How to Develop Your Character's Achilles' Heel

It shouldn't be a newsflash for writers that readers don't want to read about perfect characters. We like 'em flawed, preferably more so than ourselves.

Everybody's Got Problems by Doug Savage

But what does this really mean, to say that something or someone is your character's "Achilles' heel?"

In Greek mythology, Achilles was predicted to die young. His mother Thetis didn't accept this prognosis and took him to the River Styx, where she proceeded to dip him in, as the river offered powers of invulnerability. She, ah, held him by the heel, so it didn't get washed in the water, which was why he was vulnerable from physical harm there.

The term "Achilles' heel" has come to mean an area of weakness or a vulnerable spot. It can by external, such as the oft-cited Indiana Jones' fear of snakes, or it can be internal, such as the evil wizard Voldermort's inability to love and form friendships.

The mythology behind the term is helpful to me. Achilles' mother blanketed him, so to speak, to prevent harm. Characters blanket themselves in the same way, putting on coats of armor to prevent others from seeing the parts of us that need work. And it's the author's job to crack that armor through plot, which is the fun part of writing. (Click to tweet!)

But how do you go about developing this? Here are a few ideas:

1) Hint at the vulnerability early on in the story.

Even within the first few pages, you can give the reader a glimpse that all's not well with your hero or heroine. The character can brush off someone's concern, allude to a secret, avoid a particular person...the possibilities are endless. But throwing the reader a bone early on is a necessity.

2) Have the character share page space with their vulnerability.

What do I mean by this? A character who's oblivious to their problems isn't a character people want to read about. So how do the two meet on the page? You can do this a couple of different ways:

• Character denies the problem itself.
• Character accepts the problem, but sees no need to change.
• Character not only accepts the problem, but wants to change.

All of the above can form interesting character arcs. If a character denies their Achilles' heel, they are, in essence, acknowledging it. (Think about that.) Another good way to have the two share page space it in having your character expend time/money/energy in overcoming the problem. Denial can be expensive and timely to maintain.

3) Your plot eventually has to circle around the vulnerability.

At some point, the vulnerability has to take front and center. The main character duels with his greatest fear or biggest problem in a standoff that usually happens at the climax of the book. It's even better when you bring in the nemesis (if you have one) to capitalize on the opportunity.

4) Work out a realistic resolution.

Not everyone can pull an Indiana Jones and overcome their phobia of snakes in order to defeat the bad guys, get the girl, and save the world. In fact, I'd say most people can't. Character's don't have to overcome their fear, just face it. And it was apparent in later Indiana Jones flicks that he still hated snakes, even after his exposure therapy session in a pit where he faced them.

Just be real with the outcome of your story. If your character's flaw is alcoholism, that's going to be a flaw forever. True addiction doesn't just come and go (aside from miracles). But it could be possible for them to walk into a bar to save an old friend and not get sloshed. It's likely not possible for them to just have one sip. That's not realistic.

Let's Analyze

Do you find internal or external vulnerabilities better to read about? Why?

Character Clinic: Lila Oleander

Happy May Day, everyone! I've got the wonderful Jessica R. Patch's contemporary romance character, Lila, on the couch today, courtesy of her having won my last How Does That Make You Feel? giveaway. (There is still time to get a comment in my latest HDTMYF post and win a mini-assessment for one of your character's...click here!)

Here's a bit about Lila: After her mother passed away when Lila was 12, she grew up trying to garner the attention and approval of her Fortune 500 company CEO dad. She took an interest in the company, and was good at it, earning her position. She's a New York city gal, so her dad's request to move to his former hometown of Glory, MS---to "discover the meaning of life" and better understand the values he built his company on---doesn't sit well. Lila is a private 28-year-old, almost aloof, who doesn't like to admit failures or weaknesses to anyone.

Jessica wants to know: How can Lila be likable to readers and gain sympathy while being true to her guarded nature and impersonal behavior?

Gaining reader sympathy isn't the objective so much as making readers relate to your character. (click to tweet!). Characters in books and film have personalities we might not like, or would never associate with in real life, but enjoy reading about and watching on TV.

