I've said this before, but to flesh out your characters, give them interests that have no bearing on the plot.
It may seem odd, but we're more interested in a hero that wants to save the world and loves to cook or garden than we are in a hero that only wants to save the world.
It may seem odd, but we're more interested in a hero that wants to save the world and loves to cook or garden than we are in a hero that only wants to save the world.
Mind you, that's not to say you need to dedicate a chapter to exploring their interest. In fact, it's best to keep it minimal. When you allow the audience to imagine what they do in their free time, the more invested the audience becomes in the character.
Have you ever noticed how much fanart revolves around brave or action-y characters eating, relaxing or pursuing some other thing? Have you ever seen fanart of a character doing something like that and thinking, joyously, "they WOULD do that?"
It's the same principle.
It's the same principle.
A masterclass on this is Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Every student has their own loves, be it painting, cooking, fishing, what have you. They're never front and center, but they're important parts of their character that make them more real, more lived-in.
A word of warning: this only really works if the central plot is strong and clear. We love characters that have outside interests, but without a guiding plot, they're just sort of drifting and we're left with investment with no payoff.
