A list
This is a list I made a while ago. Maybe it's of help to you.
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Easy way of making a character's personality and background:
1. First think what quirks and demeanor he has. What makes him stand out? not more than two things, such as grumpy, vain, naive etc.
2. Then think of what would rule that out, Grumpy=>he won't be sociable, vain =>he won't be sloppy. etc.
3. Think of the class and race belongs best with the vision you have of that character. Remember that a race and class is purely a tool to flesh out a character, so it's not the end all be all.
4. For the rest make his personality close to yours, so it makes (except for the quirks) it easier to roleplay.
5. Only when you've done that, should you begin with a background. Start with how he got his quircks. Why is he grumpy? What made him vain? For new-bies start with a loving home at birth and go from there.
6. Make sure that when you start at 1st level, that he didn't already do epic stuff in his background. When he reaches 18 and starts adventuring he probably hasn't killed a lot things yet, let alone defeated monsters.
7. Don't describe the parts of his life where nothing happened. If he had a good life until age 16, say so, don't describe the 16 diffirent birthdays.
8. Usually you only have to describe 2 years of living in which the PC makes the choice to go adventuring. Remember though it's a big decision, so it needs a big reason.
9. Don't be afraid to be cliche. Cliche are well known for a reason, and that's because they are fun and easy. You can always change your char. personality during campaigning.
10. Finally, the background doesn't stop at 1st level. The moment you start palying keep a record of all the dramatic things that happen to your PC, and change his psyche accordingly. That's what makes him special the most.
This is is the way to a fairly standard Char, so if you want to do a completely outrageous char, just ignore the list and do your thang.
Hope it helps.
