Flat characters often are many people’s favorite part of a story because they often still have unique characteristics, provide comedic relief, remain supportive, or just are generally entertaining.Ī good story balances both flat and round characters.

Neither type of character is necessarily superior to the other. There are two types of characters in every story – flat characters and round characters.įlat characters are usually two-dimensional characters (not literally) who do not change over the course of the narrative, whereas round characters usually experience some sort of change and arc throughout the story. So, before we can learn how to craft complex characters, let’s look at what really defines a character as being that way. As writers and storytellers – but also the people who consume the stories we tell – we are always looking for what makes us human in stories, which is why a complex character is so appealing.īut as much as we may understand the word “complex,” what really is the difference between a character that is interesting and flawed and one that isn’t? It’s not like your novel or film is filled with complex characters and perfect, simple, flawless ones. How each writer does this varies, but usually there is a strong focus on making the character complex, flawed, and inherently human.

Flat and round characters worksheet