The Magnificent(ly Flawed) Seven – Classic Characters Whose Flaws Make Them Great

Tyrion Lannister
Tyrion Lannister

Meet Mr. Perfect:

Polite. Well-groomed. Muscular. Handsome. Irresistible to women. Deadly with any weapon you can name. Cool under fire. Immune to pain and to blows that would cripple lesser men. Knows every city and every powerful ruler from here to the far kingdoms. His enemies quail at the very mention of his name. Even when he’s ambushed, Mr. Perfect easily thwarts his opponents.

Mr. Perfect is a boring turd and you should never, ever write a story about him.

The essence of storytelling is conflict. Characters who never face any serious conflict are dull, because the reader never worries that anything bad is going to happen.

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