Destructivedisk's (new) Guide to Writing Fanfiction

====Fanon Characters====
Without a doubt, characters are the single-most important part of writing a story. In fact, I would argue that the plot is merely a device by which characters are developed and expanded upon. Characters need to act consistently and realistically throughout your story. When creating your characters, here are some questions to consider.
#What is my character's motivation? Simply put, your character needs a clear motivation in your story. I would advise writers to stray away from simple motivations like “to become the strongest” or “to defeat the big guy”. More complicated motivations lead to more interesting characters – does the character want to defeat the villain in order to save his family? Or is he searching for the fame and fortune associated with defeating the villain? By establishing a motivation for your character, it will give your story definition and it will give your character's actions clarity.
#What are my character's traits and where do these traits come from? This is all fairly simple - if your character is heroic, why is he heroic? If he is strong, why is he strong? If he is quiet, why is he quiet? By coming up with a unique set of traits and quirks for your character, you will create an interesting character to read about. However, all traits have a root; some simple, some complex. When you come up with explanations for your character's personality, you are not only creating an interesting one, but also a fully fleshed out and deep one. It's also important to keep these traits realistic to the universe - for instance, a Saiyan should be aggressive. This oft-overlooked piece of advice is very important and will go a long way in making your character believable.
#What are my character's skills? Again, this gives your character significance. If he is a healer, like Dende, then he holds significance to the Z Fighters because he can heal them. Many authors give their character's significance simply by making them powerful, but there are other niches which can be filled by characters too. If your character is excellent with subterfuge, for instance, he could become invaluable as an assassin.
#What does your character sound like? This should be reflective of the character's upbringing. By giving your character a distinct sound, it helps him stand out among the other characters. More intelligent characters talk more elegantly whereas less educated characters speak more simply. This is necessary for creating a character that is interesting to the reader.
#What are your character's morals? A character's morality should drive their actions almost as much as their motivation. What does your character believe in? Does he believe in an absolute good? Some characters may be driven only by their desire to make the world a better place, based solely upon their own set of morals. By developing a concrete set of morals for your character, you can almost invariably give your character direction throughout the story, making him even more believable.
Answering these questions, along with giving your character simple, common traits (such as a name, family, background and relationships) will go a long way in creating a believable and recognizable character.