You want characters that cling to your brain like gum on a shoe. Not those flat, forgettable figures you chuck into a story like yesterday's leftovers. You need characters that breathe, bleed, and screw up so spectacularly that readers either cringe or fist-pump.

Writing a short story is like trying to fit a novel into a thimble. You want to pack in tension, character, and a twist that slaps the reader awake.