Characters can be created through any number of means. They are the way in which the reader must experience the story. It is through them that they experience the plot, the setting, everything that you've worked so hard to create, which is why they should not be overlooked. Great characters can add a lot to a story and there are many readers who are more interested in characters than setting or plot. They enjoy reading for characters who make them question.
There are many ways to create intricate characters. I have heard that many people are successful when basing their characters off of people that they know in real life. I would never be able to do this. One, because often times their personalities aren't what I'm looking for for the story that I want to write. And two, you have to analyze characters really well to be able to use them in a story and I would rather not psychoanalyze my friends and my family.
I usually start with how I want my characters to behave throughout the story. Do I want them to be intelligent? Do I want them to be self-reflective? Do I want them to be rash or indecisive? This is how I approach creating a main character because a lot of the story is based upon them. Then I will expand to creating their parents and now I have to start thinking more in depth. If my main character is always polite, is it because their parents taught them to be that way? Or is it because their parents are always rude and the child wants to be as different from their parents as possible?
Secondary characters are always there to fill out a role at first. It will be the helpful best friend, or the love interest. Then once I have figured out vaguely what I need the character to accomplish throughout the story, I can then fine tune their personalities.
Some writers enjoy writing out profiles for all their characters but I don't like doing this. I prefer to just start writing my story and discover them as it moves along. Also, I don't have the patience to do it. But if it's something that you're interested in, here is an example of one that includes all sorts of details about a character like physical traits and personality things. In my mind I don't like doing extra work so unless an idea doesn't come to me beforehand, I like to make things up on the spot.
No matter how you choose to create your characters, there are some things that you need to ensure to include so that your characters will be believable to your reader. It isn't enough to say that they are sassy, short, and a girl. Or tall, shy and a guy.
The first important quality is flaws. No human is perfect so your characters shouldn't be either. Part of what makes up our personality are our flaws. Is you character impatient? Sarcastic? Soft spoken? Pessimistic? You can also give them physical flaws, but be warned that making your character clumsy is overdone and no one buys into that anymore. Don't you dare try to make the flaws cute by having the protagonist have a snorting laugh that everyone thinks is adorable. If people think it's cute then it isn't a flaw.
So if you choose to have a snorting laugh be a flaw, have everyone be embarrassed for the protagonist when they do laugh. Maybe his or her friends have grown to accept it but when they meet new people, the strangers are startled when they first hear it. Therefore all flaws should be what they are: something that is considered a bad trait.
If a character never struggles or never has any doubts then how can you expect someone to relate to that? Even the most confident individuals have days where they aren't feeling great. One day they might not like how their hair looks, or they might get a pimple. Though you don't have to dwell on any flaws, it is important to have them. Therefore when a character pushes past their shyness to do a speech that is really important, the reader will know the sacrifice that was made. Or if the protagonist is always complaining, when they hold their tongue at an opportune moment that can be appreciated.
An underrated quality that is necessary for a story is for the protagonist to be proactive. While many of us like to believe that we are procrastinators, if your character is sitting on their butt all day not doing anything then the story won't take place. If they aren't enthusiastic in what they are doing, how can you get a reader to care? Unless you are an amazing writer, you need a proactive protagonist. They will drive your story forward.
That is why villains are often so well loved. Heroes are always reacting to what the villains are doing. Villains are actively completing their goals so we root for them to succeed because they are doing something. Without any villains to do bad things, heroes would be boring. They can't do something until the villains misbehave. So you want your characters to be acting instead of reacting. While it is fine for them to react a few times during your story, don't have that being their only action throughout your entire book.
Finally, however you choose to write you characters, ensure that they are consistent. Even if they are going through a character arc and are changing throughout the story it doesn't mean that they will become a brand new person. Their mannerisms will remain the same. Their hobbies will remain the same. As funny as it would be if you had your protagonist say that great one liner to the villain as they are fighting in the final scene, if it's not something that they would believably say then it has no reason to be there. Don't sacrifice consistency for a joke, or an emotional scene, or whatever it is. In the long run it's not worth it.
A way to test whether your character is developed enough is to write a conversation between two people and have two distinct voices so they can be differentiated without needing dialogue tags. Keep in mind the way that people speak. Therefore a sailor might use lots of sea proverbs. Or someone might speak eloquently if they are well educated. A person's personality can be shown so easily through dialogue that it must be exploited to the best of your ability.
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