Some character traits fit together like villains and superyachts. Others are built to clash and create drama. A character template sheet will help you brainstorm traits and keep details straight. Here’s how to make one in Plottr — plus 150+ character trait ideas by genre!
What Details Does a Character Profile Template Need?
A character profile can be as simple as an ID card. Just the basics: name, age, a few key facts. It depends on how much you need to know to get started. You could also create a detailed character bio.
You don’t need to list hundreds of details for every person in your story. Many traits you imagine might not even show up on the page. Some writers even advocate not using character profiles. The more you know, though, the easier it is to find answers when you need to decide Kevin’s greatest fear (or Amanda’s biggest secret).
Benefits of Building a Character Template Sheet for Yourself
Why create a character template sheet?
Develop a Strong Mental Image of Each Character
Basic facts like age, gender, nationality, or ethnicity only tell part of the story. What about the deeper details: a character’s desires, fears, misbeliefs, and ideals?
Keep Characters Consistent and Realistic
Building a reference guide for each character helps you keep track of important details. It makes it easier to keep their traits consistent and their actions true to who they are.
Enhance Character Development
Knowing your characters inside and out helps you create rich, believable people and not cardboard cutouts.
How to Use an Existing Character Template Sheet in Plottr
Plottr has 27 (and growing) built-in character templates. These include detailed bios, six-point arcs, and more. Here’s how to use them:
- Step 1: Go to the Characters view in Plottr, then click + to add a new character
- Step 2: Above the area for character notes, click +Add Template
- Step 3: In the dialog that opens, look under Starter Templates. Click a template to preview its attributes. Then click Choose to apply it.
Now you’ll have character questionnaires ready to fill out and start brainstorming! But what if you want to create your own sheets to save and reuse?
How to Create Your Own Character Template Sheet in Plottr
Follow the same Step 1 as above. Next:
- Step 2: Instead of clicking +Add Template, click Attributes, then Configure
- Step 3: You’ll see an input box called Custom Attributes for Characters. Type an attribute you want to add to your character sheet, then click Add each time.
- Step 4: When you’re done, click Save as Template. Give your template a name. You’ll find it later under My Templates when choosing a character template.
150+ Character Trait Ideas to Use in Your Plottr Templates
Now that you know how to use character templates (and create your own) in Plottr, here are some trait ideas by genre:
Fantasy Character Traits
Looking for ideas? Here are character traits tied to magical knowledge, powers, alliances, and more:
Magical Abilities and Knowledge
- What are their magical abilities?
- What is their magic skill level? Ex: novice, adept
- What is the conduit for their magic? Ex: staff, hands, ring
- What are their magical limitations or weaknesses?
- Describe their first brush with magic
- What is their worst magic-related memory?
- Is their magic use good/malicious/mixed?
- What do they love most about magic
- What do they find most frustrating about it?
- When or where does their magic work best?
- When or where is their magic weakest?
- What values or beliefs shape how they use magic?
Family, Mentorship, Lineage
- What group do they belong to? E.g. House, family, elves (as a race)
- Who was their greatest influence or mentor?
- What family or group traditions do they uphold (or reject)?
- Are they proud or ashamed of their affiliation? Why?
- Are they expected to carry on a legacy or tradition?
- What scandals or secrets exist in their family?
- Are there rivalries within their family or group?
- What is their family or group’s attitude to their abilities?
- How do outsiders view their family, group or race?
- What heirlooms, crests or symbols represent them?
- Who raised them: parents, guardians, or a group of people?
- Who do they consider “chosen family”, if anyone?
Mystery/Crime Character Traits
Need ideas? Here are mystery character traits to get you started — and don’t forget, Goal, Motivation, Conflict works great for brainstorming too!
Sleuth Character Traits
- What specialist skills or knowledge do they bring to investigation?
- How experienced or competent are they as an investigator?
- What is their biggest flaw as a sleuth?
- Who do they turn to for help?
- What are their blind spots due to background or beliefs?
