What do you think makes a good character? Main character? Secondary character?

I may draw a lot of fire for this, but I enjoy reading characters who are larger than life. Whether some of my favorites could be called Mary-Sues is debatable. Therefore, fun and unique powers are a plus.

I think the most important thing for me, though, is that characters respond to their situations in believeable ways. It doesn't have to be what I would do in the same situation, but I have to understand how this character might choose this action.

A good character is someone you remember afterwards, and who maybe is an inspiration for your own works.

a good character is someone who has faults. That is something that we can all realate to. Some characters try to overcome their faults, others try to buff thier way out of it. Some will be stronger than others and will succeed or fail.
A good character trips over thier own feet at times, the are not perfect. They make mistakes. They either go on, or crumble in a heap.
A well written character will fight with a major decision, because it is a hard decision to make. They learn from those decisions (we hope). They grow and for a time, become real people.

That is, to me a good character.

What makes a good character? Let's hear your thoughts, this is worth exploring.

Some would say growth.

While I agree that some kind of change must occur with a character, I don't entirely agree with the "typical" ways of facilitating the change.

I think too many writers "cheat" by starting their characters out as far from possible away from where they're intended to end up. That way it's MUCH easier to show some sort of growth or change in them.

Weakling becomes strong and courageous.
Poor becomes rich
Ugly becomes beautiful

ect. ect. ect.

I think the key to a good character is consistency. Every element that you want the character to end up with should be there from the beginning in at least some tangible form. I don't think there is anything wrong with a hero entering the stage as already relatively strong and courageous. The "growth" can be accomplished through more subtle means.

In fact, I'd argue that "growth" isn't necessarily mandatory in all characters. Take Sherlock Holmes for example. He enters the story as a god and exits as one. The story is about winning the game and has nothing to do with S.H. "finding himself" or "coming of age". There is virtually NO CHANGE in many characters. And they can still be remarkably memorable.

I'm with FW on this: growth is nice, but not absolutely necessary. Plenty of memorable characters never grow or change much, but are still awesome.

I think it *is* essential that the characters have some sort of conflict they need to resolve, either internally (growth) or externally (defeat the bad guy), even if they're minor characters.

It's even more essential that the character be vivid - stock characters are boring. Even one unexpected line, revealing unexpected traits, can make the character stick in people's minds. Take the time to understand who your characters really are, and never, ever force them to violate their personality just for the sake of plot.

Mokele

My characters usually start off pretty well adjusted, and end up alcoholics, insane, or otherwise completely screwed up. It's rare for an MC to go up, they usually crash and burn. Never get caught in one my stories, it's so not worth it!

I'd like to see a trend where characters have fears. Little ones like snakes and bugs and losing their houses in a flood. It's not often little things like that get seen, and it makes a character so much more real.

Have a hero who is an old woman.

A heroine who is not a princess, and doesn't marry a prince.

A boy who saves the world, and goes back to the farm because he misses the sunrises and fresh milk.

A villain who cries.

Base your fantasy on reality, and make the realistic fantastic.

I like your ideas, Mornara.

I'm working on making my characters less predictable; less cute and nice and everything's good. I have to stop creating only characters I like!

I've always loved Feist's characters. It's been a while since I read his books, though, so I can't remember the spesifics. But I like the idea of following the characters through their entire life (or most of it), as it shows how people change with the years, cause and effect and all that.
I also like what he does with Guy de Bas-Tyra in his first books. To begin with, we only get to know him through other people's opinion of him. When we later get to know him as the person he "really" is, the characterization of him is that more impressive. And it shows how we often have totally different perspective on situations, and on people for that sake.

I have the opposite problem Elanor, I write characters I like, and everyone else hates.

I love a character who falls hard, and never really gets back on his feet. I love a villain who has seen too much, been hurt too many times, and yet still fights for what little he still believes in. I love anti-heroes and characters with glaring faults and deficiencies that aren't what people would like to be, but what they are.

It might cripple me as a mainstream author, but that's never been my goal, to be accepted. It's better to be real, I think.

Hmm, what makes a good character.

I like a character who has their own way of talking and a small catch phrase. one of my favorites is "sure as sure" not big just something that gives the character depth and something to latch on to. They don't really need to grow on me or grow themselves, they just need to be personal. It's hard for me to explain.

mornara wrote:

I have the opposite problem Elanor, I write characters I like, and everyone else hates. I love a character who falls hard, and never really gets back on his feet. I love a villain who has seen too much, been hurt too many times, and yet still fights for what little he still believes in. I love anti-heroes and characters with glaring faults and deficiencies that aren't what people would like to be, but what they are. It might cripple me as a mainstream author, but that's never been my goal, to be accepted. It's better to be real, I think.

Yeah, I actually like those too.. I just haven't been able to write them. I guess that's why I've always felt my writing isn't as good as I'd like it to be; I have been writing something different from what I enjoy reading. (If that makes any sense.) Just a realization that I've come to recently.
The part about it being real is something I agree on. It is important. I will try to get better at writing "real" people.

That's the first step Elanor! Read read read, study psychology, people around you, famous people, family and friends, it's all great food. Ask family members if they have any stories they will tell you!

Feth, your post looks great. Easy to read, good grammar, much easier to read. And don't worry about trying to explain how you like your characters to be, I don't think any of us could really explain all of our characters. I know I certainly can't.