Creating characters is one of the trickiest but also most enjoyable parts of writing. I spend considerable time on creating my characters before I write a single word, and I create them even before I put together my story structure. This to ensure that, even though my stories are arguably somewhat plot driven, they follow the natural actions and decisions taken by my characters.
So how do I make sure I create characters with depth?
The most important thing for me when I create a character, is to make sure they are well rounded. To me, this means that my protagonist has plenty of flaws too. It also means that my antagonist has lots of admirable features, as well as a good reason why he or she went down a darker path.
Next, I make sure that the 'tension channels' between my characters are strong in every direction. In other words: whichever two characters I put in a room together, they almost always must have conflicting interests or desires. I allow for one or two exceptions, but make that choice very consciously to allow the reader for a little 'fun' time; a breather in an otherwise high-intensity story.
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