- Where do they excel the most in their calling? (e.g. seeing patterns, getting persons of interest to speak)
- What unique investigative methods do they prefer? E.g. gut instinct, forensics
- How do they react to/under pressure?
- What motivates them to pursue the case?
- How do they treat suspects vs victims vs witnesses?
- What is their moral code (do they bend or even break rules)?
- Who in their life questions or criticizes their methods?
Suspect Character Qualities
- What links this person to the case?
- What alibi do they claim?
- What contradictions are there in their statements?
- What is the sleuth’s first impression of them?
- What motive might they have had?
- What opportunities might they have had to commit the act?
- What would stand out about them first in a line-up?
- Is the information they share reliable/unreliable/mixed?
- What do they have to hide?
- Who might they want to protect?
- What emotional reactions do they show when questioned?
- How far would they go to avoid being implicated?
Romance Character Traits
Ready to fall in love with your characters? Here are trait ideas for your romantic leads:
Attraction, Conflict and Dating History
- What do they look for in a partner or lover?
- What are their three biggest turn-offs?
- What is their love language? (Quality time, acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch or receiving gifts)
- What is their favorite place to go on a date and why?
- What’s been their most painful or traumatic relationship?
- What trauma or pain do they bring to new relationships?
- How do they handle conflict in relationships?
- What are their biggest misbeliefs about love and relationships?
- What would they never do for a partner?
- What would they never do again for a partner?
- What’s their favorite romantic story and why?
- How do they handle rejection or a break-up?
Behavior, Fears and Desires
- How do they act towards someone they desire?
- How do they behave in public vs private? Do they like or dislike PDAs?
- What is their worst fear when entering a new relationship?
- Where do they hope their next relationship or fling will lead?
- What emotional walls do they put up and why?
- Do they tend to idealize or sabotage relationships? Why?
- What relationship dynamics do they secretly crave?
- What scenarios would make their partner see another side of them?
- How do they flirt: Boldly, awkwardly, indirectly, not at all?
- What gestures of affection mean the most to them?
- What are they afraid a partner might discover about them?
- How do they balance (or fail to balance) independence and intimacy?
Sci-Fi Character Qualities
What about science fiction characters? Ideas for your character questionnaire:
Technology, Progress and Change
- What is their attitude toward new technology?
- What part of technology do they love most?
- What about technology frustrates them?
- What big scientific changes have they seen?
- What new pleasures has technology brought them?
- What damage has science or technology caused?
- How do AI, robots, or future tech fit into their life?
- How much do they trust machines and automation?
- What new technology scares them?
- What new technology excites them?
- What old traditions do they still hold onto?
- What invention do they use every day? What would happen if they lost it?
New Forms of Connection, Travel, Possibility
- How do they treat alien or synthetic life compared to their own?
- What pressures do modern ways of living put on relationships?
- Can they travel to other planets?
- Why might they leave their world for another?
- What makes it hard to connect with other lifeforms?
- How do new tools (like telepathy or neural links) change their relationships?
- How do different places — ships, stations, alien worlds — affect them?
- Are they for or against building colonies on new planets?
- What do they think about mind uploading or body swapping?
- What non-human allies do they trust?
- How do they handle loneliness and the distance from home?
- What new kinds of family or partnership exist in their world?
Action-Adventure Character Qualities
What about action-adventure characters? Ideas for your character questionnaire:
Danger, Survival, and Risk
- How do they feel about danger and taking risks?
- What types of threats do they face: natural, human, or supernatural?
- What skills or training help them survive tough situations?
- What fear hits them hardest when facing death?
- Do they stay calm, get reckless, or panic under pressure?
- In a crisis, do they save themselves first or help others?
- What personal rules guide how far they’ll go to survive?
- How ready are they for emergencies and surprises?
- How do they deal with injuries, exhaustion, or weakness?
- What is their biggest win or worst failure in a life-or-death fight?
- Do they think about long-term risks or just short-term survival?
- What environments (deserts, oceans, jungles, cities) suit them best… and worst?
