Character Traits.

How do you bring a character to life? Who is he or she in the grand scheme of plot and who are they to themselves?
Whatever the nature of the character, be it they are the lead protagonist (good) or the arch nemesis (bad) they need to be true to themselves if they are going to be believable to you the author and to your readers.

So, what do I mean by "true to themselves"?

Character traits are as complicated as any real life person.
Essentially "good" people often make really "bad" choices, and equally the "baddie" can in many cases make a righteous choice, but to be believable we need to know what motivated that character to go against the usually good/bad grain. What led them to that point? Have they been traumatised by past experiences? Are they made stronger by them and determined to never let "it" happen again?
I love to read the development of a character, how they have been changed by their experiences (if appropriate to the novel) throughout the course of the book. But you can only appreciate the growth of a character if you have the foundations from whence they began.
Let your characters do a little soul searching.

To bring a character to life we as authors need to give them PERSONALITY. Many of us (myself included) can be a bit quirky. What is it about your character that brings them joy, or really pisses them off, do they have a hobby or a habit, are they afraid of love, do they constantly run from confrontation or do they seek it out, have they always wanted something obsessively ? : now tell me why!

Another great area to explore is their APPEARANCE. Many characters will only get a cursory description, which is appropriate in lesser roles in the novel, but the big, lead players need a good DESCRIPTION.
Is the good guy really dirty or messy with his personal hygiene? why?
Is he or she a neat freak? why?
Do they have an odd little obsession they adhere to in their attire? why?
How do other characters in the book view them? Expand in this area! (see my post on GOSSIP feb. update)

Further to this, discuss your characters PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES.
I want to know if they are good looking, blonde, blue eyed, or not. Are they tall or short, fat or thin? Are they from a particular ethnic group? How does this affect their motivations and interactions with others? Are they straight or gay or bi? (or in my case as a sci-fi novelist...do they dig aliens?!)
 What does that mean in the overall plot of the novel?
Do they have a scar? How did they get it? A great talking point to expand on motivations too! I had a great deal of fun with a character of mine who had his leg broken by the "baddies" to get to another character. It was an excellent tool to use to expand on the SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS that characters have. It gave him an unusual walking style and ...well ...spoilers people! Anyway...How would you feel if someone broke your leg to get to your work colleague?

There are simply unlimited traits you can apply to your characters, get onto google and have a bit of fun exploring what they might be! Psychology web sites are FANTASTIC for adding more complicated layers to the personality of your characters. Other authors use astrology to create a personality wheel, I haven't gone that far, but I do think it's a great idea.

Some basic thoughts:
Compulsive
Ego driven
Exuberant or outgoing
Secretive and shy
Cunning
Curious
Alpha Male
Alpha Female
Passionate and sexed up
Withered and sexless
Cynical
Gullible
Tired
Energetic
Stoic
Constantly whining
Stubborn
Submissive
Savvy
Clueless
Nasty
Nice
the list is endless people!

As always, until next time...let your fingers fly on those keyboards! START WRITING NOW!!!