There will be scores of women who will relate to Lila's drive to succeed, or perhaps to her desperate need for her father's approval. These traits are likely to be apparent from scene 1. But you can also capitalize on the things mentioned in her intake form that give readers a reason to look up to her, such as her love of helping underprivileged women.

To further this point, I still stand by an earlier blog post that touts Steven James as one of the most masterful storytellers in that he gives his evil, serial-killing bad guys this soft spot...one that makes readers totally relate to a PSYCHO. It's actually a bit disturbing, when you're kinda sorta hoping said psycho won't get his comeuppance in the end. Of course we don't like like the guy. He's a murderer. But we do like his love of dogs, or respect of women.

It's no different for your character, at least at the start of the novel when she's in her precontemplative stage. She's guarded, but based on her intake form, it's not real clear why. It's motivation, not execution of action, that make or break a reader's ability to relate to a character (click to tweet!).

For example, if she's reserved because at one point in her history, she stuck her neck out and it got chopped off (to use a cliché b/c it's late and I'm tired), then I believe readers will totally buy in to her reservations...even better, applaud her for them. But you've got to hint at this motivation very early on, so they can suspend disbelief long enough for you to unravel her backstory as necessary.

Hope that Lila has enjoyed her time on the couch today...it was a short session, but fun!

Let's Analyze

How do you make your own character's flaws very apparent at the beginning of the book, yet not so much so that they turn off readers or make your characters hard to relate to?

A New Question to Ask Your Characters

There's a new push in the mental health field, and I'm proud to say that California truly is on the cutting edge of this research. It's being called trauma-focused perspective or having a "trauma lens" with regards to treatment and diagnosis.

With the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th Edition, coming out in the next month or so, changes are being made to how trauma is defined, determined, and dealt with.

It's becoming very clear that most people have some sort of trauma in their background. It's not so much a question of IF the person has trauma, but HOW MUCH trauma they have. Therapists who do not assess for trauma are doing their clients an injustice.

So how should this inform your writing?

The medical model influences the way we think about a lot of things. Instead of looking at positives and strengths, we often focus on areas of weakness or symptoms. As a result, a typical question to our characters (and to other people) is couched this way:

What is wrong with you?

There is an assumption when reading (and writing) a book that something is wrong with the characters...something that needs to be fixed before the end of the book.

Character's can't remain static, they have to change. We use the character flaw to inform our writing and the character arc process, much like a therapist uses a diagnosis to inform treatment. Flaws need to be "healed" or at the very least improved upon by novel's end.

But I'd like to propose another question that you should ask your character, based on the field of psychology and the trauma lens that we need to view people (and characters!) through:

What has happened to you?

This is a huge shift from thinking about symptoms (flaws, if you will) and thinking about story. No one develops a flaw in isolation or out of the blue. Their environment, family, friends, etc., all play a role in shaping that character, giving them a reason to do what they do, or think the way they do.

What this question is really asking for is BACKSTORY.

Having a solid understanding of your character's background, their upbringing, their family dynamics, whether or not they had an attachment to caregivers, their social supports...all of this factors into the development of their flaw, which is where your story starts, in medias res (in the middle of things), before their world gets rocked by the call to action.

A character's flaw does not define them. Their backstory gives context to the flaw's development. (Click to tweet!)

So take time to understand your character's backstory. It'll be the skeleton on which you hang the muscles and skin of your story. Just like a real skeleton, the readers will never see it, but it will govern and guide the story start to finish.

Let's Analyze

What do you think about asking the new question of "What happened to you?" instead of "What's wrong with you?" How might this impact your understanding of characterization...and people in general?

Character Clinic: Preventing Whiny Characters

Mollie sent in this character clinic back before I closed my site to freebie assessments. I just now realized that I still had about 5 or so in the queue! (Sorry guys and gals!)

Mollie is writing a YA fantasy about 17-year-old Seraphina, the last living Nephilim on earth. Her mother moved them from England to the U.S. after her father went missing in the British military. Her mother died, but not before Sera said several things to her she now regrets. She was raped earlier that year at school.

Mollie wants to know: How can I make her seem real and react to the death of her mom, the supernatural gifts she's been given, moving to a new country, etc., in a way that is believable without sounding whiny?

What Mollie has brought to the table blog is this question:

What is the line between having issues and being whiny?

