Working with other people on characters made me think a lot on how I go about forming my own characters. What stereotypes do I tend to fall into, what cliches do I make an effort to avoid, do these decisions strengthen or limit my work? After sitting down with a small writing session, trying to flesh out some characters, I usually lock onto a memory from that character's past and use that to shape them. It's a slippery slope, because it becomes easier to fall into stock characters. I need to allow myself time to sort out a character, because I need to take some time away from these characters and approach them with a fresh mindset. I also need to not be afraid of twisting a character and breaking away from what seems right at first glance.
I need to really ask myself, "Do these qualities make the strongest character I have to offer?" Not to say that all my characters have to be strong, active, major players, but I should give careful thought when putting a piece on the board. Every character should be important to the core story. Obviously, there will be a main character, but all characters should contribute directly to the central idea.
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