One of the most enjoyable elements of reading fiction is meeting characters who feel so realistic and believable we almost forget they’re fictive. Using an online dating profile template to brainstorm your characters is one way to create characters so real they seem ready to hit the town! In this guide, you’ll learn how to create a dating profile -like character summary using Plottr.
What is an Online Dating Profile Character Template?
A dating profile is a quick getting-to-know-you guide to help people find similarities and evaluate compatibility and chemistry. Plottr’s Online Dating Profile Character Template is a character interview tool using prompts from real online dating sites.
The template helps you to create online dating profiles for characters, using topics such as their current lifestyle, aspirations and goals, and what they value in others.
Why use this approach? Dating profiles are revealing about people and how they want to present themselves to others. According to statista.com, ‘there will be 440 million people’ seeking romance online by 2027. So why not let your characters join in the fun?
Why Create an Online Dating Profile for Characters in a Novel?
Using a dating profile template is a fun and engaging way to get to know your characters when writing in any genre. But, as you might guess, it’s especially useful for romance authors who want to create authentic, relatable heroes and heroines.
What better way to explore how your characters really feel about themselves or others, how they handle conflict, or what they are attracted to most?
All this knowledge combined will help you craft well-rounded fictional characters and chemistry your readers will love. Keep reading to learn how to create an intriguing, detailed character profile.
Introducing Plottr’s Online Dating Profile Template
Love going into character detail? The Online Dating Profile Character Template contains fifty questions covering nearly every aspect of a character’s life.
If that’s a bit overwhelming, though, you don’t have to answer them all. Simply choose the ones that appeal to you or are most relevant to your story.
Here’s just a sample of the questions that Plottr’s Online Dating Profile Template includes:
- About Me: A few paragraphs of introduction that might interest potential partners
- Seeking: What type of partner are you seeking? Age? Gender? Include other personal details
- Education: What level of education do you have? Where did you go to school?
- Religion: What is your religious or spiritual background?
- Smoking/Drinking/Drugs: If yes, what type and how often?
- Kids or Pets: Do you have them? If yes, how many or what type? If not, do you want them?
- What’s the first thing people notice about you?
- What are you doing with your life?
- What’s one short-term goal? Long term?
- What are you most passionate about?
- What aspects of yourself are you most proud of? Ashamed of?
- Favorite/least favorite books, movies, music, food?
Example of the Plottr Online Dating Profile Character Template
So how can you use the Online Dating Profile Character Template to develop your characters in Plottr?
Just fill in what you know so far and you can answer other questions as you go along. For the sake of illustration, let’s see how the famous, swoon-worthy hero Superman (AKA Clark Kent) might fill out his profile.
Superman’s Online Dating Profile Character Template
- About Me: To be completely honest I’m not from this world! Ha! Actually, it’s true. I’m originally from a planet called Krypton. Long story. Earth has been my home for a long time and I love it
- What type of partner are you seeking? A woman who loves truth and justice as much as me, isn’t afraid of heights, and doesn’t mind my busy schedule. Oh, and someone who’d maybe iron my capes at least once a week would be a big plus
- Smoking, drinking, drugs? No, no, and no
- What are you doing with your life? I’m a newspaper reporter by day, a high-flyer the rest of the time. The former pays better, but the latter is so much more gratifying
- What are you passionate about? Rescuing people in distress, righting wrongs, and ultimately ridding the world of Kryptonite.
- Kids or Pets? Kids, not yet but possibly in the future. Pets, absolutely. Dogs rock. I have a Jack Russell named Jet who has his own goggles and a red and blue cape that matches mine. People are always asking to take our picture
- Favorite way to spend down time? I’m actually a bit of a loner, so any time I get a chance, I slip away to my Fortress of Solitude. It’s so beautiful and chill (literally). I’d love to find a woman who would enjoy it with me, but they always complain it’s too cold
Try answering the questions in the dating profile template in your character’s voice like the above. It will help you step into their shoes.
How to Use Plottr’s Online Dating Profile Character Template
If you’re ready to get started using the Online Dating Profile Character Template, first you’ll need to purchase Plottr or sign up for a free trial.
Once you have Plottr set up on your computer, follow these five steps to create an online dating profile for characters in your story:
- Step 1: Open Plottr and start a new project (or open an existing one)
- Step 2: Once the project is open, navigate to the Characters tab and create a new character (or edit an existing one)
- Step 3: Click +Add Template in the character editing pane and select Online Dating Profile from the template menu
- Step 4: Click the Choose button to add the template to the character
- Step 5: Start filling in the details in your new character prompts!
As you’re working, you may want to add these character templates to flesh out your cast further:
Is Your Character Ready for True Love?
Jump into Plottr right now to use an online dating profile template and brainstorm characters. Help them put their best feet forward with potential mates (and your readers). You’ll love seeing what you learn about them along the way.
Once you give this (or any other Plottr templates) a try, share your thoughts in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear how our templates helped you!
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