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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41407
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

> properties [of] a generic main character of character-driven/psychological novel

**Short Answer:**  
A very long list. Oh, and a degree in Psychology helps.

**Long Answer:**  
Assume that you are an MC in such a novel. What makes you an individual and, therefore, will make the character a deep, fully fleshed one?

Let's ignore the physical appearance for now, and focus only on the psychology.

Look around for different personality tests. They all have something that makes sense, but they all tend (IMHO) to fall a bit short from reality. Study the different personalities and see all the factors that make them different. Make sure to work with at least two or three different personality (16 personalities, the big five, Jung, Briggs Meyers, the zodiac, anything!).

At this point you want to identify what could make different characters (with different personalities) react in different ways to the world. Then compare those personalities to yourself and to close friends/family. How well do those personalities match them? Why? What do you disagree about within the theoretical description in relation to the reality?

Once you've finished that analysis, focus once more on yourself. Think about what you value the most and what you dislike the most: honesty, friendship, etc. Look at different people around you: can you tell what they value and dislike from their actions alone? Can they do same for you? How do your values come through in your actions? Do you ever act in contrast with your values (eg. you value honesty but lie to your friends)? Why? How do you feel when you go against that value?

At this point, you are trying to understand why people act the way they do. Why do they sometimes go against their (alleged?) core values and how does that affect them?

Next, focus on fears. What do you fear the most? This can include phobias, I suppose, but it's mostly about deep existencial fears: fear of growing old, of being hurt, of being humilliated, of failing and being called out on it, etc. Try to see how your fears drive you into, and away from, new experiences.

These fears tend to dictate how one reacts to even the smallest event. If one is insecure and dreads having a mistake being pointed out in public, they'll react defensively to an innocent 'hm, interesting shirt'. They'll first and foremost imagine their fears being turned into reality and assume the person thinks you've made a mistake when you bought the shirt, when perhaps the person is thinking the unusual choice is surprisingly nice.

Look up a list of the 5 / 10 / 20 top existencial fears if you can't think of many. While you're at it, look up reasons behind conflict in relationships: conflict is caused (or avoided) and dealt with in very different ways and for a great number of reasons. Obviously, they vary depending on whether we're talking friends, family or lover/partner.

**Conclusion**

It's way too much research, one might say. Well, if one wants to have a deep psychological novel, one must understand what drives a person through life, so the character can then mimic it. Your question makes me think you've never thought very deeply about what makes a person act the way they do, so... yeah, lots of research.

Simple life experience is an alternative, true, but that usually requires a lot more years of hands-on practice than just a couple of weeks of theoretical research.

Original score: 5