Making a Character

Well, I want to talk for a minute about what makes a good character.
First of all, your character has to have personality, he has to seem real, making a character whose head you can get inside is essential to this.
Second, your character has to be someone that you can roleplay. If you don't understand the character then you won't be able to roleplay the character. My advice for starting gamers is to make a character whose personality and general outlook are very similar to yours. If you a happy-go-lucky type person your not going to be effective playing, or enjoy playing, a morose character who never smiles.
Third, your character has to be detailed, a one paragraph backstory doesn't cut it, I always make players write at least a page of backstory to plan out their character.
Last, you have to know why your character is the way he/she is. If your character is a violent monster who kills everything that moves, what made him that way. If he/she is a law-abiding citizen that only wants to help people, why? What makes the character that type of person.