People read books about characters with issues. Most main characters have been through at least one traumatic experience, if not more. Writers can definitely fall victim to the trapping that the more issues, the sadder the backstory, the more intense trauma, etc., will make their character more real and relatable.

Authors don't want to minimize pain or handle it poorly to where the reader is rolling their eyes at the whiny angst and melodrama (which YA is especially known for due to the dramatic nature of teenagers).

There is such a thing as too many issues. I wrote a post that was subsequently reblogged over 39,000 times on Tumblr that addressed this very issue. This is something people are thinking about. Is there a point when you can give your character too hard a time?


I have a couple of suggestions for how you can portray her pain, but not overdo it. Here's my take:

1) Have someone else notice it.

We don't utilize the observations of others much in our own lives. We are egocentric people, and we go through life thinking about ourselves...our actions and words. But we don't act or talk in a vacuum. Utilize the other characters to notice, for example, how reluctant she is around men, or how she shies away from physical contact of any sort. You don't have to put the reader in her head, listening to her internal monologue about how scared men make her.

2) Make sure she doesn't complain ALL the time.

Readers will actually take a little whine if the story captivates them. (Um, Twilight, anyone?). A good way to do this is to avoid emotion words. Sounds odd, I know, but focus instead of showing her emotion. Trust the reader enough to know that they will pick up on the emotion without you hitting them over the head with it.

3) Utilize a little humor and/or sarcasm.

This can be accomplished through the character's voice or even the narrator's. When a character knows how to laugh at herself, even if the moment is more serious...this can lighten the mood for the reader.

4) Have her be proactive about her pain.

It's one thing for a character to sit around and lament their woes day in and day out. But it's another who laments their woes and actually gets off the couch to try to do something about it. If she's got issues with the rape, have her seek counseling services. If she regrets what she said to her mom, have her journal her thoughts or write her a letter to leave at the graveside. The gestures don't have to be life-changing, and it actually makes for a better story when the character makes some misguided gestures to alleviate their pain.

Let's Analyze

What other ways could someone prevent having a whiny character? What examples of whiny characters come to mind, so that we can learn how NOT to do it?

Character Flaws: When is Too Far Too Far?

Have you ever put down a book because the issues the author gave the main character pushed the envelop too far?

I think as authors, our minds are more than capable of producing evil that would curl Satan's toes. But if we let it all out, no holds barred, would our readers eat it up or toss it out? Reading is a personal past time, and we all come to the written page with baggage that might effect whether we enjoy a book's premise.

Still, I'm curious about which flaws my readership think are too heavy or too evil to include in fiction. Is everything game, or are there some flaws that are over-the-top?

Here's a list of character flaws, compiled by Dark World RPG. Take a look and see if any jump out at you as "too bad," then put your thoughts in the comment section. 

