Character flaws are not physical descriptions like being overly hairy, wearing dirty socks, or having one leg. Instead, character flaws are what drives characters through their story via their internal arc (If you want to dig deeper into this, check out a
Discovering Story Magic workshop).
"Everyone has baggage and flaws. It's how they choose
to deal with it is their character." ~
Unknown
The protagonist needs to overcome their flaw in order to succeed against the antagonist and to show internal growth by the story's end, so choosing the right flaw is very important. It helps define what your story is ultimately about.
A few might argue that some of the words on my list below defy my definition of not being a physical description, but they are the first step in offering a spark of inspiration or working as a starting point in a drill down by always asking the question...why? Why is the character a kleptomaniac? What do they need, fear, or believe that causes them to have this affliction? Is the disability of only having one leg a character flaw? No, but the character's feelings or beliefs about having one leg is, and this is what the hero needs to overcome when entering the ring with the villain.
Get your imaginations ready, and check out over four-hundred and fifty flaws below! Let the fun begin...
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ONE MASSIVE LIST OF CHARACTER FLAWS
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A
Abandoned, Abrasive, Absent-minded, Abusive, Acts superior, Addicted, Addled, Adulterous, Aggressive, Aimless, Alcoholic, Aloof, Angry, Antisocial, Anxious, Apathetic, Arrogant, Artificial, Authoritarian, Avoiding, Awkward
B
Bad negotiator, Belligerent, Biased, Bigmouth, Bigot, Bitchy, Bitter, Blames others, Blunt, Boastful, Bold, Boring, Bossy, Boorish, Bratty
C
Calculating, Callous, Careless, Catty, Caustic, Center of attention, Changeable, Charmless, Chatter-box, Cheap, Childish, Close-minded, Clumsy, Coarse, Cocky, Cold-hearted, Combative, Competitive, Complacent, Compulsive, Conceited, Condemnatory, Confident, Confrontational, Conservative, Controlling, Covetous, Cowardly, Crafty, Crazy, Critical, Cruel, Cunning, Cynical
D
Day-dreamer, Defensive, Defiant, Delusional, Demanding, Denying, Dependent, Depressed, Desperate, Despondent, Destructive, Detached, Dictator, Difficult, Directionless, Dirty, Disabled, Disapproving, Dishonest, Disloyal, Disorderly, Disorganized, Disrespectful, Disruptive, Distant Distracted, Doesn’t listen, Dogmatic, Dreamer, Driven, Drug-addicted, Dull
E
Easily offended, Easily swayed, Egocentric, Egotistical, Emotional, Enervated, Entitlement, Envious, Erratic, Evasive, Evil, Excitable, Extravagant, Extreme
F
Facetious, Failure, Faithless, Fake, Fanatical, Fastidious, Fearful, Fickle, Fierce, Flaky, Flippant, Flirty, Follower, Foolish, Forgetful, Frail, Frivolous, Frugal, Fussy
G
Gloomy, Gluttonous, Goal-oriented, Gossipy, Greedy, Grim, Grumpy, Guarded, Gullible
H
Harsh, Hateful, Haughty, Headstrong, Hedonistic, Hesitant, High social standing, High-strung, Holds grudges, Homicidal, Hostile, Hubristic, Humorless, Hypochondriac, Hypocritical
I
