Gotta Love Her, Warts and All

Fiction is SO not real life.

In real life, I tend to see the good in people. It's what I expect to see. I don't go searching for their faults. Each flaw comes out over time, but unless it's something that makes me crazy, I don't give it much weight. In fact, I usually never think about it unless someone else says something about a particular quirk.

This is a godawful trait for a fiction writer.

I don't have a problem giving my protagonist and other characters flaws. My problem is thinking what these flaws could be that will still keep them likeable enough to read about.

Big faults are easy enough. One of my protagonists is a jewel thief and is hellbent on revenge. Another has killed. I could go on.

It's the little things that make you crazy about people that make me pull out my hair over my characters.

When I read a book or watch a movie, I look for character flaws. Unless I find something that would make me crazy in real life, I don't see them. If I can't spot them in the work of others, how can I create them in my own?

The upside of this is that my antagonists are rarely all evil. All have had at least a few redeeming qualities.

Is there a master character flaw list someplace? Maybe a mix and match, like pick one from columns A and C, and two from column B?

Can any of you point me in the right direction?

I need help.