How do you write your characters?

I'm several good scenes and most of a prologue into my NaNo novel, and I've discovered something about my characters.

Most of them are pretty skeletal right now.

I have an overall idea of who I want then to be, but since my real goal at the moment is to get the plot out before I talk myself into changing something major, I've pretty much glossed over the characters, dropping little hints now and then, but not really fleshing them out.

Last year, when I was prepping for NaNoWriMo, I did all this character analysis (part of the writing program I use, so why not?) in order to really understand my characters. And while that was helpful, I spent an inordinate amount of time fretting about demonstrating these little character ticks while I was working on laying out the plot. If I had months and months to do this kind of edit-as-you-go writing, I'd have been ok. But my word count was deplorable simply because I couldn't get things out.

So this year, I'm letting the characters kind of exist for the most part until I get the plot out, and then I'll start adding in those endearing or annoying or nauseating traits when I have to start plumping up the word count.

Not to say I'm not recognizing some of the character traits already. Some are just...cardboard at the moment, or paper dolls. They serve a purpose, perhaps demonstrate some of their ultimate selves in tiny glimmers.

So, how do you write your characters? Do you plan them out first? Let them write themselves? Maybe a little of both?