Idealistic, Ignorant, Ill-behaved, Ill-tempered, Immature, Impatient, Impious, Impolite, Impoverished, Impractical, Impressionable, Impulsive, Inadequate, Inattentive, Incompetent, Inconsiderate, Indecisive, Indifferent, Indulgent, Inefficient, Inept, Inexperienced, Inferiority-complex, Inflexible, Inhibited, Insecure, Insensitive, Insincere, Insulting, Intolerant, Irresponsible
J
Jealous, Judgmental
K
Killjoy, Kleptomaniac, Know-it-all
L
Lacking initiative, Lacking skills, Languid, Lazy, Lewd, Liar, Liberal, Listless, Lofty goals, Lonesome, Loud, Low social status, Low self-esteem, Lustful
M
Machiavellian, Macho, Malicious, Manipulative, Masochistic, Materialistic, Mean, Mechanical, Meddlesome, Meek, Megalomaniac, Melodramatic, Merciless, Messy, Meticulous, Mischievous, Miserable, Miserly, Mistrusting, Modest, Moody, Morbid, Mouthy, Murderous
N
Nag, Naïve, Narcissistic, Narrow-minded, Nasty, Naughty, Needy, Negative, Neglectful, Nervous, Neurotic, No direction, Non-adventurous, Non-receptive, Non-supportive, Nosy, Not detail-oriented
O
Obnoxious, Obsessive, Obstinate, Offends easily, Offhand, Opinionated, Oppressive, Ostentatious, Outrageous, Outsider, Over-achiever, Over-reacts, Over-critical, Over-sensitive, Over-ambitious, Over-confident, Over-dramatic, Over-emotional, Overly affectionate, Overly optimistic, Over-protective, Over-zealous
P
Paranoid, Partier, Party-animal, Passive, Patronizing, Perfectionist, Pessimistic, Petty, Phobic, Picky, Player, Playful, Plodding, Pompous, Poor planner, Poser, Possessive, Practical, Predatory, Predictable, Prejudice, Pretentious, Prideful, Prim, Prissy, Procrastinating, Promiscuous, Prudish, Psychotic, Puritanical, Pushy, Pyromaniac
Q
Quick-tempered
R
Rebellious, Reckless, Remorseless, Resentful, Responsible, Results-oriented, Ridiculous, Rigid, Risk-taker, Roguish, Rowdy, Ruthless
S
Sadist, Sadomasochist, Sanctimonious, Savagery, Scatterbrained, Scattered, Scornful, Secretive, Self-centered, Self-deprecating, Self-destructive, Self-giving, Self-important, Self-indulgent, Self-martyr, Self-righteous, Selfish, Selfless, Sensitive, Serious, Shallow, Shameful, Shameless, Short-tempered, Shy, Sickly, Skeptical, Sleazy, Slovenly, Slow, Sly, Small-minded, Smart Ass, Sneaky, Snobbish, Snoopy, Snooty, Soft-hearted, Somber, Sordid, Sore loser, Spendthrift, Spies, Spineless, Spiteful, Squeamish, Stagnant, Static, Status-conscious, Steals, Stingy, Stressed, Stubborn, Stupid, Submissive, Subservient, Superficial, Superiority-complex,
Superstitious, Surly, Suspicious
T
Tactless, Talkative, Tardy, Tasteless, Tedious, Temperamental, Tense, Thief, Thoughtless, Thrifty, Timid, Touchy, Tough, Traitor, Treacherous, Troublemaker, Truculent, Trusting
U
Unaccomplished, Unappreciative, Unbalanced, Unbending Uncaring, Uncharitable, Uncommitted, Uncommunicative, Unconventional, Uncooperative, Uncouth, Undependable, Undisciplined, Unethical, Unfair, Unfaithful, Unfeeling, Unfocused, Unforgiving, Unfriendly, Ungrateful, Unimaginative, Uninformed, Unintelligent, Unkempt, Unkind, Unlucky, Unmotivated, Unpredictable, Unreasonable, Unreliable, Unresponsive, Unrestrained, Unscrupulous, Unstable, Unsure, Unsympathetic, Untidy, Untrustworthy, Unworldly, User
V
Vague, Vain, Vengeful, Verbose, Vicious, Vindictive, Violent, Vision-less, Volatile, Vulnerable, Vulgar
W
Wasteful, Weak, Weak-willed, Whiny, Wild, Willful, Wimpy, Withdrawn, Workaholic, Worry wart, Wrathful
X
Y
Z
Zealous
