: Re: Double lies as sources of conflict in a single arc My protagonist lives with a deep lie that causes internal conflict and pain throughout the story but it basically cannot fuel any struggle

Human beings are complex and flawed creatures. We do not each have just the one flaw. We have multiple failings, and multiple lies we tell ourselves. Now, for a story one has to simplify reality somewhat - focus only on those lies and flaws that are conductive to telling the story. But if you simplify the story to the point of each character just having the one flaw, you've simplified your characters to the point that they're flat and made of cardboard.

Take a simple story: Othello. Othello is jealous, that's part of the story. There's a lie he's been told - that's another part. And there's an insecurity in him about his position as a stranger - Iago can play on this insecurity to fuel Othello's jealousy. And even then, it takes a certain mindset to proceed from jealousy to murdering your wife.

Take a different simple story: Harry Potter. Harry isn't very smart. His inability to think before acting is repeatedly used by Voldemort, in addition to landing him into trouble without Voldemort's involvement. In addition to that, Harry is rash, rather lazy, and that's before we add into the mix the misunderstandings and the lies from other characters.

Complex characters are interesting characters. Don't think of your characters as checklists of traits - think of them as people, with multiple strengths and weaknesses.

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: Re: Double lies as sources of conflict in a single arc My protagonist lives with a deep lie that causes internal conflict and pain throughout the story but it basically cannot fuel any struggle

More posts by @Dunderdale623

: If the main character isn't sure whether what they're seeing is a drug-induced fantasy or a real occurrence, perhaps the reader doesn't need to know either, at least not at first. If a character

: Bathos is not the mere fact of a serious moment being followed by a light one. It is an intrusion of a cheap vulgar laugh into a dramatic scene. It undermines the seriousness of the stakes,

: How to write intercut scenes in a novel? I wish to write an intercut scene for a novel, where two very contrasting things are happening at the same time. The technique works really well on

: Using different times for different narrative purposes I'm writing a biography. And I want it to be written in English, although I'm not a native speaker. Can I use different times to highlight

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