Ways to Make Characters Loveable (Part One)

 Likability is a necessity for main characters--the reader's got to at least tolerate him/her since they're the person they're going to be going through the story with. Fandoms are a mass of people who adore a book/TV/movie series, and a majority of that adoration is for the characters.
    Here are a few things I've noticed that tend to make characters really likeable:
    -Heroic qualities. Depending on the type of person the protagonist is, his/her actions should at least be somewhat noble. Even if the protagonist's an anti-hero, they could have some sort of soft spot for certain people/situations/beliefs that make them do nice things occasionally. I can think of many a story where the protagonist is a thief who likes stealing from unsuspecting people, but sometimes gives what they take to others with severe need. It doesn't justify their thievery, but it does make them less selfish and more likeable.
    -Pets (dogs, cats, birds, lizards, etc.). Some people adore animals. And though a puppy or a charming parrot in a novel isn't bound to make just anyone's heart melt, it could show a softer side of the protagonist, and therefore make him/her more sympathetic to a reader who likes animals. Plus, the animal itself could also be a really cool minor character or sidekick. There's a very interesting character in Jackaby by William Ritter who happens to be a duck!
    -Romance. Who doesn't want to fall in love? And when the couple in the story is right for each other, it's very possible for readers to get excited about them getting together. And when a particularly compatible pair who have been oblivious to each other for most of the story finally notice the other person, it's like you want to punch the air and shout "yes!" right?
    -Humor. Laughing is fun! As long as the humor is appropriate for the genre, it can make the reading adventure even more enjoyable. Funny people in real life are very likeable, and fictional characters who make people laugh on multiple occasions are liked and welcomed into scenes. That doesn't mean a "funny" character is one who's always making wisecracks or slipping on banana peels, but maybe they could just say something hilarious every once in a while. The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer has lots of pulses of humor from various characters, giving it lots of humor without (at least in my opinion) forever labeling one particular character as the "funny sidekick."
    -Happiness. Along similar lines of the humor, a character who's happy is a character lots of people would like to be around. Think of the Eleventh Doctor from Doctor Who--not only is he funny, but he's constantly happy and it's contagious. It can make the viewer of the show grin with anticipation as he yanks his fellow characters into his TARDIS for another adventure.
    -Underdog. When a character's an underdog with a disadvantage, it can make their stories even more inspiring and interesting to people. Having to overcome multiple obstacles to achieve a dream is interesting, and it sweetens the moment when the protagonist attains their goal. Rocky is a movie that comes to mind, and a book series that could also be considered an underdog story is the Selection series by Kiera Cass.
    Do characters in your current project have any of these traits? Do any of your favorite characters in novels/movies/TV shows have them? :)