A heroine can and should have flaws. She can be klutzy, scarred or handicapped, have issues from previous trauma; be timid, abrasive, cynical or afraid to trust; be too self-protective, too quick to act, too ready to condemn and a thousand other things. Her given flaw should serve a purpose in the story, however, usually one which interferes with the attainment of her goal. Change in it can illustrate the evolution of her character.

Labels: character development, creating heroines, flaws, goals in fiction

Each main character needs an external goal and an internal goal. The external goal is usually physical: to find something, gain or regain something, avoid something, save something or someone, etc. The internal goal is emotional: to feel safe, to have a home or family, to be loved for themselves. The possibilities for both goals are endless.

Labels: external and internal, goals in fiction