I am in the process of making my characters to play Icewind Dale. And I am curious about something... some of the characters I have made start at level 1, but others start at level 10. Why does this happen?

Maybe you're making some characters for the expansion rather than the main game?

(In any case, the main game expects that you will start at level 1, though you should be able to reach level 2 by doing quests in the starting town with minimal combat.)

Starting the main game at level 10 will make things too easy unless you turn on Heart of Fury mode.

No, I am trying to play the original IWD (enhanced edition) but while making my party half of my characters are level 10 and the others are level 1. I am not sure if I have unknowingly changed a setting beforehand or what. And you are right - stating at level 10 would make the game too easy.

There is no such game.

I am referring to Icewind Dale - the version that I bought and downloaded from www.gog.com.

The original is called Icewind Dale Complete and is no longer available without buying Beamdog's product -- the only version you can buy. In that case, you must be talking about Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition, NOT the original. It matters when reporting issues.

You might have an easier time if you call it IWD 1 (EE), instead of original IWD (EE).

I believe naming it 'original (EE)' instead of '1 (EE)' is what Hickory is referring to.

Some of the premade characters are for the expansion, so they start as a much higher level.

When the expansion first release, some players have already lost their saves. So it is not a good idea to force them to play it all over again. So you can start the game with high level characters with reasonable equipments, and play the expansion in a few minutes.