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The Engine of Story
A flaw is a pattern of behavior that costs the character something. Quirks are free; flaws extract a price. Flaws create conflict, drive arcs, and reveal theme. Without them, characters are merely protagonists—people things happen to, rather than people who make things happen.
Flaws vs. Wounds: The Difference
Flaws vs. Wounds: The Difference
If you've used our Core Wound Blueprint, you understand the psychological origin of character dysfunction. This resource is different. While the wound is the origin, flaws are the expression.
Core Wound (Origin)
- What happened: The formative event or pattern
- The lie: The false belief it created
- The fear: What they're terrified of
- The armor: How they protect themselves
Answers: "Why are they broken?"
Character Flaw (Expression)
- The behavior: What they actually do
- The cost: What it costs them
- The trigger: When it emerges
- The blind spot: What they can't see
Answers: "How does their brokenness show?"
Example Connection:
Wound: Abandoned by a parent → Lie: "I'm not worth staying for" → Flaw: Sabotages relationships before others can leave first.
The wound explains why. The flaw shows what. You need both for a complete character.
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