Pursuit, Glory, and Ambition
- What drives them to chase action, adventure, or conflict?
- How do they measure success: survival, wealth, fame, or something else?
- What prize, goal, or dream are they chasing?
- How much do they care about their reputation?
- Do they crave glory or prefer quiet wins?
- How do they react to rivals or competition?
- What temptations could pull them off course?
- Who have they hurt by chasing adventure?
- What risks will they take for others compared to themselves?
- How do they deal with betrayal or shifting loyalties mid-quest?
- Has the thrill of adventure changed them for better or worse?
- When forced to pick between loyalty, love, or glory, what wins?
- What old quest, mistake, or regret still haunts them?
Horror Character Qualities
Here are some horror character qualities you can use:
Main Character (Victim/Survivor) Traits
- How do they react to fear or the unknown?
- What fears defines their story, emotional or literal?
- How much danger, violence, or trauma have they faced before?
- Who do they turn to when they feel afraid?
- What coping habits (good or bad) do they rely on?
- What bonds or attachments raise their stakes?
- How do they act under isolation, stress, or supernatural pressure?
- What is their biggest regret or guilt and does it make them weaker or stronger?
- Do they grow braver, crueler, or more broken when facing horror?
- When scared, do they fight, flee, freeze, or submit?
- What belief, superstition, or old fear colors how they see events?
- What would they risk or sacrifice to survive, and what would they never betray?
Villain/Evil Character Traits
- What drives their cruelty, violence, or evil?
- Do they know the horror they cause or think they are righteous?
- Are they conflicted about what they do?
- What kind of evil do they show: monstrous, manipulative, supernatural, or mixed?
- Do they follow rules, toy with victims, act methodically, or strike at random?
- How do they see fear? As a weapon, a game, or something deeper?
- What is their attitude toward death?
- What fears (like fear of the dark, decay, or loneliness) do they embody?
- What is their origin or backstory: tragic, unknown, or cosmic?
- Can they twist or warp reality around them?
- How does their presence linger even when they are gone?
- What kind of power do they crave:domination, destruction, revenge, or something stranger?
- What is their greatest weakness? Emotional, physical, symbolic, or existential?
Historical Character Traits
Want to bring the past to life? Here are traits for both historians and historical figures for your character template sheet:
Recorder of History / Historian Traits
- What drives them to record, protect, or explain history?
- What biases shape what they choose to include?
- What facts do they leave out, and why?
- How do they view storytelling compared to strict accuracy?
- What political, cultural, or personal forces shape their work?
- Who are they trying to reach with their writing?
- Who might they be trying to influence or persuade?
- How do they decide which people or events should be remembered?
- What personal beliefs shape how they see the past?
- How much do they question or doubt the official records?
- How do they handle gaps in the historical record? Do they invent, infer, or stay silent?
- What moral struggles do they face when telling the full truth might cause harm?
- Have they ever censored themselves? If so, why?
- Could their own story turn them into a historical figure one day?
Historical Subject Traits
- What era, location, and social conditions shape their upbringing?
- How do dominant beliefs, such as religion, politics, or science, shape their worldview?
- What personal freedoms do they have?
- What limits does their society place on them?
- What values do they live by that reflect their time, such as loyalty, conquest, faith, or innovation?
- What prejudices or assumptions do they accept without question?
- How much do they resist the rules and customs of their time?
- How much do they conform to them?
- What major events shape their life, such as war, plague, revolution, or cultural change?
- How do they view authority, tradition, and the idea of change?
- How are they remembered by later generations? Are they seen as a hero, a villain, a martyr, or forgotten?
- What personal dreams clash with the forces of history around them?
- How do they experience historical change? Do they see it as hope, disruption, or loss?
- What part of their story might be misunderstood, forgotten, or turned into legend?
Start Creating Your Own Epic Character Template Sheet
Ready to build templates that will accelerate your character development? Start now with a free 30-day trial of Plottr.
What are your favorite questions to ask when creating characters? Which are your favorite character templates in Plottr? Comment below.
Comments