Here is a small shift that leveled up my character work. 😊 Instead of assigning your character strengths and flaws, consider the positive and negative aspects of a single trait. For example, I have a character who is stubborn. 👍 This is a positive in that they are loyal, reliable, and stand up for their convictions, 👎 but a negative in that they are rigid, overconfident, and resist change. Another example: sense of humor. 👍 It can be a good thing when used to bolster relationships or lighten the mood, 👎 but a bad thing if mistimed or used to tear others down. Third example: pride. 👍 Pros might include leadership, independence, and moral compass. 👎Cons might include ignorance, arrogance, and inability to accept help. 🌟 I find this helps a lot with character consistency. When strengths and flaws are thought of as completely separate things, it can lead to incongruous or flat characterization (like someone’s flaw is “being clumsy” or “getting impatient sometimes ”) It also helps with plotting and character arcs because I can anticipate how the characters will act/react. ✍️ This can be a fun exercise. Pick one defining trait and write out its light side and its dark side. You'll probably find your character gets sharper immediately.

Sure, this is a writing community; but dedicated writers are always reading. What am I reading? To my daughter (who is almost 6): - First: Doctor Who and the Runaway Tardis - Next: 4 pages of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban each night - After that: Some combination of Goodnight books (Goodnight Lab, Goodnight Unicorns, and/or Goodnight Moon) For myself? I'm bouncing around. - Notes from Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky (great ideas for character flaws and uncomfortable emotions) - The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (great for tactical thinking and understanding motives) - Various cooking/baking recipes (great for structure and rooting myself in the tangible world) - Dead Space: Martyr by B. K. Evenson (writing genre research; SciFi Horror) Your turn. What are you reading and why, and/or what's your favorite book(s) and why?