Profiles

Whenever I read, I pay specific attention to the things I like in the book. What separates good writers from bad writers? The things I like most are:
-Characters
-Description
-Humor
-Dialogue

Characters are some of the most important parts of a story. Dry, "cardboard", cliche characters could really ruin a story, which is why writers pay HUGE attention to them. How do I come up with character ideas? I observe the people around me(sorry, guys.) It gives me lots of ideas!
 Example:
I wrote this on the 7th, after an encounter with a girl named Lyric.
  
Lyric is a girl my age, and I have known her ever since elementary school. I became friends with her instantly because she is very friendly. Lately, now that we're in middle school, I've seen less and less of her. Talking to her recently gives me the impression that I'm talking to a robot who's been brainwashed. Schools where I live are very worldly, and Lyric, who used to be special, is becoming just "one of the crowd", pretending to be materialistic, carefree, and in-your-face. She's worked up an attitude that you can tell isn't real. She likes one thing one day, and hates it the next, depending on what's popular. She doesn't mind doing little sneaky things, like texting when she's not supposed to, that she didn't used to do. She is a technical Christian, but you can tell that Christ takes little to no place in her life.


See what I mean? If you've had an encounter with someone that leaves an impression on your mind, writing about it might be the perfect outlet, (and help get it out of your head.

PS. I am working on a novel, but I don't seem to have much time for it.