Characters can make or break a story. You can create the finest landscapes, the greatest stories, the most remarkable writing but you cannot make your stories live unless you have characters. They are your vehicle, it is only through their eyes that we reach where you want us to reach.
So how we get it right? Here’s some thoughts.
Maybe base them on people you know but beware of the law. Don’t lift your local vicar wholesale and turn him/her into a cold-blooded killer! Make your characters composites of several people.
Describe their physical characteristics You can do it one bit or slot descriptions in as you go.
Visualise the person, think of small things which make them stand out, make them live.
Describe their clothing but move beyond simple facts, try to capture their demeanour.
How do they speak? Brusque, garrulous?
Describe their views, their emotions, they type of character.
Maybe come up with something that makes them different. A hobby, an odd phrase that they keep using.
Do not pack the info in all at once, reveal the character as they progress.
If this is a major character get to know them particularly well. How do they react to things? Make sure they are strong enough to carry the story on their shoulders. And we must care about them - not necessarily like but care.
Take care with minor characters as well as major, they’re important, no cardboard cut-outs.
Above all, ask yourself are your characters REAL?
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