The role of characters

I am doing the free online course "Start writing fiction" from the Open University. This part is about the role of characters.

In my opinion these are the main points of Novakovich's 2-page text: 

• Convincing characters -->  a plot (but not necessarily the other way around)
• The character:  a crucial choice that almost breaks and then makes them --> the plot. 

OR their unchangeability and constancy makes the story.

• The character is the part of you that sticks out, that does not conform (a conflicting flaw)  --> a conflict --> the story.

In the "Discussion"-part of the course the ending summary was.
Character + conflict = plot

But I disagree, In my opinion it is more like:
Convincing character + a conflicting flaw/ not conforming -->  a conflict -->  the plot

So that is the summary of my summary.

The first part of the course is about characters, starting with creating characters and this consists of a 2-page text from Josip Novakovich and a very brief "Discussion"-section where the main points are brought up.

I myself like books and texts were the characters are interesting - good or bad. The thought wasn't new to me or anything, but it was still spelled out rather nicely. And I certainly need practice in creating convincing and round characters. 

I decided to start my "free writing courses online" -project with the course "Start writing fiction" from the Open University. You can see all my posts regarding this course here. This is Part 1.2

Kim A. Dreamreich