User blog comment:RisingFusion/Getting tired of this/@comment-25941663-20150828223536/@comment-26935990-20150829162359

I'd agree up to a point, and the point is this: I seldom ever see a story on this website which does character development to a satisfactory standard. It should serve a purpose other than exposition.

Character development is so, so important, and it saddens me that I don't see any in nearly all cases. Mainly because if you're going to invest emotions in a character it helps if the story is longer than 2000 words. You shouldn't want to insert TOO many characters, but the ones you do...it can make the events of the story that much more powerful.

I find this especially in diary entries, where we see characters expressing themselves in a fashion where it would draw the reader in. It can build suspense, atmosphere, intrigue...and it can make things which happen to the character that much more meaningful, and more importantly far more terrifying.