Have you ever heard the term ‘the sacred flaw’ when talking about writing? It’s a common concept and one that is often discussed in writing groups. So, whether or not you have heard of it, let’s chat about what it is and what that phrase means.
‘The sacred flaw’ is a phrase coined by author Will Storr. In its simplest terms, Storr uses it to explain how to build a story as a brain builds a life. He explains that we understand reality by telling ourselves stories. (As a side note, this is the very origin of Creative Writing, the communication of narrative as a way to frame the world around us.)
Storr says: ‘We experience life in three acts, with a crisis, a struggle and resolution.’ (https://theelementsofwriting.com/storr/)
Storr goes on to explain an idea I wrote to you about weeks ago: the difference between character-driven stories and plot-driven stories. When writing a character-driven story, you begin with the character. Storr recommends doing the same to find ‘the sacred flaw’ of your story and then creating the plot around that character to ‘test’ that flaw. Essentially, we are trying to find your character’s ‘flawed idea about the world’ (Storr).
Here are some questions to help you discover a belief that your character finds ‘sacred’ (if you’re struggling to think of what this might mean, let’s use one of my favourite examples, Scrooge from A Christmas Carol. Scrooge mistakenly believes that money and wealth are sacred. The plot tests this mistaken theory throughout, ultimately giving him a different belief system by the end, where the very meaning of ‘wealth’ changes):
- What experience might have given your character their belief? (For Scrooge, it was his childhood.)
- How does this cause them to view the world? (Think storyview [how your character sees the world] vs worldview [how the world really is].)
- How will you create a plot and series of events that challenge this belief, this ‘sacred flaw’?
At the heart of this concept is an understanding that the story is about the character’s journey and change.
So, now we know what ‘the sacred flaw’ means and how to find it. Tell me, what is your character’s ‘sacred flaw’?
Found this interesting and want to read more about this concept? Check out:
In Conversation with Will Storr
