Here is a list of 100 command prompts, categorized to help you build a compelling fictional character from the ground up.
1. Core Concept & Archetype
Start with a classic archetype (e.g., The Mentor, The Rebel, The Trickster) and add one major subversion.Design a character based on a "What if?" scenario (e.g., "What if a doctor was secretly a serial killer?").Base a character on an occupation (e.g., lighthouse keeper, combat medic), then give them a personality that *conflicts* with that job's stereotype.Create a character who is the physical embodiment of a concept (e.g., Justice, Chaos, Boredom).Design a character based on a "role" (e.g., The Investigator) but place them in a genre where they don't belong (e.g., a high-fantasy world).Create a "fish out of water" character (e.g., a medieval knight in modern-day Tokyo).Create a character who is a *fusion* of two different archetypes (e.g., The Mentor-Fool or The Hero-Villain).Design a character based on a single, powerful image.Create a character who is the *antagonist* of their *own* story.Build a character who is a "living anachronism" (a person who seems to belong to a different time period).
2. Appearance & Physicality
Describe the character's face, focusing on their most *expressive* or *memorable* feature.Describe how the character *moves* (e.g., darts, plods, glides, stomps, flinches).Give the character a distinctive *scar* or *mark* and write the story behind it.Describe their "uniform" (the clothes they wear almost every day). What does it say about them?Describe a physical trait they are *deeply insecure* about.Describe a physical trait they are *overtly proud* of.How does their physical *size* (very tall, very short, very large, very small) affect their daily life and interactions?Give the character a *prosthetic* or *physical disability* and show how they've adapted (or haven't).Describe the character's *hands*. Are they rough, delicate, calloused, manicured, trembling?Design a character whose appearance *directly contradicts* their personality (e.g., a "gentle giant" or a "doll-like assassin").
3. Backstory & Past
Define the **single most important event** of their childhood.What is their **greatest triumph** from their past?What is their **greatest failure** or **deepest regret**?Describe their relationship with their *family* (or lack thereof).What was their *first love* like? How did it end?What was their *first experience with death* or significant loss?What "ghost" (a person or event from their past) *haunts* them?What **lie** were they told as a child that they still believe?Where did they grow up? Describe the *place* and how it shaped them.What **skill** did they learn in their past that is *unexpectedly useful* now?What **trauma** did they experience? Show how it manifests in their current behavior (e.g., a phobia, a mistrust).What was their *dream occupation* as a child? How does it compare to their job now?Who was their *childhood hero* or *role model*?What is the *origin* of their most prized possession?
4. Psychology & Personality
What is their *primary emotional state*? (e.g., cynical, cheerful, anxious, angry, serene).Is the character an *introvert, extrovert, or ambivert*? Show this in a party scene.What is their *greatest physical fear* (a phobia)?What is their *greatest psychological fear* (e.g., fear of irrelevance, fear of betrayal, fear of failure)?How do they *react under extreme pressure*? (e.g., freeze, take charge, panic, intellectualize, lash out).What is their *moral alignment*? (e.g., Lawful Good, Chaotic Neutral, Lawful Evil).What is their *primary "deadly sin"*? (e.g., Pride, Greed, Envy, Wrath).What is their *primary "heavenly virtue"*? (e.g., Kindness, Diligence, Humility, Patience).What is their *sense of humor* like? (e.g., dry, slapstick, dark, self-deprecating, non-existent).Are they a *planner* or an *improviser*?Are they an *idealist* or a *cynic*?What would it take to *morally break* this character?How do they handle *grief*? (e.g., privately, lashing out, seeking comfort, shutting down).What is their *intelligence* like? (e.g., book-smart, emotionally intelligent, cunning, "street-smart").
