There are always going to be opinions on what a strong character is, and everyone of them is going to be different, which I think is a good thing. I am going to give a few helpful hints on building a strong character.
Every time I read an article on this topic I run into the subject of a “Mary-Sue”, but when you ask what a one is every definition is different. So what is a Mary-Sue, and how can you avoid having one while still having an interesting character? The main problem I have seen popping up recently around the forums is people trying so desperately to avoid having a cliché overdone character, they end up with a character that's uninteresting all together.
There is, of course, the Mary-Sue test. The supposedly universal test that will tell you if you do or do not have one in your midst. Here is the problem though, this test gives the impression that if you have any of these attributes in your character you have a Mary-Sue. This is simply not true, in fact, if you attempt to avoid everything on this test you will end up with an extremely boring flop of a character, and no one wants that.
What is a Mary-Sue?
Wikipedia calls it a fictional character with overly idealized and hackneyed mannerisms, lacking noteworthy flaws, and primarily functioning as wish-fulfillment fantasies for their authors or readers.
Most people define it as a cliché character that generally has little purpose. When I asked members of the site what they though a Mary-Sue was, the typical answer I got included the word “cliche”. So it brings up the question, what is cliché? We use the word often, but what does it mean for your characters, and how can you avoid it?
The main thing you need to be thinking about if you want to avoid the cliché is originality. Even if you're taking an old idea, find a new spin that makes it interesting to the reader.
The Old Idea
Yes, I am going to talk about Vampires. Vampires have been invented and reinvented more times than you can count, but for centuries they have played a large part in myth and legend. In more recent eras they have become a pop-culture sexual icon, and they're still very prominent in literature today.
So how do you go about making this old idea new? First things first, remember that you don't have to follow any mythology but your own. These are creatures of fantasy, and therefore basic rules don't always apply. If you don't want a cross to hurt them, a cross won't hurt them! This is your story, and you can do whatever you want with your mythology.
But even if your mythology is new and different, your characters have to be interesting too.
Onto the Character!
The one thing I notice, specifically when it comes to fantasy characters is what I call “Superman Syndrom” or SS. This happens when you beef your character so much that they can literally take on anything. Why is this idea boring? Because if nothing can defeat them, then it's simply not worth it. Okay, okay, there is Kryptonite, but who can get there hands on Kryptonite?! It's one of the most impossible to find things on the planet.
Weakness and Strengths
By giving your character a weakness you are making them more relatable to your audience. Now I am not saying allow them to get beaten down every time they try to fight something, but make sure that they are indestructible either.
Now, this weakness doesn't have to be physical, emotional weakness can be just as effective if not more effective than a physical weakness. Just something that lets your reader know that your character is someone like them.
Characters that are lacking both emotional and physical strength tend to come off boring and flat. Someone that backs away from every situation they're faced with isn't someone most people want to read about. As a reader we want someone that can fight their battles, but lose on occasion.
Here is the thing, it's okay to beat your character down on occasion! It is. It sounds bad, but the world likes to see people get up after falling so that they can pull through beautifully. If all your character ever does is win, people are going to get bored, if all your character ever does is lose, people are going to get bored. It's important to find the “happy medium” in this situation.
There is a second syndrome in this scenario. It goes by the name of “Disney-Princess Syndrom” sure they're beautiful and kind and everything wonderful, but they're not real. There is a reason these stories are called Fairy Tales, they're intended for children. But if you're looking to create a character that could really exist, this is not the way. What to ask yourself, is my character the most beautiful, the most talented, and the kindest character in the story? Having one or two of these is acceptable, but when you get to the all three point, your character has become a Disney Princess. Sure they're gorgeous and wonderful, but no one is going to buy them as realistic.
The Balance
The most important thing to find in your character is a healthy balance of the things above. Give them strength and give them weakness, for every positive, give them a negative. Give them depth and layers, sure they can be shallow on the outside, but maybe on the inside they're insecure.
