Disturbed – Showing signs or
symptoms of mental or emotional illness.
Confused, disordered, neurotic, troubled.
26. Dubious – Fraught with uncertainty or
doubt. Undecided, doubtful, unsure.
27. Dyslexic – Affected by dyslexia, a
learning disorder marked by impairment
of the ability to recognise and
comprehend written words.
28. Egotistical – Characteristic of those
having an inflated idea of their own

importance. Boastful, pompous.
29. Envious – Showing extreme cupidity;
painfully desirous of another’s
advantages; covetous, jealous.
30. Erratic – Deviating from the customary
course in conduct or opinion; eccentric:
erratic behaviour. Eccentric, bizarre,
outlandish, strange.
31. Fanatical – Outlook or behaviour
especially as exhibited by excessive
enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild
and extravagant notions on some subject.
32. Fickle – Erratic, changeable, unstable –
especially with regard to affections or
attachments; capricious.
33. Fierce – Marked by extreme intensity
of emotions or convictions; inclined to
react violently; fervid.
34. Finicky – Excessively particular or
fastidious; difficult to please; fussy. Too
concerned with detail. Meticulous,
fastidious, choosy, critical, picky, prissy,
pernickety.
35. Fixated – In psychoanalytic theory, a
strong attachment to a person or thing,
especially such an attachment formed in
childhood or infancy and manifested in
immature or neurotic behaviour that
persists throughout life. Fetish, quirk,
obsession, infatuation.
36. Flirty -To make playfully romantic or
sexual overtures; behaviour intended to

arouse sexual interest. Minx. Tease.
37. Gluttonous – Given to excess in
consumption. Voracious, ravenous,
wolfish, piggish, insatiable.
38. Gruff – Brusque or stern in manner or
appearance. Crusty, rough, surly.
39. Gullible – Will believe any
information given, regardless of how
valid or truthful it is, easily deceived or
duped.
40. Hard – A person who is difficult to deal
with, manage, control, overcome, or
understand. Hard emotions, hard-hearted.
41. Hedonistic – Pursuit of, or devotion
to, pleasure, especially to the pleasures
of the senses.
42. Hoity-toity
Hoity-toity– Given to flights of fancy;
capricious; frivolous. Prone to giddy
behaviour, flighty.
43. Humourless – The inability to find
humour in things, and most certainly in
themselves.
44. Hypocritical – One who is always
contradicting their own beliefs, actions
or sayings. A person who professes
beliefs and opinions for others that he
does not hold.
45. Idealist – One whose conduct is
influenced by ideals that often conflict
with practical considerations. One who is
unrealistic and impractical, guided more
by ideals than by practical

considerations.
46. Idiotic – Marked by a lack of
intelligence or care; foolish or careless.
47. Ignorant – Lacking knowledge or
information as to a particular subject or
fact. Showing or arising from a lack of
education or knowledge.
48. Illiterate – Unable to read and write.
49. Immature – Emotionally
undeveloped; juvenile; childish.
50. Impatient – Unable to wait patiently
or tolerate delay; restless. Unable to
endure irritation or opposition; intolerant.
51. Impious – Lacking piety and reverence
for a god/gods and their followers.
52. Impish – Naughtily or annoyingly
playful.
53. Incompetent – Unable to execute
tasks, no matter the size or difficulty.
54. Indecisive – Characterised by lack of
decision and firmness, especially under
pressure.
55. Indifferent – Lacking enthusiasm for,
or interest in, things generally, remaining
calm and seeming not to care; a casual
lack of concern. Having or showing little
or no interest in anything; languid;
spiritless.
56. Infamy – Having an extremely bad
reputation, public reproach, or strong
condemnation as the result of a shameful,
criminal, or outrageous act that affects

how others view them.
57. Intolerant – Unwilling to tolerate
difference of opinion and narrow-minded
about cherished opinions.
58. Judgemental – Inclined to make and
form judgements, especially moral or
personal ones, based on one’s own
opinions or impressions towards
others/practices/groups/religions based
on appearance, reputation, occupation,
etc.
59. Klutz – Clumsy. Blunderer.
60. Lazy – Resistant to work or exertion;
disposed to idleness.
61. Lewd – Inclined to, characterised by, or
inciting to lust or lechery; lascivious.
Obscene or indecent, as language or
songs; salacious.
62. Liar – Compulsively and purposefully
tells false truths more often than not. A
person who has lied or who lies
repeatedly.
63. Lustful – Driven by lust; preoccupied
with or exhibiting lustful desires.
64. Masochist – The deriving of sexual
gratification, or the tendency to derive
sexual gratification, from being
physically or emotionally abused. A
willingness or tendency to subject
oneself to unpleasant or trying
experiences.
65. Meddlesome – Intrusive in a

