09-16-2006, 02:25 PM
OK, how about some more... personal flaws? Combat flaws are not the only kind, nor the most important. This seems like a fighter, but he still needs a personality and an inner life.
In addition, all good characters have quirks. Quirks make a person, real or fictional, unique. Authors create complicated psychoanalyses in their heads of their characters, but readers don't read that. In real life, people don't meet and talk to your life story. People meet and readers read about quirks - how this person is different from all other people.
You can write anything in as a quirk: cigarrete smoking was once common, catch phrases work well, some people fidget with their hands constantly - usually in a characteristic way, and everyone remembers a character's weird habits. Make it different; then make it repeat.
In addition, all good characters have quirks. Quirks make a person, real or fictional, unique. Authors create complicated psychoanalyses in their heads of their characters, but readers don't read that. In real life, people don't meet and talk to your life story. People meet and readers read about quirks - how this person is different from all other people.
You can write anything in as a quirk: cigarrete smoking was once common, catch phrases work well, some people fidget with their hands constantly - usually in a characteristic way, and everyone remembers a character's weird habits. Make it different; then make it repeat.