• Absentminded- Preoccupied to the extent of being unaware of one's immediate surroundings. Abstracted, daydreaming, inattentive, oblivious, forgetful.
• Abusive- Characterized by improper infliction of physical or psychological maltreatment towards another.
• Alcoholic- A person who drinks alcoholic substances habitually and to excess or who suffers from alcoholism.
• Addict- One who is addicted, as to narcotics or a compulsive activity. (gambling, drugs, sex, etc. List specific addiction.)
• Aimless- Devoid of direction or purpose.
• Anxious- Full of mental distress or uneasiness because of fear of danger or misfortune; greatly worried; solicitous.
• Arrogant- Having or displaying a sense of overbearing self-worth or self-importance. Inclined to social exclusiveness and who rebuff the advances of people considered inferior. Snobbish.
• Audacious- Recklessly bold in defiance of convention, propriety, law, or the like; insolent; braze, disobedient.
• Bigmouth- A loudmouthed or gossipy person.
• Bigot- One who is strongly partial to one's own group, religion, race, or politics and is intolerant of those who differ.
• Blunt- Characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion. Frank, callous, insensitive, brusque.
• Bold- In a bad sense, too forward; taking undue liberties; over assuming or confident; lacking proper modesty or restraint; rude; impudent. Abrupt, brazen, cheeky, brassy, audacious.
• Callous- They are hardened to emotions, rarely showing any form of it in expression. Unfeeling. Cold.
• Childish- Marked by or indicating a lack of maturity; puerile.
• Complex- An exaggerated or obsessive concern or fear. (List specific complex.)
• Cruel- Mean to anyone or anything, without care or regard to consequences and feelings.
• Cursed- A person who has befallen a prayer for evil or misfortune, placed under a spell, or borne into an evil circumstance, and suffers for it. Damned.
• Dependent- Unable to exist, sustain oneself, or act appropriately or normally without the assistance or direction of another.
• Deranged- Mentally decayed. Insane. Crazy. Mad. Psychotic.
• Disloyal- Lacking loyalty. Unfaithful, perfidious, traitorous, treasonable
• Disorder- An ailment that affects the function of mind or body. (List the disorders name if they have one.) See the Mental Disorder List.
• Disturbed- Showing some or a few signs or symptoms of mental or emotional illness. Confused, disordered, neurotic, troubled.
• Dubious- Fraught with uncertainty or doubt. Undecided, doubtful, unsure.
• Dyslexic- Affected by dyslexia, a learning disorder marked by impairment of the ability to recognize and comprehend written words.
• Egotistical- Characteristic of those having an inflated idea of their own importance. Boastful, pompous.
• Envious- Showing extreme cupidity; painfully desirous of another's advantages; covetous, jealous.
• Erratic- Deviating from the customary course in conduct or opinion; eccentric: erratic behavior. Eccentric, bizarre, outlandish, strange.
• Fanaticism- Fanatic outlook or behavior especially as exhibited by excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions on some subject.
• Fickle- Characterized by erratic changeableness or instability, especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious.
• Fierce- Marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions; inclined to react violently; fervid; "fierce loyalty"; "in a tearing rage"; "vehement dislike"; "violent passions".
• Finicky- Excessively particular or fastidious; difficult to please; fussy. Too much concerned with detail. Meticulous, fastidious, choosy, critical, picky, prissy, persnickety.
• Fixation- In psychoanalytic theory, a strong attachment to a person or thing, especially such an attachment formed in childhood or infancy and manifested in immature or neurotic behavior that persists throughout life. Fetish, quirk, obsession, infatuation.
• Flirt-To make playfully romantic or sexual overtures; behavior intended to arouse sexual interest. Minx. Tease.
• Fools Love- A person who is always falling in love or believes they are in love, for the wrong person or even multiple people (usually one after another), and typically love at first sight. Star-crossed, ill-fated-love.
• Frail- Physically weak and easily broken or damaged. Having delicate health; not robust. Feeble, breakable, sickly, dainty, brittle, fallible, imperfect, weak.
• Fraudulent- Given to or using fraud, as a person; cheating; dishonest. Deceitful, deceptive, crooked, underhanded.
• Gluttonous- Given to excess in consumption of especially food or drink. Voracious, ravenous, wolfish, piggish, insatiable.
• Gruff-Brusque or stern in manner or appearance. Crusty, rough, surly.
• Gullible- Will believe any information given, regardless of how valid or truthful it is, easily deceived or duped.
• Habit- A rather revolting personal habit. (List habit- picks nose, spits tobacco everywhere, drools profusely, bad body odor, etc.)
• Hard- A person who is difficult to deal with, manage, control, overcome, or understand. Hard emotions, hard hearted.
• Hedonistic- Pursuit of or devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures of the senses.
• Hoity-toity- Given to flights of fancy; capricious; frivolous. Prone to giddy behavior, flighty.