5. Motivations & Goals
Define their **overarching goal** in one sentence. (The "I Want" statement).What does this character *think* they want?What does this character *actually need*? (This should conflict with what they want).What is their *external* motivation? (e.g., "Win the championship," "Get the treasure," "Save the town").What is their *internal* motivation? (e.g., "To prove my father wrong," "To feel safe," "To earn respect").What is their **conscious** motivation? (The one they tell everyone).What is their **unconscious** motivation? (The real reason, which they might deny).What is their *philosophy of life*? (e.g., "Every man for himself," "We're all in this together," "Nothing matters").What are they willing to *sacrifice* to get what they want?What will they *never* sacrifice? (Their "line in the sand").
6. Flaws & Contradictions
Define their **Fatal Flaw (Hamartia)** (e.g., hubris, jealousy, ambition, stubbornness).Give the character a *contradiction* (e.g., a tough warrior who is afraid of the dark; a priest who doesn't believe in God; a brilliant scientist who believes in astrology).What is their *vice*? (e.g., drinking, gambling, lying, gossip, procrastination).What is a *good* trait (e.g., loyalty) that, taken to an extreme, becomes a *flaw* (e.g., blind loyalty to a villain)?What is their *prejudice* or *bias*? (e.g., against a certain group, against the rich, against the uneducated).What *hypocritical* behavior do they exhibit? (e.g., demands honesty but lies constantly).What are they *irrational* about?What *lie* do they tell *themselves*?In what situation are they an *abject coward*?What are they *terrible* at? (A basic skill everyone else has, like cooking or driving).
7. Relationships & Social Life
Describe their *best friend*. Why do they need this person?Describe their *worst enemy*. What is the origin of their conflict?Define their *Foil*. (A character who highlights their traits through direct contrast).Who is their *mentor* or *role model*?Who is their *protégé* or someone they feel *responsible* for?Describe their *love interest*. What do they see in this person that no one else does?How do they *act in a crowd*? (e.g., wallflower, center of attention, quiet observer, conductor).What is their *reputation*? (What do other people *say* about them when they're not in the room?)What is their *relationship with animals*?What is their *greatest secret*? Who is the one person they might tell?
8. Speech, Habits & Mannerisms
Define their *speech pattern*. (e.g., fast, slow, quiet, loud, uses complex words, uses slang, stutters).Give them a *catchphrase* or a *verbal tic* (e.g., "Essentially...", "To be fair...").Give them a *physical mannerism* when they are [emotion] (e.g., plays with a coin when nervous, rubs their chin when thinking).What is their *signature "tell"* when they are lying?What are their *hobbies*? (What do they do when no one is watching?)What is their *laugh* like? (e.g., a loud guffaw, a silent chuckle, a high-pitched giggle).What is their *morning routine*?What is their *nervous habit*? (e.g., biting nails, pacing, over-explaining, cracking knuckles).What small, *useless* item do they *always* carry with them? (e.g., a smooth stone, a bent coin, a locket).How do they *eat*? (e.g., meticulously, ravenously, picking at food, talking with their mouth full).
9. Role in Plot
Design a character to be the **Inciting Incident** (the person who delivers the news or *is* the problem).Design a character to be a **Red Herring** (someone the audience is *supposed* to suspect).Design a character who is **"The Shapeshifter"** (their loyalty is always in question).Design a **"Threshold Guardian"** (a character who tests the hero before they can proceed).Design a character who is the **"Voice of Reason"** or **"The Skeptic"** in a fantasy plot.Design a character who is the **"Heart"** (the moral compass or emotional core of the group).Design a character who is the **"Comic Relief"**. Now, how are they also secretly essential to the plot?Design a character as a **"walking MacGuffin"** (a person everyone is trying to capture, find, or protect).Design the character as a **"Deus ex Machina"**... but then *justify* their convenient appearance at the climax.Create a character who is the **"Shadow"** (a dark reflection of the hero's "what if" path).Design a character who is **"The Herald"** (the one who delivers the "Call to Adventure").Design a character who **only exists in the protagonist's mind** (but neither the protagonist nor the reader knows it yet).
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