Hey /lit/, got any advice on writing compelling characters, or at least, authentic regardless of setting? I feel like I know the characters from the short story I'm writing reasonably well, but sometimes I end up second guessing if it's something they would do or not.
Got any tips or resources?
1. Make them relatable enough without resorting to using cliches.
2. Make them different, make them mysterious. Try making them hard to describe. But on the other hand...
3. Try making a character that can be described with another book entirely, not 3 descriptors or a little sentence. The more you can write about them the better.
4. Try making characters very different from yourself and each other and have many weakness in addition to strengths. The more you can accomplish this, the less of a Mary Sue character you're likely to write and the more interesting conflicts you will have.
5. Be creative.