Character development is an interesting part of writing but may be among the most time consuming. It is important to have each of your characters (human or otherwise) come across as individuals who are interesting and vibrant. That may be the intent of every writer, but it takes some planning to get strong characters on the written page. 
Character Beginnings
Think about real life for a moment and becoming acquainted with individuals for the first time. Part of the fun of meeting new people—at a party, while taking a class, at work, or at a friend’s house—is the variety of personalities and characteristics (both internal and external) those new acquaintances have. As you get to know a new friend or co-worker better, their unique personalities reveal themselves and connections may become stronger. Although most of us tend to gravitate toward people who have similar values, interests, and beliefs as we do, we can still enjoy getting to know a wide assortment of people. This is especially relevant to remember as you write.
If you read the posted Goodreads comments about certain novels, or the comments on other book review sites, readers will sometimes mention that all the characters in the book they just read, and may have even abandoned before they finished, sound like the same person with a different name. That is in sharp contrast to more satisfyingly written characters where readers are anxious to continue reading and connecting with those they are reading about.
Good writers strive to ensure that all their characters are presented as individuals, with realistic personalities their readers want to learn more about and get to know. To do that, writers must know their own characters extremely well.
Writers tend to have their own way of making their characters as real as their own family members. Some writers create and complete a question-and-answer sequence, others write a biography of a few pages for each of their characters, and others may imagine having a long conversation with the character to learn what they think about different topics and also to establish their subject’s voice.
Character Developing Methods
As we writers know, it is time-consuming to individualize characters even before you write, but the procedure is ultimately what separates a well-written piece of fiction from a book or piece of writing that is mediocre. I just listened to a podcast where prolific writer Harlan Coben mentioned that he knows writers who write a 50-page biography of each of their characters before they write their manuscript. He is no-doubt exaggerating about the length, but it is still an interesting comment.
So here are some ways to get to know the characters appearing in your own stories. Revise, add, or come up with your own ideas after considering these as a starting point:
- Think about each of your story’s characters all the time as if they are already real people. That means having one or more of them “beside” you as you go about your day’s activities and “observing” how they are reacting to what you are doing and who you are socializing with.
- Make a list of your characters’ details in an online document or a notebook: their name, gender, age, where they were born.
- Write a paragraph describing their physical appearance. Some writers will even draw a picture within their notes, since this exercise helps the writer imagine a real person and what they actually look like, even if they have weak drawing skills.
- Think about what they sound like when they talk—a high-pitched voice, an accent of some kind, something else that may be subtle.
- List the characters’ hobbies.
- Note their education level.
- Write a paragraph or more about their family dynamics and other relationships
- Get into their head: do they seem to like themselves, what is their personality all about: high strung, easygoing, very quiet, something else.
- Readers need to know why a character does what they do – what are their motivations? Do they have a backstory?
- Does the character have a goal or a plan, or something they are trying to do within the story? Make readers believe that this is a legitimate challenge.
- What does the character want or need and how will they get it? What is stopping them from easily realizing these goals?
- Think about how your characters present themselves. They may be sweet, hard-nosed, shy, sensitive, somewhat rough around the edges, but that is something the reader needs to figure out by reading and considering how the character acts, thinks, and speaks with others in the story.
Watch about twenty minutes of a television show to see how each character is different in their mannerisms, interactions with other characters, speech patterns, and what they seem to be thinking. As a writer, you must strive to show all that with just words – that is the challenge and what many writers consider an enjoyable part of the process – making their characters come alive. 
After you have created your character on paper or online, you can more accurately write about them. Of course, as you write, you won’t give all the information regarding your characters at once but will take time to unveil what they are about. Think of real life when you are meeting someone for the first time. You don’t immediately know that the person was a professional ice skater, that they broke their leg three years ago and fell into a deep depression when their Olympic dreams were shattered, and that they were once engaged to a well-known film star. Rather, you would probably begin to learn bits and pieces of this person’s story as you got to know them and often on an as-needed basis. For example, your friend may not want to join a hike you have planned because their leg gives out after a few miles. At that time, they may explain what happened to them and their background may be unveiled. That is how you should attempt to present your story too.
Good character development takes time, so don’t rush the process. Get to know and care about these unique personalities you are inventing.
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