I'm quite attached to a character worksheet that I derived from Robert McKee's Story. Try applying this series of questions to all of your major characters:
1. What is his characterization? (What McKee refers to as "observable qualities".)
2. What is his true character? (Nothing superficial. Who are they?)
3. What does he want? How badly? What would he do to get it? (Make it conflict with something another character wants!)
4. What keeps him from getting what he wants?
5. What are the consequences of getting what he wants? The downsides?
6. What do the other characters say about him? (Practice dialogue. Have each character "talk" about him.)
7. What are his contradictions? (As an example, think of Frasier. He is sophisticated, but also petulant. Contradictions are good!)
8. How do the other characters delineate him? (Does one character bring out his competitive side while another character brings out his timid side?)
9. If it's a humorous character, what is his obsession or mania that he doesn't realize he has?
10. Why do I love this character?
To delve deeper into this, read chapter 17 of Story. Perhaps you'll interpret his advice on creating your character differently than I do. Personally, though, I found it most helpful to boil his tips down into a worksheet.
Written by K.P. Hooker, http://thescriptlab.com/
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