Prompttail

Character Profile

Create detailed, multi-dimensional character profiles for fiction writing. Build characters with authentic motivations, flaws, and backstories that drive compelling narratives.

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Prompt preview

Create a detailed character profile for a Character Role in a Genre story. Character basics: - Name (if known): Name Or "suggest One" - Age range: Age Range - Setting/time period: Setting Build the profile with these sections: 1. **Physical Description** — Distinctive appearance, mannerisms, how they carry themselves 2. **Personality** — Core traits (include at least one major flaw), temperament, how they behave under stress 3. **Backstory** — Key life events that shaped who they are, family background, formative experiences 4. **Motivation** — What they want more than anything (external goal) and what they truly need (internal need they may not recognize) 5. **Relationships** — How they relate to others, attachment style, key relationship dynamics 6. **Voice** — How they speak, verbal tics, vocabulary level, a sample line of dialogue 7. **Internal Conflict** — The contradiction or tension within them that creates dramatic potential Make the character feel real and layered, not a collection of tropes. Ground their traits in their backstory.

Tips

  • The gap between what a character wants (external goal) and what they need (internal need) is where the best stories live
  • Give your character at least one trait that contradicts their archetype — a brave character who is terrified of vulnerability, a villain who is generous with strangers
  • Use the backstory to justify the flaw — every character flaw should be a survival strategy that outlived its usefulness
  • Generate profiles for supporting characters too, focusing on how their needs conflict with the protagonist's
  • Revisit and refine the profile as your story evolves — characters should grow beyond their initial design