Alex A. Kecskes's Blog
October 14, 2025
When should you introduce your protagonist’s personality flaw?
It’s a question of timing. Because when and how you introduce your protagonist’s principal personality flaw can make or break the emotional impact of your story.
Organically, as Early as Possible
Try to introduce your protagonist’s flaw within the first scene or chapter where they appear. You needn’t spell it out right away, but your readers should get a sense that your protagonist is not perfect, that something needs fixing. You need to plant the seed that their behavior, attitude, or choice is what’s holding them back. It's important to show, not tell, that the flaw is visible through action or dialogue, not exposition.
Go Deeper in the First Act
About a quarter of the way into your novel, the flaw should be clearly established. It should be made plain by way of your protagonist’s choice and the fact that the flaw has begun to create problems for your protagonist or others.
Use Plot to Press the Flaw
As you move into the story's second act, use the various events in your story to stress-test the flaw. Every major challenge should reveal how this flaw short-circuits your protagonist’s goals, creates conflict with your other characters, and denies your protagonist opportunities for intimacy or growth. Each test should reveal the depth of your protagonist’s flaw.
Confrontation Time
By the time your story reaches its climax, your protagonist should ideally overcome their flaw or tragically succumb to it. Because you introduced the flaw early, this emotional payoff—one way or another—will feel earned.
Organically, as Early as Possible
Try to introduce your protagonist’s flaw within the first scene or chapter where they appear. You needn’t spell it out right away, but your readers should get a sense that your protagonist is not perfect, that something needs fixing. You need to plant the seed that their behavior, attitude, or choice is what’s holding them back. It's important to show, not tell, that the flaw is visible through action or dialogue, not exposition.
Go Deeper in the First Act
About a quarter of the way into your novel, the flaw should be clearly established. It should be made plain by way of your protagonist’s choice and the fact that the flaw has begun to create problems for your protagonist or others.
Use Plot to Press the Flaw
As you move into the story's second act, use the various events in your story to stress-test the flaw. Every major challenge should reveal how this flaw short-circuits your protagonist’s goals, creates conflict with your other characters, and denies your protagonist opportunities for intimacy or growth. Each test should reveal the depth of your protagonist’s flaw.
Confrontation Time
By the time your story reaches its climax, your protagonist should ideally overcome their flaw or tragically succumb to it. Because you introduced the flaw early, this emotional payoff—one way or another—will feel earned.
October 13, 2025
Too Many Characters in Your Romance Novel?
Too Many Characters in Your Romance Novel?
It’s a common problem. Especially in early drafts of romance novels, where side plots and supporting characters add up quickly. Here’s what you can do when your romance story feels overcrowded:
Combine roles
You can often morph two or three side characters into one. Replace your main character’s best friend, co-worker, or roommate with one clever, supportive friend who takes on all those various roles. This serves to trim the fat and add a bit more gravitas to your secondary characters, making them all the more memorable.
Nail Down Who’s Really Important
Decide whose decisions actually move your romantic arc. Who is altered, made stronger, or weaker by a central relationship? If your "extra" characters don't move the romance forward, either through emotion or plot, consider cutting or merging them as mentioned above.
Reassign functions
If your side character’s only purpose is to deliver information or create a single conflict, see if one of your major characters could fill that role. Or see if the information can be conveyed without a character. Having several side characters serve as information providers often adds needless complications to a story. Side characters usually force writers to develop them. And then they inadvertently become burdensome to the story.
Evaluate subplots
Virtually all romance novels cater to intimacy. Too many character subplots (family drama, workplace intrigue, best friend’s wedding, etc.) can muddy and dilute the intimacy readers crave.
The Scene Test
Outline your chapters and indicate who appears in each. Do this even if you’re a “pantser.” If you have three or four named characters in one scene, you probably have too many for readers to emotionally track.
Baby with the Bathwater
Don’t delete your extra characters, especially if you’ve gone to the trouble of fleshing them out with distinct personalities. Save them to a “Graveyard” or “New Stories” file. You’d be surprised at how many great writers have saved their extraneous characters for main ones down the line.
