Once you’ve got the outline of a story in place, the next step is to give it people who can actually carry it forward.
At this stage, it’s tempting to think in terms of description. A name, a bit of backstory, a few personality traits. That’s usually where most character work begins.
It’s a useful starting point, but it only takes you so far.
What really makes a character work is what they bring into the story when things start to move. The decisions they make, what they want, and how they react when something gets in the way. That’s where the shape of the story starts to form.
A simple way to think about it is this.
Every major character should be there for a reason.
Not just to fill space, and not just to explain what’s going on, but to push something forward. They should want something, and that want should create movement. Sometimes that movement is obvious, sometimes it’s subtle, but it should always be there.
When that’s in place, the story begins to feel more natural. Scenes don’t need to be forced. They unfold because the characters are doing what they would do.
It also helps to think about how characters sit alongside each other.
Stories tend to become more engaging when characters don’t all want the same thing, or don’t agree on how to get it. Even small differences in perspective can create tension. That tension doesn’t need to be dramatic all the time. It can sit under the surface, shaping conversations and decisions.
Over time, those small pressures build into something more interesting.
Another useful angle is to look at what each character is dealing with internally.
This doesn’t need to be complicated. It might be a belief they hold about themselves, or a habit they fall back on, or something they’re trying to avoid facing.
As the story develops, those internal pressures start to show. They influence choices, create hesitation, or push a character to act when they otherwise wouldn’t.
That’s where change begins to take shape.
When you’re working with AI, it helps to be clear about these elements from the start.
Rather than asking for a general description, you can guide the process a little more by focusing on:
- what the character wants
- why it matters to them
- what makes it difficult
- how they relate to the people around them
That gives you something more solid to build on.
The prompt below is designed to do exactly that.
It takes the foundation of your story and builds out the key characters in a way that supports it. Not just as individuals, but as part of a working system.
You’ll see how they connect, where the pressure points are, and how they might change over time.
The PROMPT
Input Required
Use:
- Story Blueprint
Task
Create the core character foundation for the novel.
Develop characters who actively support the theme, drive conflict, and strengthen the story engine.
Focus on major characters first.
Required Characters
Create:
- protagonist
- antagonist or opposing force
- key ally or allies
- possible mentor or guide
- possible suspect figures or secondary tensions if relevant
Include archetypal roles where useful, but avoid making characters feel stereotyped.
For Each Major Character Provide
Story Role
What function they serve in the story.
Goal
What they want on the surface.
Motivation
Why they want it.
Flaw
What weakens them, limits them, or creates difficulty.
Secret
Something hidden that may create tension later.
Arc
How they are likely to change across the novel.
Archetype
Use where relevant:
- Hero
- Mentor
- Shadow
- Ally
- Herald
- Shapeshifter
- Trickster
- Threshold Guardian
Relationship Tension
How they create pressure, support, attraction, conflict, mistrust, or complication with other characters.
Character Voice
Briefly define:
- how they speak
- their attitude
- emotional energy they bring into scenes
This will later feed the dialogue bank.
Story Strength Rules
Ensure:
- each major character could disrupt the story if removed
- each major character creates pressure, not just information
- characters have conflicting wants where possible
- no character exists only to explain plot
Emotional Layer
Clarify:
- who the reader is likely to trust
- who may become suspicious
- who creates emotional pull
- who creates instability
Output Format
Present as a Character Foundation Document
Once you’ve got that in place, the story usually starts to feel more grounded.
Notice that I use, as input, the Story Blueprint. This is because this is what I called the output from the previous article.
You can see how different characters pull in different directions, and how that shapes what happens next.
From there, it becomes much easier to move into scenes, because you’re no longer starting from scratch. You’re working with people who already have a reason to act.
The next step is to take that and put it on the page.
Writester 
Leave a comment