𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖳𝗂𝗉𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖫𝗈𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗌

𝖧𝗈𝗐 𝖳𝗈 𝖶𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝖠 𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗉𝗅𝖾𝗑 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋

Complex characters are super, super important to any fictional work, whether it be an OC in your personal short story/novel/etc. or an OC in a fanfiction. If the characters in your work aren't complex, the readers won't care much about the characters and therefore won't care much about the story itself.
Complex characters aren't a suggestion, they are a necessity if you want your story to be successful and well-liked by your readers.
Since they're so important, I decided to make a post on how to write them instead of just answering it on the ask.

✎ 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿
People take a look at the phrase "complex character" and think, "Oh, I know what that is! It's a character that's complex!"
They are right, in a sense, but there is so much more to complex characters than it states in the name.
According to a document (which comes up when you Google "complex character")
"A Complex character, also known as a Dynamic character or a Round character displays the following characteristics:

✎ He or she undergoes an important change as the plot unfolds.
✎ The changes he or she experiences occur because of his or her actions or experiences in the story.
✎ Changes in the character may be good or bad.
✎ The character is highly developed and complex, meaning they have a variety of traits and different sides to their personality.
✎ Some of their character traits may create conflict in the character.
✎ He or she displays strengths, weaknesses, and a full range of emotions.
✎ He or she has significant interactions with other characters.
✎ He or she advances the plot or develops a major theme in the text."

Now that you know the definition of a complex character, it'll probably be easier to write them. Technically, I could just end it here and have the document give you all the tips, but I felt like I should elaborate on the few of the points just to emphasize how important they are.

✎ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲
Your story/novel/fanfiction is outlining a gigantic event, right? One that's harrowing and draining and tough on the body and the mind?
Just a note: ANY NORMAL HUMAN BEING WOULD CHANGE AFTER EVENTS SUCH AS THESE.
It's not feasible for a character NOT to change after something like this happens.

I'm going to use my book as an example:
Andrew, the main character and the narrator of the story, is an angel stuck in Hell.
Do you know what happens in Hell? Demons torture people.
Do you know what happens to Andrew? He gets tortured.
Now, who wouldn't change in this environment? Andrew had to adapt in order to endure the least amount of suffering as possible. At the beginning of the story, he is quiet and reserved, and easily spooked. Wary of new people.
But as the plot progresses and he's rescued by the other characters in the story, he comes out of his shell and realizes that there's no one to fear.
Your characters have to change like that. They may not have to go through literal hell, but they sure have to change after the event happens.
Some of you might be panicking right now because you don't want to change your character, or can't see a way that your character can change.

Don't worry, I've made a list of traits that can be changed during the course of your story. All of these things can either go up or down as the plot progresses.
✎ Ambition
✎ Apathy
✎ Assertiveness
✎ Capability
✎ Compassion
✎ Confidence
✎ Consideration
✎ Courage
✎ Cowardice
✎ Dependability
✎ Determination
✎ Generosity
✎ Honesty
✎ Ignorance
✎ Independence
✎ Insecurity
✎ Impulsively
✎ Individuality
✎ Literally any bad trait
✎ Protectiveness
✎ Spirituality
✎ Tolerance
✎ And many more

✎ 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆
This one is necessary for any character, but like with the phrase "complex character", many people just put it into generic terms.
Think of any character from any book, movie, TV show, etc.
Now, think about their personality traits.
Notice how, if they're a good, well-developed character, they have a lot of them.
A personality doesn't just mean "Oh, I like pizza".
Liking something unimportant doesn't make a person who they are.
Liking something is not a personality trait unless that thing is super important to them like sports or school or their family. (Athletic, bookish, family-oriented)
People are incredibly complex creatures that have a whole fuckton of things that are good and bad about them. You can't just go online to one of those "character traits" charts and pick and choose like five of them. Your character should have a whole load of traits, otherwise they're not a complex character.
Traits should be diverse. There should be both good and bad traits. Major and minor traits.
Take a moment and write down all of your character's traits. They can't be physical traits, and they can't be minor things that they only "like" and can live without.
If there aren't a lot of them or you can't think of that many, then your character is not complex.
This is okay for side characters, but for your main protagonist it's a big no-no.

✎ 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁
THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT STAR THIS, HIGHLIGHT IT, UNDERLINE 100 TIMES
Here is the big question: Is your character moving the plot, or is the plot just happening to your character?
If you answered the latter, then you have a big problem.
I'm not even going to sugarcoat it; if your protagonist, the one you love with all of your heart and couldn't bear to live without, is not advancing the plot, then they shouldn't exist in the story.
Your character's choices have to make the plot move forward. Their choices have to impact the story an cause consequences, whether they be good or bad in the long run for the whole cast of characters.
Unless your character is forced to be a passenger (whether it's because of lack of physical/mental/magical ability compared to the supporting cast, or because they are actually forced), they should be the one in the driver;'s seat, not the one that was dragged along for the ride.

𝗰𝗿: 𝘀𝗵𝗲-𝘄𝗵𝗼-𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