Wrinkles, Warts And All

Characters are only make believe people in a book, right?
Wrong.
They can be as real, or as flat, as the author makes them.
Sometimes, they can be mirrors for readers, or the author. If the author has written a compelling character, readers sometimes ask "is that you?"
Not every character is the author on paper. Sometimes the writer will take an aspect of themselves and flesh out their character with that part. Sometimes, the character can be all that we are not. That works for both good and bad.
I have written characters that I wanted to be, and some that were the worst parts of me.
But no matter how that character is written, they can indeed make or break a story.

Nothing turns me off faster than an abusive, whining, needy character; so you'll likely never find one in any of my works.
There's nothing redeeming about them.
I'd much rather write about a flawed character who genuinely wants to be better. Braver, more honorable, kinder....whatever, but they must be striving to be a better person somehow.

I want to read about, and write about characters that are as close to realistic as possible. Bad habits, foibles, wrinkles, warts and all.

What do you want to see in a character?