First, here's a simple list of what to avoid:

- Avoid using too many [and frankly, annoying] Japanese names for your characters. If it is an anime roleplay, then it's alright, as everyone in anime is usually Japanese. ^^;
- Avoid using lame names overall. The last name 'Langriss' kicks @$$, as an example. X3;;;
- Avoid generic swords and generic weapons.
- Avoid having more than 2-3 characters with the same personality traits or same weaponry.
- Avoid the god-like character stereotype. If you do, I will personally kill you by rambling a long, passionate speech about roleplaying and the tragedy of disobidient n00bs.
- Avoid playing the XBox.
- Avoid naming too many characters with the same first letter or 'sound' in the name.
- Avoid anything seen on Sailor Moon as a character trait.
- Avoid too many characters with similar color schemes [Dragon Ball is a bit guilty of this.]
- Avoid too many characters of similar age. Gets boring fast.
- Avoid eating re-heated carne asada burritos at 2am. Trust me on this one.
- Avoid the instant fall-in-love routine between characters. Boring.
- Avoid obvious attributes seen on other characters [such as Naruto's "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu". Seeing how overused it is by people's characters make it look like child's play.].
- Avoid characters that have so much info and background on them that no one cares. But that doesn't mean not to make your character's info in-depth.
- Avoid having all painfully attractive characters.
- Avoid using too much from your outside inspirations.
- Don't Avoid giving Mina lots of worshipping. :3

The Clothing 101:

The harsh truth: It's a lot of work, but frankly you want your character wearing something that ONLY your character wears. None of that t-shirt and jean shenanigans. And if so, make it interesting or befitting at least. No rip offs from other characters for the main outfit, NOTHING. 100% yours. Sure, inspiration will undoubtedly affect your outfits, but make them distingushed.
Please try to do the same with your own; it'll make your characters MUCH more fun to draw as well; but stick with the amount of detail in an outfit you're comfortable with.
Any other additions to your characters should either look really good or be practical to their abilities/hobbies/personality. For example, this is why Miyuki(a character of mine) is rarely seen without a yaoi manga or a paper bag/bento box full of NUMMIES. It also signifies that she is a peverted lady that likes to be well equipped with nummy dessert-y sugar goodness. Just like the great Mina! Mwahahaha.
Even some of the most bizare accessories, such as say for...Lina Inverse, make sense. Any jewel seen on her attire can either be used for evasion [smoke bomb], or to enhance her own powers.
...However, Mr. T doesn't make sense, despite his high levels of kickass-ness.
You could never be as cool as Fayt Leingod anyway. Nyarhar.

Well, this concludes the first installment of Tips for Creating Characters. Feel free to drop a comment or question, and maybe some additional guidelines. Well, see again soon!

A good way to avoid overusage of the same character traits is roleplaying as someone of the opposite gender of yourself. For the most part, people build their characters with the same gender as themselves. I find that roleplaying as the opposite gender not only allows you to try out a new type of character scheme, but also gives you a different outlook on roleplaying as a whole.

Because there are tons of things people do differently, depending on their gender. You'll never really see a male character attempting to seduce someone for information. And you'll probably never see female character spitting tobacco everywhere and cussing at every chance they get.

So I suggest trying out a different gender with your characters. It's quite a learning experience and can help in the preventing the recycling of characters.

I generally avoid all this with one simple rule:

1.What is the thing people least expect?

Here are some tips:
- Don't avoid using standard middle class english grammar in the RP forums. People will take your bios a lot more seriously if you use proper grammar and spelling.
- Avoid butchering the English language