The Well-Developed Character

Frankly, I don't see how anyone pantses through a novel. Not truly. The only way to truly pants is to not write anything down other than the actual story, from what I understand. There are, obviously alterations on this, and as someone who is a planner over a pantser, I wouldn't really know.
But, that's not what I'm here to talk about, not really. I want to talk to you about characters.
Characters are in every story, no matter what, and when you're writing a story, it doesn't matter what kind of characters you write, as long as they're believable. The believable character is quintessential in every story.
And this is why I don't understand pantsing. Because when you're writing, you have to keep your characters consistent. You need to have a way to keep track of each of the people you've created. I write all of my characters down in my notebook. I write what they look like, and I draw them. I write their favourite foods, their dreams, their hopes, their pet peeves. I write the things I don't think I'll use in a million years on the off chance that it might come up.
Characters don't have to be likeable, not even by you. They do have to be well thought out and believable. Sometimes this means basing them off of someone you know, or maybe even yourself. The important thing is bringing them to life.
This is why it's important to have somewhere to keep your thoughts. Give your characters the detail and imagination they deserve. They are the ones doing all the work here, after all. Without them, where would you be?
Layla