What do -you- do before creating a new character?

My first two chars on this server, Debri and Ixirar, were supposed to be pretty much opposites to each other personality-wise. Debri was an outgoing, curious, friendly and impatient gnome who was eager to explore the world and learn everything in it while Ixirar was sort of a more conservative night elf, hesitant to accept the younger races into Darnassus but also overbearing, wise and patient with them. In that regard, I guess Ixirar would be the patient but strict mother figure while Debri would be the curious little sister if I can draw that analogy. Later on, I added Kavalis to my roster. I envisioned him as a bigtime aristocrat, arrogant noble fallen from grace.

Basically what I do when I create new characters is that I take aspects of other characters I've played and turn them around, sort of like with Ixirar, being conservative and reclusive, to Debri being curious, outgoing and somewhat altruistic, to Kavalis being arrogant and greedy, to my next char being lowly and distrustful, then perhaps after that a valiant knight-ish type char, then perhaps an academic scholar type char who doesn't fare well in combat but enjoys reading and all that, potentially a savage warrior who values honor in battle over all else etc. etc. etc. the list goes on.

TL;DR: I pick an archetype and develop it from there.

I create a basic idea, and let the ~flow~ of Roleplay shape it.

Skarain: Was my first character, and she happen to be a free character i had started to lvl for PvE purposes. Since she was a Warlock already i made a concept that would suit life in Stormwind (hates demons, avoids the use of Fel, strong in Fire (which weren't forbidden)). I made the character quiet, since i was new in Roleplay and learned mostly trough watching. Over the course of months the concept shaped more and more, inspired by my own personality (her cautiousness, calmness, neutral attitude). Other things, like her open-mindness were added because i wanted to learn new, strange and unusual things. I wanted to be different, unique. I also fell in love with Runes, which is why she is a multi-class spellcaster nowdays (Sorceress & Runecaster).

Lealia [deceased]: I created just to suit the Chapter. She was supposed to be a men-hating woman wanting to become a hunter of such (unfaithful) bastards. I kept at that concept till the moment of her death.

Gende's basic idea was a Curious Undead, one who is willing to enter a holy building regardless of the pain just to see what inside. I stopped playing her during Skarains eventful...events, but now i took her into action again.

Now its again shaping trough roleplay. The concept is turning darker and more "Evil" on demand, but curiosity and demon-hate are still strong in her personality.

~Let~the~flow~of~Roleplay~carry~you~

...Funny that i started Roleplay a Warlock and both my main roleplaying characters now hates them >_>