It’s a common problem. Especially in early drafts of romance novels, where side plots and supporting characters add up quickly. Here’s what you can do when your romance story feels overcrowded:
Combine roles
You can often morph two or three side characters into one. Replace your main character’s best friend, co-worker, or roommate with one clever, supportive friend who takes on all those various roles. This serves to trim the fat and add a bit more gravitas to your secondary characters, making them all the more memorable.
Nail Down Who’s Really Important
Decide whose decisions actually move your romantic arc. Who is altered, made stronger, or weaker by a central relationship? If your "extra" characters don't move the romance forward, either through emotion or plot, consider cutting or merging them as mentioned above.
Reassign functions
If your side character’s only purpose is to deliver information or create a single conflict, see if one of your major characters could fill that role. Or see if the information can be conveyed without a character. Having several side characters serve as information providers often adds needless complications to a story. Side characters usually force writers to develop them. And then they inadvertently become burdensome to the story.
Evaluate subplots
Virtually all romance novels cater to intimacy. Too many character subplots (family drama, workplace intrigue, best friend’s wedding, etc.) can muddy and dilute the intimacy readers crave.
The Scene Test
Outline your chapters and indicate who appears in each. Do this even if you’re a “pantser.” If you have three or four named characters in one scene, you probably have too many for readers to emotionally track.
Baby with the Bathwater
Don’t delete your extra characters, especially if you’ve gone to the trouble of fleshing them out with distinct personalities. Save them to a “Graveyard” or “New Stories” file. You’d be surprised at how many great writers have saved their extraneous characters for main ones down the line.
Where to Add Comic Relief to a Romance Novel
You’re immersed in your characters and story. You’ve mastered all the plot points, twists, and turns. But something is missing in your romance novel. It needs a bit of fun, lightness, and not taking things too seriously. It needs some comic relief. But where to insert it? This can be a challenge for even the most seasoned storyteller. Here are some suggestions that you might consider trying:
During Banter and Dialogue
Romance novels hinge on chemistry. Playful banter is one of the best forms of comic relief. Try teasing, quick wit, or situational misunderstandings to make your characters’ interactions come alive with a laugh. This works two ways: it keeps tension playful and builds a connection.
After Emotional Highs or Lows
After your characters have endured a major emotional or romantic moment, like a breakup, confession, fight, or first kiss, give your reader a breather with a line that forces one to smile and the other to break out in a laugh. Keep in mind that humor at this point won’t undercut emotion. It releases tension and makes your characters appear more human.
Draw in Secondary Characters
This can include friends, colleagues, or family. All can work to inject humor without upending the romantic tone of your novel. Secondary characters are often useful in revealing your main character’s personality, showcasing a growing romance in a humorous or exaggerated way.
During Embarrassing or Awkward Situations
Romance exposes one’s vulnerability, making momentary fools of us all. Let humor grow out of awkwardness to make your characters more endearing. Readers empathize with your characters more deeply when they can laugh with your characters, not at them.
During Banter and Dialogue
Romance novels hinge on chemistry. Playful banter is one of the best forms of comic relief. Try teasing, quick wit, or situational misunderstandings to make your characters’ interactions come alive with a laugh. This works two ways: it keeps tension playful and builds a connection.
After Emotional Highs or Lows
After your characters have endured a major emotional or romantic moment, like a breakup, confession, fight, or first kiss, give your reader a breather with a line that forces one to smile and the other to break out in a laugh. Keep in mind that humor at this point won’t undercut emotion. It releases tension and makes your characters appear more human.
Draw in Secondary Characters
This can include friends, colleagues, or family. All can work to inject humor without upending the romantic tone of your novel. Secondary characters are often useful in revealing your main character’s personality, showcasing a growing romance in a humorous or exaggerated way.
During Embarrassing or Awkward Situations
Romance exposes one’s vulnerability, making momentary fools of us all. Let humor grow out of awkwardness to make your characters more endearing. Readers empathize with your characters more deeply when they can laugh with your characters, not at them.
