Characters Must be Flawed to be Perfect - Writing Romantic Fiction

Don’t bore your readers to death!

Perfect people who make no mistakes, always do the right thing, and fulfill our every desire are guaranteed to bore a fiction reader to death!

For me, this truth is an oxymoron. Why? Because I’d personally love to be such a perfect person and have my life filled with them. But, as a writer of fiction, I know that most readers won't get past the first ten pages of a story whose characters are cookie-cutter perfect.

Why do the majority of those who love to read romantic fiction feel the same way? It’s really simple.

Readers of romantic fiction want some sort of conflict on every page. They want to join the obstacle-filled journey of the protagonist as she/he struggles toward the ultimate goal of finding true love. And the harder this quest, the more likely they’ll stay with the story, turning each page with keen anticipation.

As a writer, I like to create this conflict through external issues, but most especially, through the flawed personalities of my characters. This path creates tension and contention between my couple that puts their hearts at risk and floods them with emotional hurdles to leap.

Let me make it clear that I’m not talking about horrific flaws, as in a serial killer mentality. The ordinary flaws that trouble you and me on a daily basis are enough. Selfishness, jealousy, greed, skirting the edge of lawlessness, arrogance, and self-centeredness, will all do the job.

Without these flaws, my characters have no opportunity to self-reflect, see a need for change, reach a higher moral plane, or learn that love will require personal sacrifice. In short, without these achievements, there is nowhere for the storyline to go. At least, nowhere a reader is likely to follow.

What’s my process for creating a flawed but perfect character? I’m so glad you asked.

First, I Create a Character I Can Love.

This always involves imagining the last few pages of my story when my character has been molded and shaped into a true romantic heroine/hero.

Next, I start subtracting from their personality some of the very reasons why I love them and replace them with less-than-lovable traits. This will be the person they are at the beginning of their story.

Warning:

This process HURTS! But it will allow my readers to connect with my characters, agonizing through each of their failures and exalting with them over every small victory until the very last page.

Now, brace yourself and go forth and create flawed but perfect characters.

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