Character profile template
A character profile is the cheat sheet that keeps your cast consistent from chapter one to the final page. This free template covers everything a novelist or screenwriter needs: core identity, appearance, personality, wants, fears, backstory and relationships. Use it on paper, or drop it straight into Myra Create's Attic and let the details follow you into The Desk while you write.
The template
Core identity
- Full name and any nicknames or aliases
- Age, birthday and where they fit in the story's timeline
- Occupation, role or social standing
- One sentence that sums up who they are
Appearance
- Height, build, posture and distinguishing features
- Hair, eye colour and skin tone
- Style of dress and what it says about them
- A reference image or mood board
Personality
- Three defining traits, including a flaw
- What makes them laugh, angry or afraid
- Values and moral lines they will not cross
- Voice: how they speak, swear, joke or stay silent
Wants, fears and arc
- External goal: what they want in this story
- Internal need: what they actually need to learn
- Greatest fear or secret
- How they change by the final chapter
Backstory
- Key childhood or formative memory
- Family, culture and home environment
- Past wounds or triumphs that shape decisions
- Secrets only the reader (or writer) knows
Relationships
- Allies, enemies, mentors and rivals
- Romantic or complicated ties
- How they relate to the protagonist and antagonist
- Group or race affiliations (humans, elves, wildlings, etc.)
How to use this template in a novel
Start with one paragraph per major character. Fill the core identity and appearance first so you have a face and a name. Then write the want and the fear: these two lines drive almost every decision that character makes. Add backstory only when it explains a current behaviour, and keep relationships updated as the story twists. The goal is not a biography — it is a living reference you actually open while writing.
From template to organised Attic
In Myra Create, each character becomes an Attic card with the same sections, plus images, weapons, groups and a relationship map. When you type a character's name in The Desk, their profile appears in the Story Info panel and the Continuity tab jumps to their last mention, so eye colour, age and allegiances stay consistent without a second thought.
Common questions
- What should a character profile template include?
- A strong character profile covers the basics (name, age, appearance), personality traits, wants and fears, backstory, relationships, and how the character changes through the story. Myra Create's Attic adds images, weapons, groups and dynamic relationship maps so nothing gets lost.
- Can I use this character template for screenplays?
- Yes. The same fields work for novels, short stories, screenplays and tabletop campaigns. In Myra Create's Screenplay Mode your cast profiles sit beside every scene.
- Is the Myra Create character profile free?
- Character and world building live in The Attic, which is part of Myra Create Pro. The Library, The Nook and The Desk writing editor with one draft per project are free forever. Pro starts with a 7 day free trial.
- How do I keep character details consistent while writing?
- Store the profile in The Attic. While you write in The Desk, matching names surface in a Story Info panel and the Continuity tab shows where each character was last mentioned.
- Can I print or export my character profiles?
- Yes. Profiles live in your project and can be referenced while you write. Export options for manuscripts include DOCX and PDF, and Pro users can share a read-only link.
Also see: world building tool, story planner, book writing software, novel writing software