Enter: The Hero

So you want to build a hero, huh?  Well what makes a good main character? First, look at several examples of other protagonists (main heroes) that have made history.

The Chosen Ones
Did Harry Potter pop into your mind when you read that phrase? The 'chosen one' protagonists are characters that right off the bat are special. They're born usually with cataclysmic events, or at least something drastic happens to them and their family when they're young, and they eventually learn that they are the chosen one: the hero who is meant to save the world, the only one who can. As likely as not, this character will have suffered childhood tragedy, usually involving the death of one or more parents. The character lives with an uncle, aunt or half-brother, until he is told by a wise, bearded man that he is the chosen one, destined to save the planet.

The Ordinary, Everyday Heroes
Not all heroes are destined to save the world (or galaxy). Many of them are normal, everyday humdrum people living normal, everyday humdrum lives. Frodo Baggins and Lucy Pevensie are good examples of this. These are normal people who are living normal lives as best as they can, when suddenly they are thrown into a world they didn't know about and become key parts of a grand adventure. Frodo didn't know he'd save the world, and Lucy for sure didn't know she'd become a queen in another world. But such ends the fates of our heroes who started out as seemingly insignificant folk.

The Eyes
This is an interesting character type, because it's the one that the world does not revolve around. These types of characters often play some key role to the story, but are not the 'main character' of the story. The adventure is seen through their eyes and emotions; they are a pair of glasses that you view the story through. Often with these characters, the reader is not able to see everything that goes on, but everything that happens to this particular character.

While you're planning for your book, whether you write by the seat of your pants or like to carefully plan out every detail before actually writing, you need a character profile. Chances are you've already thought of this, and seen something like this:

Exhibit A: The basic character profile

However grand this may look, often I find that this doesn't create a believable character. This is a cardboard cutout. 2-dimensional profiles create 2-dimensional characters. Your character won't be anything more than your profile makes him to be. So rather than this sheet or similar ones, try making your own (or adding to an existing one.) Human beings are so much more complex than their eye color and favorite food. What are their pet peeves? Quirks? Do they prefer cold weather or warm? Are they allergic to dairy products? Do they like fast cars? Are they closet fans of disco music? All these things are components to  making a great character. And don't start with one quirk, make a whole list! People are weird and strange and have many things about them that make them unique--and your character should be no different. Maybe your character secretly knows the piano or practices ventriloquism. Whatever your character's quirks are, they don't have to play into the story except to make the character unique and real.

As you make your character profile, there are questions you have to ask yourself:
Is my character believable and unique?
Do people like my hero?
Will the readers cry if he dies?
Are the readers emotionally attached to my character?

Your hero has to be believable and down-to-earth--relatable and emotionally attachable. Without a full and fleshed-out character, your reader won't be attached to your story, and cannot be fully immersed in what happens. Want your story to be a success? Make that character real!