A character profile is a description of a fictional or non-fictional person, place or thing. Whether it’s in literature, film, television or video games, the protagonist (main character), antagonist (villain) and minor characters all need to be properly introduced so that they can be understood by the audience.
A character profile is a document that describes the key aspects of one or more characters in a story, novel, film, etc. Character profiles are often used to help writers understand their characters better and keep them consistent as they write the story.
In this blog post we will discuss what should be included when you create a character profile – from physical attributes like hair color and eye color to personality traits like good versus bad habits – so you can get writing!
Table of Contents
Video – How To Create Great Character Profiles
We recommend including the following points when you create a character profile:
- -Name and age.
- -Appearance, with detail about hair color and eye color.
- -Personality traits like good versus bad habits.
- -If they’re introduced as a protagonist or antagonist, include their backstory so you can understand why they behave the way they do.
- -If the character is meant to be a surprise, include only limited information in the profile or none at all.
- -List items like “unknown” if you don’t know what their occupation would be. This will allow you to come up with it later for your story without having to guess!
What should I include in my Character Profile?
A character profile typically includes details about physical attributes (hair color and eye color), personality traits (good versus bad habits) as well as backstory so we can understand why that person behaves the way he does.
If an important aspect of this person’s life isn’t mentioned in their description, then there may be reason not to mention them at all until they are needed in the story.
A character usually has a lot of information to offer about themselves and their life, so it’s best to include as much detail as possible without going into too many specific details that might ruin a long-held secret for your readers!
What are character profiles?
Character profiles are a useful tool for getting to know the characters in any story, book or movie. They can be written from first-person perspective when they’re about someone you know well like your best friend or family member.
In this way it’s possible to have an intimate understanding of who these people really are and what makes them tick–whether that means their favorite food is chicken noodle soup on rainy days because she doesn’t want her mother worrying over her and spoiling dinner plans with friends;
Whether he prefers tennis shoes rather than dress sneakers so his feet won’t get too sweaty as he stands by the kitchen counter doing dishes after school while waiting for mom to finish cooking dinner;
If she always brings one wine glass home whenever there’s company coming over because she doesn’t like to be the odd one out when it comes to cup size; or if he prefers to wear his hair parted in the middle so people can see him coming from a mile away.
How to make character profiles?
There are many ways to create a character profile, but the best way is by asking yourself what type of person you want your character to be.
- What are their likes and dislikes?
- Their hopes or dreams for life?
- Do they have any fears that prohibit them from living this dream life they deserve so much more than anyone else ever will?
Only you can decide who these people might be!
There’s no one-size-fits all when it comes to characters, because each individual has such unique traits.
The most important thing about creating profiles for fictional beings is figuring out not just who someone wants their protagonist(s)to look like on paper–but also how they feel about themselves in real time too.
Does this mean there won’t be a point where they’re going to have doubts, uncertainties? Of course not.
What should be included in a Character Profile?
A character profile is the building block for any story. It’s what defines who someone might be and why they do what they do.
There are many different types of writing styles, so it’s important that you find out which one will best suit your needs. In this blog post we’ll explore three different ways to help you get started when creating profiles:
- – Point by Point Approach
- – Thematic Mapping Strategy
- – Exploring Psychological Dimensions
In general, characters can’t change their likes or dislikes on their own; these are things that have been developed over time.
Characters are the backbone of a story. They’re what make things interesting and without them, no one’s going to want to read your novel for long.
And while it may seem like you can just wing it when writing about characters- giving us their personality traits in only a few sentences or thinking up some boring plot twist that gets revealed quickly through dialogue – this is not true at all.
Creating an engaging character profile from which we get information on backstory, dreams, etc., will help paint such vivid images with words that your readers won’t be able to put the book down until they know every detail.
So take time out today and invest into making these people important by spending more than 10 minutes working on their background stories…
- -Create a full name for your protagonist and the antagonist. Include their nationality, where they live, how old they are in relation to other characters, what gender they identify with/what pronouns you should use when referring to them.
- -Describe their relationships with any major secondary characters as well as whether or not these ties will be positive or negative (this could also include family members).
- -What does this character want? Why do they want it? What is standing in their way of getting it?
- -Does this character have anything that makes him/her special from others like having an unusual talent or being born into wealth perhaps? If so, give more detail on that particular trait!
How to create character profiles for a novel?
A character profile can be difficult to create because it requires an author to have all their thoughts organized before writing about them.
However, a little creativity is often needed in order for the reader know who they’re reading about and what type of personality they might possess.
They are used as descriptions so that readers will remember each one more easily than if there was no description at all!
Create A Character Profile For The Protagonist
Most people who read books and watch movies may not think about the protagonist’s character profile, but it is crucial to understanding what motivates them to do the things they do.
A protagonist’s personality can be broken down into five key traits:
- strength,
- intelligence,
- integrity,
- courage and
- wisdom.
These are all aspects of a person that can be used in order to write an accurate characterization of any given main character.
Create A Character Profile For The Villain
A good antagonist can help a protagonist in their journey. A successful author will come up with different types of antagonists to keep the story interesting for readers and create that conflict they need.
When writing, you should give your character profile more thought by asking yourself questions like:
- What is my character’s motivations?
- Why are they antagonizing this person or thing?
One of the most important aspects to creating a successful novel is developing an antagonist who creates conflict within our protagonist’s life and causes them to struggle with personal goals.
However, it becomes difficult when we have no idea what type of personality characteristics would be best suited for such characters.
Writing a strong villainous role into your plot doesn’t just mean making decisions about which traits suit them well, but also what drives them and how they contribute to the story.
It is important for your character profile to include information about their …
- personality,
- motivations,
- backstory,
- strengths and
- weaknesses
… as well as any other details that you think will be helpful in order to create a clever antagonist or sidekick for our protagonist.
In addition to developing an interesting villainous role into your plotline, it’s equally important not to forget that there should always be two sides of every conflict – even if one side happens to be wrong-headed or mistaken in its approach.
There are many different ways we can develop positive characters who provide contrast against those shadowy villains involved with conflicts within the story.
I’ll use the example of Bella Swan’s character in Twilight, who is often seen as a victim or object to be saved (though she does grow into more than that).
She contrasts with Edward Cullen and his family members, Rosalie Hale and Jasper Whitlock – they are all vampires born from human blood and raised on animal blood whereas Bella was turned by an unknown vampire.
They represent three different approaches to feeding: thirsting for human blood, finding comfort in animal blood while attempting not to kill humans or abstaining entirely from both food sources.
Characteristics like these can provide you with many storytelling opportunities when developing new characters for your story!
Related Questions People Ask
What should be included in a character study?
Writing a character analysis is not easy. You need to analyze everything about the person, from their personality and hobbies all the way down to how they interact with other people in comparison with themselves at different points of time throughout the story.
This can be challenging but it’s also very rewarding since you get an insight on what makes your favorite characters tick!
What is a character profile sheet?
A character profile sheet is a detailed description of the characteristics, traits, and values of an individual. They are used as a tool to help writers create believable characters for their books or stories.
Using these sheets can also aid in the development of new skills such as empathy for others when considering how your characters might behave in certain situations.
What are character traits?
Character traits are the qualities that a person has. Character traits can be related to their personality, habits, or appearance. We all have different character traits and sometimes our character is more prominent than others.
Resources relating to What Should Be Included In A Character Profile:
Character Bio Template – SelfPublishing.com
Character profile: A guide and template – Writers Online
Writing Great Characters: How to Create a Character Profile
How to Create a Character Profile – Writers Write