• Humorless- The inability to find humor in things, and most certainly in themselves.
• Hypocritical- One who is always contradicting their own beliefs, actions or sayings. A person who professes beliefs and opinions for others that he does not hold. Being a hypocrite.
• Idealist- One whose conduct is influenced by ideals that often conflict with practical considerations. One who is unrealistic and impractical, guided more by ideals than by practical considerations.
• Idiotic- Marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless.
• Ignorant- Lacking knowledge or information as to a particular subject or fact. Showing or arising from a lack of education or knowledge.
• Illiterate- Unable to read and write.
• Impatient- Unable to wait patiently or tolerate delay; restless. Unable to endure irritation or opposition; intolerant.
• Impious- Lacking piety and reverence for a god/gods and their followers.
• Incompetent- Unable to execute tasks, no matter how the size or difficulty.
• Indecisive- Characterized by lack of decision and firmness, especially under pressure.
• Indifferent- The trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally, remaining calm and seeming not to care; a casual lack of concern. Having or showing little or no interest in anything; languid; spiritless.
• Infamy- Having an extremely bad reputation, public reproach, or strong condemnation as the result of a shameful, criminal, or outrageous act that affects how others view them.
• Intolerant- Unwilling to tolerate difference of opinion and narrow-minded about cherished opinions.
• Immature- Emotionally undeveloped; juvenile; childish.
• Impish- Naughtily or annoyingly playful.
• Judgmental- Inclined to make and form judgments, especially moral or personal ones, based on ones own opinions or impressions towards others/practices/groups/religions based on appearance, reputation, occupation, etc.
• Klutz- Clumsy. Blunderer.
• Lazy- Resistant to work or exertion; disposed to idleness.
• Lewd- Inclined to, characterized by, or inciting to lust or lechery; lascivious. Obscene or indecent, as language or songs; salacious.
• Liar- Compulsively and purposefully tells false truths more often than not. A person who has lied or who lies repeatedly.
• Lustful- Driven by lust; preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires.
• Masochist- The deriving of sexual gratification, or the tendency to derive sexual gratification, from being physically or emotionally abused. A willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.
• Meddlesome- Intrusive in a meddling or offensive manner, given to meddling; interfering.
• Meek- Evidencing little spirit or courage; overly submissive or compliant; humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness.
• Megalomaniac- A psycho pathological condition characterized by delusional fantasies of wealth, power, or omnipotence.
• Murderer- One guilty of murder; a person who unlawfully kills a human being. Killer, butchered, cutthroat.
• Naive- Lacking worldly experience and understanding, simple and guileless; showing or characterized by a lack of sophistication and critical judgment.
• Nervous- Easily agitated or distressed; high-strung or jumpy.
• Nonviolent- Abstaining from the use of violence. (can double as a merit)
• Nosey- Given to prying into the affairs of others; snoopy. Offensively curious or inquisitive.
• Obsessive- An unhealthy and compulsive preoccupation with something or someone.
• Oppressor- A person of authority who subjects others to undue pressures, to keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority.
• Overambitious- Having a strong excessive desire for success or achievement.
• Overemotional- Excessively or abnormally emotional. Sensitive about themselves and others, more so than the average person.
• Overprotective- To protect too much; coddle.
• Overconfident- Excessively confident; presumptuous.
• Overzealous- Marked by excessive enthusiasm for and intense devotion to a cause or idea.
• Pacifist- Opposition to war or violence as a means of resolving disputes. (Can double as a merit in certain cases)
• Paranoid- Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others.
• Peevish- Expressing fretfulness and discontent, or unjustifiable dissatisfaction. Cantankerous, cross, ill-tempered, testy, captious, discontented, crotchety, cranky, ornery.
• Pest- One that pesters or annoys, with or without realizing it. Nuisance. Annoying. Nag.
• Pessimist- A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view.
• Perfectionist- A propensity for being displeased with anything that is not perfect or does not meet extremely high standards.
• Phobia- They have a severe form of fear when it comes to this one thing. (Dark, Spiders, Cats, tight spaces, etc. List specific phobia.) See The Phobia List.
• Practical- Level-headed, efficient, and unspeculative. No-nonsense. (can double for a merit)
• Precarious- Dependent on circumstances beyond one's control; uncertain; unstable; insecure.
• Predictable- Easily seen through and assessable, where almost anyone can predict reactions and actions of said person by having met or known them even for a short time.
• Proud- Filled with or showing excessive self-esteem, and will often shirk help from others for the sake of pride.
