Hey writers, or avid readers and lovers or fiction, I'm asking you: what to you makes a character lovable, interesting and someone you generally care about? Also give examples of characters you may love and why.
Overcoming adversity seems to be a classic, since everyone can identify, or at least wishes to be able to identify with such perseverance. I hated Tyrion Lannister, but since he was a featured POV we see him capitalize on every opportunity he gets to overcome adversity: the Vale, the mountain tribes, being the Hand, saving King's Landing.
Characters that have relatable qualities. Also, character that are nuanced and not 100% one thing: good guys still have flaws and bad guys aren't pure evil. It's why Batman and CM Punk are more interesting than Superman and John Cena.
It depends on the genre I'd say. "loveable" is a pretty maleable term. You could use loveable to describe a vast array of characters: Homer Simpson, Winnie the Pooh, Ron Weasley, Andrew Aguecheek etc. If you want to create "someone you generally care about," that's different from being loveable, unless you want us to care for the character in a Ducky (Pretty in Pink) sort of way. Also, "someone you generally care about" can mean a lot of things too, depending on how much you want the audience to care for the character (the difference between a protagonist and a background character, for example). The key is for the audience to be able to relate to the character; you help them understand why the character acts and behaves how they do. This will make the audience care for the character as they can now empathise with him/her. Milton's depiction of Satan in Paradise Lost is an interesting example, as Milton gives the audience enough fuel to empathise with the antagonist, and, in turn, has prompted some readers to genuinely care about Satan and his fate. Sorry, this is getting a bit long. If you want to just create someone audiences will describe as "loveable", just watch a bunch of disney/Pixar films and model your character after them. If you use that template it's pretty simple. Have them be a generally good person (it's normally better if they have to earn this title from the audience e.g. Woody, Carl from Up), have them face a relatable obstacle (new toy takes attention away from you, you feel alone and grumpy since the love of your life died etc.), have them have their own flaws and identity to make them seem unique as a character. However, I should tell you that most "loveable" characters are often the comic relief or side-kick to the protagonist, because their main role in the story is to support the guy you're rooting for and sometimes provide a laugh. e.g. Samwise Gamgee, Ron Weasley, Dory etc. I hope this helped and wasn't too long winded.
