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Character Profile Template

Everything you need to know about a character before you write the first scene: the basics, appearance, personality, backstory, motivation, relationships, arc and voice. Fill it here, then copy or print it.

Fill in the character profile

Saved in this browser as you type. Nothing is uploaded.

The basics
Appearance
Personality
Backstory
Motivation
Relationships
Character arc
Voice

How to fill in a character profile

You do not need every field before you start writing. Fill the basics and the motivation section first: a character with a clear goal, a fear and a flaw can carry a first draft. Come back to appearance, voice and backstory as the scenes show you who the person is. A profile is a working document; it should change as the draft does.

The fields that matter most are the ones that create conflict. What the character wants and what they need should pull in different directions, and the flaw should make the goal harder to reach. If you can finish the sentence "they want this, but they are afraid of that, so they keep doing this", you have a character the plot can push against.

From profile to page

Readers never see the profile, only its effects. Use one detail from the appearance section and one habit per scene at most, and let the backstory leak out through choices instead of explanation. The voice section is the most useful during revision: read a character's dialogue aloud and check it against how they talk.

Keep one profile per character in the same place as the manuscript, so that eye colour, age and the names of siblings stay the same from chapter one to the last page.

Questions about character profiles

What should a character profile include?

At least the basics (name, age, role), a goal, a fear, a flaw and how the character changes over the story. Appearance, backstory, relationships and voice make the character easier to write consistently. This template covers all eight sections, and you can skip any field you do not need.

Is my character profile saved?

Your entries are saved automatically in this browser on this device, so you can close the page and come back to them. Nothing is uploaded: the template has no account and sends nothing to a server. Clearing your browser data removes the draft, so copy it somewhere when you are done.

Can I download or print the template?

Yes. Copy it as plain text for a document or as Markdown for a notes app, or use Print to print it or save it as a PDF from your browser's print dialog. An empty template copies as a blank sheet you can fill elsewhere.

What does "Fill with a random example" do?

It fills every field with an example drawn from built-in tables, so you can see how a complete profile reads or borrow a starting point. It replaces what is in the form, and Undo brings your own entries back.

How many character profiles do I need?

A full profile is worth it for the protagonist, the antagonist and anyone with their own arc. Minor characters usually need only a name, a role, one physical detail and one want, which is enough to keep them consistent.

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