• Rake- An immoral or dissolute person, acting without moral restraint, who defies established religious, social, expected precepts; a freethinker.
• Rebellious- Defying or resisting some established authority, government, or tradition; insubordinate; inclined to rebel.
• Reckless- Heedless. Headstrong. Foolhardy. Unthinking boldness, wild carelessness and disregard for consequences.
• Remorseless- Without remorse; merciless; pitiless; relentless.
• Rigorous- Rigidly accurate; allowing no deviation from a standard; demanding strict attention to rules and procedures.
• Sadist- The deriving of sexual gratification or the tendency to derive sexual gratification from inflicting pain or emotional abuse on others. Deriving of pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from cruelty.
• Sarcastic- A subtle form of mockery in which an intended meaning is conveyed obliquely.
• Sadomasochist- Both sadist and masochist combined.
• Skeptic- One who instinctively or habitually doubts, questions, or disagrees with assertions or generally accepted conclusions.
• Seducer- To lead others astray, as from duty, rectitude, or the like; corrupt. To attempt to lead or draw someone away, as from principles, faith, or allegiance.
• Senile- Showing a decline or deterioration of physical strength or mental functioning, esp. short-term memory and alertness, as a result of old age or disease.
• Scoundrel- A wicked or evil person; someone who does evil deliberately.
• Selfish- Concerned chiefly or only with oneself.
• Self-Martyr- One who purposely makes a great show of suffering in order to arouse sympathy from others, as a form of manipulation, and always for a selfish cause or reason.
• Self-righteous- Piously sure of one's own righteousness; moralistic. Exhibiting pious self-assurance. Holier-than-thou, sanctimonious.
• Shallow- Lacking depth of intellect or knowledge; concerned only with what is obvious.
• Smart Ass- Thinks they know it all, and in some ways they may, but they can be greatly annoying and difficult to deal with at times, especially in arguments.
• Soft-hearted- Having softness or tenderness of heart that can lead them into trouble; susceptible of pity or other kindly affection. They cannot resist helping someone they see in trouble, suffering or in need, and often don't think of the repercussions or situation before doing so.
• Solemn- Deeply earnest, serious, and sober.
• Spineless- Lacking courage. Cowardly, wimp, lily-livered, gutless.
• Spiteful- Showing malicious ill will and a desire to hurt; motivated by spite; vindictive person who will look for occasions for resentment. Vengeful.
• Spoiled- Treated with excessive indulgence and pampering from earliest childhood, and has no notion of hard work, self care or money management; coddled, pampered. Having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or over-solicitous attention.
• Stubborn- Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bullheaded. Firmly resolved or determined; resolute.
• Squeamish- Excessively fastidious and easily disgusted.
• Superstitious- An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear from an irrational belief that an object, action, or circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome.
• Tactless- Lacking or showing a lack of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others.
• Temperamental- Moody, irritable, or sensitive. Excitable, volatile, emotional.
• Temptation- They have something that tempts, entices, or allures them, that is hard to resist. This could be anything, and can drive the character to do things of ill nature.
• Theatrical- Having a flair for over dramatizing situations, doing things in a 'big way' and love to be 'center stage'.
• Tongue-tied- Speechless or confused in expression, as from shyness, embarrassment, or astonishment.
• Timid-Tends to be shy and/or quiet, shrinking away from offering opinions or from strangers and newcomers, fearing confrontations and violence.
• Troublemaker- Someone who deliberately stirs up trouble, intentionally or unintentionally.
• Ugly- Very unattractive or unpleasant to look at; offensive to the sense of beauty; displeasing in appearance. Uncomely, unsightly, unlovely, homely.
• Unlucky- Marked by or causing misfortune; illfated. Destined for misfortune; doomed.
• Untrustworthy- Not worthy of trust or belief. Backstabber.
• Unpredictable- Difficult to foretell or foresee, their actions are so chaotic its impossible to know what they are going to do next.
• User- A person who uses something or someone selfishly or unethically.
• Vain- Holding or characterized by an unduly high opinion of their physical appearance. Lovers of themselves. Conceited, egotistic, narcissistic.
• Weak-willed- Lacking willpower, strength of will to carry out one's decisions, wishes, or plans. Easily swayed.
• Withdrawn- Not friendly or Sociable. Aloof.
• Whore- Harlot. A prostitute, a person who is considered sexually promiscuous, considered as having compromised principles for personal gain.
• Zealot- An excessively zealous person; fanatic.

Let's Analyze: Should fiction writers focus on writing where the muse leads them, trusting that their story will reach the readers who need to read it, regardless of how "bad" their characters are?