meddling or offensive manner, given to
meddling; interfering.
66. Meek – Evidencing little spirit or
courage; overly submissive or compliant;
humble in spirit or manner; suggesting
retiring mildness or even cowed
submissiveness.
67. Megalomaniac – A psycho-
pathological condition characterised by
delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or
omnipotence.
68. Naïve – Lacking worldly experience
and understanding, simple and guileless;
showing or characterised by a lack of
sophistication and critical judgement.
69. Nervous – Easily agitated or
distressed; high-strung or jumpy.
70. Non-violent – Abstaining from the
use of violence.
71. Nosey – Given to prying into the affairs
of others; snoopy. Offensively curious or
inquisitive.
72. Obsessive – An unhealthy and
compulsive preoccupation with
something or someone.
73. Oppressor – A person of authority
who subjects others to undue pressures,
to keep down by severe and unjust use of
force or authority.
74. Overambitious – Having a strong
excessive desire for success or
achievement.
75. Overconfident – Excessively
confident; presumptuous.
76. Overemotional – Excessively or
abnormally emotional. Sensitive about
themselves and others, more so than the
average person.
77. Overprotective – To protect too
much; coddle.
78. Overzealous – Marked by excessive
enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a
cause or idea.
79. Pacifist – Opposition to war or
violence as a means of resolving
disputes. (Can double as a merit in
certain cases)
80. Paranoid – Exhibiting or characterised
by extreme and irrational fear or distrust
of others.
81. Peevish – Expressing fretfulness and
discontent, or unjustifiable
dissatisfaction. Cantankerous, cross, ill-
tempered, testy, captious, discontented,
crotchety, cranky, ornery.
82. Perfectionist – A propensity for
being displeased with anything that is not
perfect or does not meet extremely high
standards.
83. Pessimist – A tendency to stress the
negative or unfavourable or to take the
gloomiest possible view.
84. Pest – One that pesters or annoys, with
or without realising it. Nuisance.

Annoying. Nag.
85. Phobic – They have a severe form of
fear when it comes to this one thing.
Examples: Dark, Spiders, Cats. Read:
Writing About Characters With
Phobias
86. Practical – Level-headed, efficient,
and unspeculative. No-nonsense.
87. Predictable – Easily seen through and
assessed, where almost anyone can
predict reactions and actions of said
person by having met or known them
even for a short time.
88. Pride – Filled with or showing
excessive self-esteem and will often
shirk help from others for the sake of
pride.
89. Rebellious – Defying or resisting
some established authority, government,
or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to
rebel.
90. Reckless – Heedless. Headstrong.
Foolhardy. Unthinking boldness, wild
carelessness and disregard for
consequences.
91. Remorseless – Without remorse;
merciless; pitiless; relentless.
92. Rigorous – Rigidly accurate; allowing
no deviation from a standard; demanding
strict attention to rules and procedures.
93. Sadist – The deriving of sexual
gratification or the tendency to derive

sexual gratification from inflicting pain
or emotional abuse on others. Deriving
of pleasure, or the tendency to derive
pleasure, from cruelty.
94. Sadomasochist – Both sadist and
masochist combined.
95. Sarcastic – A subtle form of mockery
in which an intended meaning is
conveyed obliquely.
96. Sceptic – One who instinctively or
habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees
with assertions or generally accepted
conclusions.
97. Seducer – Lead others astray, as from
duty, rectitude, or the like; corrupt. To
attempt to lead or draw someone away,
as from principles, faith, or allegiance.
98. Selfish – Concerned chiefly or only
with oneself.
99. Self-Martyr – One who purposely
makes a great show of suffering in order
to arouse sympathy from others, as a
form of manipulation, and always for a
selfish cause or reason.
100. Self-righteous – Piously sure of
one’s own righteousness; moralistic.
Exhibiting pious self-assurance. Holier-
than-thou, sanctimonious.
101. Senile – Showing a decline or
deterioration of physical strength or
mental functioning, especially short-term
memory and alertness, as a result of old

age or disease.
102. Shallow – Lacking depth of intellect or
knowledge; concerned only with what is
obvious.
103. Smart Ass – Think they know it all,
and in some ways they may, but they can
be greatly annoying and difficult to deal
with at times, especially in arguments.
104. Soft-hearted – Having softness or
tenderness of heart can lead them into
trouble; susceptible to pity or other
kindly affection. They cannot resist
helping someone they see in trouble,
suffering, or in need, and often don’t
think of the repercussions or situation
before doing so.
105. Solemn – Deeply earnest, serious, and
sober.
106. Spineless – Lacking courage.
Cowardly, wimp, lily-livered, gutless.
107. Spiteful – Showing malicious ill will
and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite;
vindictive person who will look for
occasions for resentment. Vengeful.
108. Spoiled – Treated with excessive
indulgence and pampering from earliest
childhood, and has no notion of hard
work, self-care or money management;
coddled, pampered. Having the character
or disposition harmed by pampering or
over-solicitous attention.
109. Squeamish – Excessively fastidious

