Do your characters tend to be Bland? As if they are puppets? Maybe just droning on about something that it seems so obvious that you ( the author) wrote?
Most of the time the reason for this is simply because we don't know the character/s that we are trying to portray.
This chapter we will look at some personality types.
Personality Type 1: The Idealist
Idealists have faith that things can happen just by believing they can happen. They see the world as a good place, and they are convinced that they can make a contribution to the planet and the lives they touch.
Difficulties: Idealists tend to believe what they are told and may easily be taken advantage of. They can act before asking questions and gathering all the facts or considering the consequences. They are big dreamers, sometimes too big – meaning that they hope that things will happen rather than having to make them happen. They often stay in unappealing situations for too long because they believe that "things will work out".
Challenge: Ask more questions, examine your feelings and pause more often to consider possible outcomes of your actions and beliefs. Think about opportunities before seizing them.
Personality Type 2: The Realist
Realists do not sugar-coat anything. They are persuaded by facts and evidence rather than by hypothetical visions or emotional pleas.
Difficulties: Realists prefer to be sure of success before they take action. They do not act on faith or work things out as they go along. This can limit their openness to opportunities.
Challenge: Be willing to act without trying to predict down to the last detail how things will work out. Allow yourself to be surprised.
Personality Type 3: The Pragmatist
Pragmatists are often well-balanced people who are flexible in their perspective – they are sometimes realists, sometimes dissenters, sometimes idealists and sometimes questioners. They often acquire a reputation for being reasonable, and for being good judges. However, their outlook is rarely predictable in advance.
Difficulties: They are unlikely to act on instinct and can go back and forth endlessly before making a decision. This can place relationships under strain.
Challenge: Limit your thinking time before taking action. Be willing to choose one perspective at a time and go with it. You could also benefit from building up your intuition.
Personality Type 4: The Questioner
The doubter in the crowd. Questioners have to see something to believe it and will not take your word for it. They often stand on the perimeter and keep their thoughts to themselves. Difficulties: Questioners often do not try things because they have not been proven, delaying action until it may be too late. They often let life pass them by.
Challenge: Allow for the possibility that people and situations sometimes really are as they appear. Don't let your scepticism stop you from taking action whenever it might serve you.
Personality Type 5: The Stoic
Stoical people show fortitude, but they neither perceive nor express much emotion. Their feelings are difficult to read. They are generally "strong, silent types".
Difficulties: People find it hard to know them or get close to them.
Challenge: Seek to be more aware of your feelings, and develop ways to express them. Note the positive effects of reaching out to others emotionally.
Personality Type 6: The Visionary
Visionaries have a unique way of looking at life. The "energy" of a situation or action – whether it "feels right" – is their most important consideration.
Difficulties: Their focus on energy means that visionaries can miss or ignore facts, signs and consequences that others see. They can appear to be out of touch with reality.
Challenge: Focus more on what is practical and realistic – the probable as opposed to the possible. Consider consequences. Take advice from friends who can offer a realistic perspective on important situations.
Personality Type 7: The Dissenter
Dissenters do not expect people to be sincere and honest. They do not expect good things to happen to them.
Difficulties: A dissenter will usually be labelled as negative. Dissenters miss out on many of life's keenest pleasures.
Challenge: Wake up to the idea that life is wonderful! People can be good and good things can come your way. Release your negativity. Embrace power thinking.
Still not sure? Try this test
Imagine your character in the following situation:
One night they have a really vivid dream that they've won the lottery. The winning numbers are amazingly clear and they remember them when they wake up.
Do they:
(a) Dismiss it as "just a dream" and forget about it.
(b) Think the dream is probably nonsense – but they'll still be curious to see if any of the numbers come up.
(c) Doubt whether anything will come of it but see no harm in playing the numbers in the lottery.
(d) Get really excited by the dream and buy a lottery ticket on the way to work?
Depending on your answer, They are probably: a dissenter (answer a); a questioner (b); a pragmatist (c); or a visionary (d).
Personality types may also be a mixture between two or more categories!
Try putting yourself in your character's shoes. This helps you to see and more often than not, feel what you want to portray.
How they speak.
How they think.
How they respond to stimuli or situations.
Etc.
There is no definitive correct way to write characters or how they think, feel/ act. However, for the best results and natural writing, trying to convey something you are familiar with is usually the way to go.
If you're not familiar with it then try familiarizing yourself with it through research.
As long as it's not dangerous or harmful.