People underestimate the power of making their characters cute
And I'm not talking about appearance only
I mean giving their characters cute characteristics and behaviours
Cuteness may fall to the beholder, but still
There is so much cuteness to be found if you know where to look!!
Like for me personally, I think a lot of a character's cuteness comes from sincerity!
When a character is so genuine about something and you can see their enthusiasm (no matter how they show it), it's really cute!
When a character is honest above everything else, even if clumsily, bluntly, awkwardly, and yet feels embarrassed about it.
Good but not nice characters being vulnerable.
Vulnerability and respecting that vulnerability, and being vulnerable back because the characters love each other however they may love each other and want each other to know they're important.
Characters being being silly and being shy and quietly embarrassed, and characters being unapologetically forthcoming while being respectful.