Okay. Here's my take on it, really - this applies to both fanfiction and original characters:
How do you decide which characters to write about?
Most often people write about characters that appeal to them; I know I do. Take Seifer, Quistis and Squall from FF8 - I typically write Seifer and Quistis and very little Squall, because I often feel that I won't do Squall justice. It's hard to accurately portray a character you don't connect with, and I connect far more with Quistis than with Squall. Obviously, however, fangirling has much to do with it - you wouldn't write about a character if you didn't like him or her. I don't like FF9's Quina, so I don't write about ...er... it.
And I find the most convincing portrayals of characters come when you do connect with them, or when they have a personality trait that is startlingly similar to your own - you can simply think "What would I do in this situation?" and there you have your answer.
It applies even more for original fics, I should think, given the number of self-insertion fics out there. After all, connecting with character doesn't always mean good writing.
And it is possible to write characters very different from you, though it's a lot harder - as long as you can empathise or sympathise with their situation, it should be enough. Usually, the ones I've seen don't come out as well.
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Most often people write about characters that appeal to them; I know I do. Take Seifer, Quistis and Squall from FF8 - I typically write Seifer and Quistis and very little Squall, because I often feel that I won't do Squall justice. It's hard to accurately portray a character you don't connect with, and I connect far more with Quistis than with Squall. Obviously, however, fangirling has much to do with it - you wouldn't write about a character if you didn't like him or her. I don't like FF9's Quina, so I don't write about ...er... it.
And I find the most convincing portrayals of characters come when you do connect with them, or when they have a personality trait that is startlingly similar to your own - you can simply think "What would I do in this situation?" and there you have your answer.
It applies even more for original fics, I should think, given the number of self-insertion fics out there. After all, connecting with character doesn't always mean good writing.
And it is possible to write characters very different from you, though it's a lot harder - as long as you can empathise or sympathise with their situation, it should be enough. Usually, the ones I've seen don't come out as well.