What's your MC's flaw?

black ink · Feb 20, 2009

This is one of the parts of characterization I find so fascinating, that balance between making the character appealing, but also believably human.

So tell me about your MC's flaw or flaws.

wandergirl · Feb 20, 2009

book 1 MC: hiding behind self-pity, which prevents her from recognizing her strengths.
book 2 MC: she cares too much about what everybody thinks. also self-pity, and clinging to old resentments.

Maryn · Feb 20, 2009

He's a recovering alcoholic who struggles most days. Poor bastard.

Maryn, cruel to her characters but not real people

blacbird · Feb 20, 2009

Dishonesty and trickiness. He's a 19th-century traveling con man.

caw

Shady Lane · Feb 20, 2009

He's very naive and much too trusting and is perfectly content to let life happen to him.

cameron_chapman · Feb 20, 2009

My MC tends to adapt herself to the men in her life. She'll change her personality to suit them or whatever she thinks they want.

dirtsider · Feb 20, 2009

MC-1: He's too hesitent to use his abilities. Currently in a very comfortable place and doesn't want to leave that.

MC-2: She's a bit reckless about the "new world" she's entering and is a bit pushy with her friend.

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2009

My female MC doesn't believe in love. Why is this a flaw? It encourages her to think of men as a means to an end. A way of scratching an itch, if you like. She forgets some of the poor blighters - particularly the one with whom she's currently making the beast with two backs - actually have feelings. She's already hurt one very badly, and when this one leaves, it's going to be her time to feel pain.

The male MC? Haven't discovered his flaw yet. He's impetuous, though whether that's a flaw or not I don't know. He also has a ravenous sexual appetite. Again, might not be a flaw...

Samantha's_Song · Feb 20, 2009

In my present one: My female chooses not to see what's in front of her when it comes to love and tramples on people's feelings. She's also very sarcastic, critical of some people, and she has a really dirty mind-all she thinks of is sex.

The girl in my last two (same girl) plays the martyr and hides behind a childlike facade, She will also do things she thinks she has to for the one she loves, but often getting it very wrong. Sometimes I really want to slap her.

Kathleen42 · Feb 20, 2009

Chip on her shoulder, desperately trying to forget her roots, and serious abandonment issues.

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
Chip on her shoulder, desperately trying to forget her roots, and serious abandonment issues.

Who the hell gave you permission to use me as a character?!

Kathleen42 · Feb 20, 2009

scarletpeaches said:
Who the hell gave you permission to use me as a character?!

All in that waiver you signed. This is your signature, wouldn't you say?

DSoN · Feb 20, 2009

Female character: Where do I start with her? Okay, first off, she's traumatized by an incident that happened to her at a young age. Because of that, she loathes and fears everything to do with the country where that incident happned- Ireland. Anything remotely Celtic she ignores, or, if it's a person, treats like crap. And since she's currently living in Ireland, against her will... And then there's her view on sex. In my notes about her, there's a comment that she would 'Rather become a nun then have children'. And she believes love is useless. She also has a bad relationship with her parents, but that's mostly their fault plus typical teenaged angst.

Guy Character: Charismatic, but uses it in all the wrong ways- lying to get out of trouble, get into clubs and bars he's too young to enter, tricking people into believing the alcholol in his trunk was bought by his brother... And sex. He is very sexually active, and uses his charm to seduce girls. He's very insecure. He thinks the 'gift' he has is a sign of mental illness, partially because his father works at a mental hospital. And, when he finally meets a decent girl (my female character) he completely screws things over by telling her about a bet he's got going on with his friends on who can bang the girl hosting the party first. The party is for my female character. You can imagine how she treats him for the rest of the novel.

Whew. I think that's enough information for now.

Beautiful_Liar · Feb 20, 2009

One of the three is too trusting and naive.
One of the others is too cynical and guarded.
The other one is perfect.

Just kiddinn.

williemeikle · Feb 20, 2009

What's your MC's flaw? He's immortal, and Scottish. A bad combination

Samantha's_Song · Feb 20, 2009

Oh, I don't know, Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert did good in Highlander

(Ok, I know C.L isn't really a Scotsman)

williemeikle said:
What's your MC's flaw? He's immortal, and Scottish. A bad combination

scarletpeaches · Feb 20, 2009

Nor is Sean Connery. :roll:

thethinker42 · Feb 20, 2009

Okay, now that I've had my arm twisted to post in this thread...

Camera Shy:
The female MC is pretty messed up - self-destructive, drinking problem, uses people, the works - but is trying to get herself back together. The male MC is generally a good guy, but is very gun shy about women and rather unforgiving (so much so that he even surprised ME when he refused to forgive the female MC...he was supposed to, but being the stubborn butt that he was, he wouldn't until later on).

Playing With Fire:
The male MC is just entirely too sexy, has too many tattoos, is WAY too good in bed, and really his major flaw is that he's not real.

(kidding...scarletpeaches threatened me with bodily harm if I didn't at least mention him...but I'm not going to go into detail about the story

)

KTC · Feb 20, 2009

Tobias's flaw is perfection and his insane notion that everybody in his life must live up to his high standards of perfection.

maestrowork · Feb 20, 2009

The Pacific Between: gosh, he has so many flaws...where to start? Self-absorbed, immature, irresponsible, bitter, jealous, cocky, pompous... it's amazing women find him endearing, actually. Must be the sports car and size 13 shoes.

The Terrapin's Trail: Kai is self-righteous, taciturn, serious, shrewd, and unforgiving. Grace is naive, stubborn, spontaneous, too loyal...

Toothpaste · Feb 20, 2009

Arrogance.

JS Emuakpor · Feb 20, 2009

Impetuous. And a mass murderer.

ccarver30 · Feb 20, 2009

Female MC - She's too trusting.
Male MC - He's too suspicious.

williemeikle · Feb 20, 2009

Samantha's_Song said:
Oh, I don't know, Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert did good in Highlander (Ok, I know C.L isn't really a Scotsman)

And in the film Sean Connery wasn't Scottish

Mumut · Feb 20, 2009

At first naive and self-centered then too much impetus, takes on more than she can handle and comes unstuck, emotionally.

What's your MC's flaw?

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