Hmmm, tips for creating interesting characters...
Going against a racial stereotype can be fun. Play something that people wouldn't normally associate your race with (for instance, I once played a clean-shaven Dwarf).
If you have access to the Dungeon Masters Guide for 3rd Edition D&D, there's a table in there somewhere with 100 random personality traits. Roll on that table, or just examine it and find something interesting you'd like to try out.
Don't be afraid to try things which make the game harder for yourself. Ever tried playing a mute? It's difficult but can be tremendous fun.
Along the lines of the personality traits, give your character an interesting quirk. Maybe he/she always freaks out when they hear a certain word. Perhaps he/she is scared of rain. Could you play an agoraphobic character who is constantly testing their bravery by going outside?
Another thing people often try to discourage people doing but I think is a great learning experience is playing "standard" roles. The crusading knight, the treasure hunter, the evil backstabbing thief who'd murder his own mother for a profit. While many people play these types of character, it can be a good starting point for those new to role-playing.
Modify examples from books. The Aiel in Robert Jordans Wheel of Time books shun even touching swords (although they have a very in-depth reason for it). Play a character that resolutely refuses to even pick up an axe or a mace perhaps.
These are a few of the things I use to flesh out my own characters, although I do have my own list of "favourite" personality traits that I pick randomly from too. Hope it's helpful.
Looking back at Brody's post I notice he mentioned relatives. Play a character that always goes home to visit his/her parents. This can get REALLY interesting if the MUD you're playing has decent hometowns and allows the use of SMOTE. With smote you can "emote" anything to the room as long as it's got your name in it. Even if your MUDs says are coloured and you cant use colour codes, you can still use this to simulate a conversation with mobiles that aren't there. I used to use this a lot on a MUD I played called Avendar, and a couple of people who were around with me when I "went home to visit my parents" were really suprised with what happened.
Above all, be creative. Examine the options, commands, and skills your MUD has available to you for role-playing, and see how you can best use them to your purposes.
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