From: julie@pascal.org   
      
   On Monday, July 28, 2014 1:15:47 PM UTC-6, Shawn Wilson wrote:   
   > On Monday, July 28, 2014 10:24:22 AM UTC-7, Jacey Bedford wrote:   
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   > Re character 'flaws'...   
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   > > I don't think we're talking about the same thing when we talk about    
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   > > character flaws. Having a flaw doesn't automatically make your character    
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   > > an asshole, it gives him/her something to overcome. Sometimes a flaw can    
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   > > be being too trusting or not wanting to leave anyone behind, so he    
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   > > sacrifices the many for the few or... you get it... and at the end his    
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   > > greatest trial will challenge his flaw and make him face up to it. If    
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   > > he's scared of snakes, he'll have to wade through snakes up to his    
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   > > armpits to achieve his objective. If he's scared of fire then fire is    
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   > > what will forge his resolve.   
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   > Ah, that isn't flaw/defect, that's personality/character.  They HAVE that.    
   At least in my head.     
      
      
   When anyone else says "flaw" this is what they mean. This is how you'll hear   
   the word used by everyone. Generally it's a character issue that causes a   
   problem.  Someone is impulsive and makes mistakes.  Someone has a temper.    
   Someone will *not* trust    
   others, no matter what.   
      
   The anti-hero or the broken individual who does evil for the side of good...   
   that's not a *flaw*.   
       
       
       
       
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   > > OK, it might not be something asd obvious as this, but you get what I    
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   > > mean. Don't make your characters too heroic or it will look as though    
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   > > you got them off the peg from Central Casting, make them human with    
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   > > human obstacles to overcome.   
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   > Rest assured, they are people.  They are good and competent people, but they   
   are people.     
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   > > Luke Skywalker had to overcome his fear of trusting the Force in order    
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   > > to be able to whomp the Death Star. Han Solo had to discover that there    
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   > > was more to care about in life than making a fast buck before he could    
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   > > save Luke's ass and win the princess. They both had flaws to overcome.   
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   > That kind of flaw is boring and trite.  The heroes are good at what they do   
   and know what they are good at (or not).  So are the villains.     
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   > In re the hero it will be some what problematic that a key antagonist is   
   better at his strength than he is...   
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   > > I suggest reading Donald Maass 'Writing the Breakout Novel'. Writing the    
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   > > Breakout Novel Workbook' and 'The Fire in Fiction.'   
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   > Thing is, Stephen King 'On Writing', sure.  Take it as gospel.  Guy I never   
   heard of?  What does HE know about writing?   
      
      
   Geez... even I've heard of Donald Maass.   
      
   OTOH, the only important rule is "don't take anything as gospel."   
      
   -Julie   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)