Character Features

Character features are filled in in the character's Edit Window and show in the Characters view (on the character cards) and the Slideshow. Features are installed per story: the story's owner and editors add or remove them in Advanced Settings › Layout (see Managing Features).

Character Masthead

Adds an eye-catching summary of your character's core identity to the top of the Edit Window, with the character's name, their role or archetype, and separate inputs for a Headshot and Cover Image. The Headshot image will appear almost everywhere the character is referenced, including the Home, Timeline, Cards, Page, and Slideshow views. See Add an Actor Headshot.

Name (required)

A text input inside the character's Edit Window for giving your character a name. Once the name is saved, it shows as text with a Change name… button: that opens Find & Replace, so the name changes everywhere it's used in your story. The name is displayed anywhere the character appears in the app, such as the Home, Timeline, Cards, Page, Characters, Stats and Slideshow views.

Add to Slideshow (required)

The slideshow button at the top of the character's Edit Window. It reads In Slideshow when the character is in the Slideshow and Add to Slideshow when it isn't.

Age

A simple text input in the character's Edit Window for providing an exact or estimated age. A character's age can be displayed in the Characters and Slideshow views.

Gender

A simple dropdown menu in the character's Edit Window for including your character's gender identity. The options are Male, Female, Non-Binary or Not Specified. A character's gender can be displayed in the Characters and Slideshow views.

Race

A simple dropdown menu in the character's Edit Window for including your character's race. The options are Asian, Black, Hispanic, Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, White, Other or Not Specified. A character's race can be displayed in the Characters and Slideshow views.

Race and Gender Overviews

The Race Overview and Gender Overview features add a chart to the Stats view showing how your characters split across the race or gender options. You add or remove them on the Story Stats layout.

Archetype

A tags input in the character's Edit Window for assigning one or more archetypes. Click the menu icon beside the field to tick common archetypes from a list, start typing to see suggestions, or type your own and press Enter. A character's archetype can be displayed in the Characters and Slideshow views, and in the Character Masthead.

Appearances and Lines

Counts Prewrite keeps for you. Appearances is the number of scenes the character is in: it shows on the character's card in the Characters view, in the Slideshow and in the Stats view's character list. Lines is the number of dialogue lines the character has, shown on the character's card. The card leaves out a count of zero.

Images (required)

An editable image gallery in the Edit Window to help convey your character's essence. The image you set as Primary is the cover image of the Character Masthead. The headshot is a separate image, added in the masthead itself.

From Templates

Some templates come with extra character features. If your story has one, it's listed under Custom Features in the Layout tab, where you can move it or remove it. Once it's removed entirely, it can't be added back. Unless noted, each is a text box in the character's Edit Window that can also show in the Slideshow.

Story Role and Profession

Text inputs in the Details section. Story Role is the part the character plays, such as Guest or Host in a podcast, and shows in the Character Masthead rather than the Slideshow. Profession is their expertise or occupation, and shows only in the Edit Window.

Want and Need

The Want section asks what the character wants and how they will attempt to get it (the Character Want and Character Attempts features). The Need section asks what the character needs and how they will realize it.

Synopsis

A text box for important details about the character, in the Synopsis section.

Core Problem and Product Solution

Core Problem is the main problem the character faces, which drives the action forward. Product Solution asks how a product or service solves it, and shows only in the Edit Window.

Traits

Defining Traits and Ironic Traits, in the About section, alongside a Core Problem and Notes.

Background

The Background section holds a Bio, Notes and Special Skills and Talents (the Skills feature).

Notes

A text box for miscellaneous details and backstory, in its own Notes section. Some templates put Notes in the About or Background section instead.

Interests

A tags input in the Details section. Type an interest and press Enter or a comma to add it. It shows only in the Edit Window.

Social Media

Text inputs in the Social Media section for the character's Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube links. They show only in the Edit Window.

Conversion

For characters who stand for an audience: the Conversion section asks what they searched for to find your video (Search Terms), what they expect to gain from watching (Goal), and what they will do next with the information (Takeaway). Goal and Takeaway are one-line text inputs. They show only in the Edit Window.

Custom

These are the kinds of character feature you can create yourself (see Managing Features).

Text Input

A custom text box in the character's Edit Window that displays its content in the Slideshow view.

Select Input

A custom dropdown menu in the character's Edit Window that displays its selected value in the Characters and Slideshow views. A Pie Chart can show how your characters split across its options.

Tags Input

A custom tags input in the character's Edit Window: type a tag and press Enter or a comma to add it. The tags show only in the Edit Window, and a story Tags Input can collect them on the Home view.