and easily disgusted.
110. Stubborn – Unreasonably, often
perversely unyielding; bull-headed.
Firmly resolved or determined; resolute.
111. Superstitious – An irrational belief
arising from ignorance or fear from an
irrational belief that an object, action, or
circumstance not logically related to a
course of events influences its outcome.
112. Tactless – Lacking or showing a lack
of what is fitting and considerate in
dealing with others.
113. Temperamental – Moody, irritable,
or sensitive. Excitable, volatile,
emotional.
114. Theatrical – Having a flair for over
dramatising situations, doing things in a
‘big way’ and loving to be ‘centre stage’.
115. Timid -Tends to be shy and/or quiet,
shrinking away from offering opinions or
from strangers and newcomers, fearing
confrontations and violence.
116. Tongue-tied – Speechless or
confused in expression, as from shyness,
embarrassment, or astonishment.
117. Troublemaker – Someone who
deliberately stirs up trouble, intentionally
or unintentionally.
118. Unlucky – Marked by or causing
misfortune; ill-fated. Destined for
misfortune; doomed.
119. Unpredictable – Difficult to foretell

or foresee, their actions are so chaotic it’s
impossible to know what they are going
to do next.
120. Untrustworthy – Not worthy of trust
or belief. Backstabber.
121. Vain – Holding, or characterised by, an
unduly high opinion of their physical
appearance. Lovers of themselves.
Conceited, egotistic, narcissistic.
122. Weak-willed – Lacking willpower,
strength of will to carry out one’s
decisions, wishes, or plans. Easily
swayed.
123. Withdrawn – Not friendly or Sociable.
Aloof.
124. Zealous – A fanatic.
Plus A Few More
1. Jealous – feeling or showing an envious

resentment of someone or their
achievements, possessions, or perceived
advantages
2. Manipulative – exercising
unscrupulous control or influence over a
person or situation
3. Greedy – Having or showing an intense
and selfish desire for wealth or power, or
having an excessive desire or appetite for
food.
4. Bad-tempered – Easily annoyed or
made angry
5. Violent – Using or involving physical
force intended to hurt, damage, or kill
someone or something.
6. Prejudiced – Preconceived opinion that
is not based on reason or actual
experience. Dislike, hostility, or unjust
behaviour deriving from preconceived
and unfounded opinions.
Seven Of The Most

Destructive Flaws
Some of the most destructive

character flaws are included in the
illustration below. They are
described as flaws with a “dominant
negative attitude — a defensive and
potentially destructive pattern of
thinking, feeling and acting. We
could also call it a constraining
factor or personal stumbling
block
block.”
Source for image
We suggest you use these when

you’re plotting the downfall of your
characters or creating potential
areas of conflict.
If you enjoyed this post, you may

like:
1. The 4 Main Characters As Literary

Devices
2. 6 Sub-Plots That Add Style To
Your Story
3. How To Write A One-Page
Synopsis
4. 60 Things For Your Characters To
Do When They Talk Or Think
5. The Locked Room – A Simple Way
To Test Your Plot
6. Writing About Characters With
Phobias
7. Punctuation For Beginners
by Amanda
Patterson
© Amanda Patterson
Top Tip
Tip: Find out more about our
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Posted on 25th June 2012 (1,178,248

views)
* Explore: Creating Characters,

Writing Resource, Writing Tips from
Amanda Patterson
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123 Ideas For Character Flaws - A Writer's Resource | Writers Write 2020/9/28 下午10:06

Home About Courses Writing Advice ' (

Everything Literary Shop My Account Contact

Click to join our

123 Ideas For Character RECENT POSTS

flaws. Be sure to include the flaws Publishing

in a person. It is an imperfection, 75 Words That

limitation, deficiency, phobia, or a Describe Smells – A

(via Wikipedia) Writing Body

this could include hubris, misplaced Free Course

trust, excessive curiosity, pride, and lack Visual Storytelling

Examples Of Character Flaws

1. In Little Women, Jo March’s

123 Ideas For

1. Absent-minded – Preoccupied to the

sense of overbearing self-worth or self-

17. Cruel – Mean to anyone or anything,

having an inflated idea of their own

sexual overtures; behaviour intended to

by ideals than by practical

criminal, or outrageous act that affects

65. Meddlesome – Intrusive in a

or without realising it. Nuisance.

gratification or the tendency to derive

memory and alertness, as a result of old

109. Squeamish – Excessively fastidious

119. Unpredictable – Difficult to foretell

Plus A Few More

1. Jealous – feeling or showing an envious

Seven Of The Most

Some of the most destructive

Source for image

We suggest you use these when

If you enjoyed this post, you may

1. The 4 Main Characters As Literary

Posted on 25th June 2012 (1,178,248

* Explore: Creating Characters,

! Twitter " Facebook % Pinterest # Instagram $ LinkedIn & Tumblr

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