100+ Character Ideas (and How to Come Up With Your Own)

Character creation can be one of the most fun but challenging parts of writing 一 from sketching out compelling protagonists to adorable sidekicks, sometimes all you need is a little inspiration! That’s why I’ve put together a list of more than 100 character ideas to help spark your creativity.

No matter whether you’ve just started your writing journey or have been crafting riveting stories for years, you’re bound to find some unique suggestions in this post! And for helpful tips on how to come up with your own character ideas, make sure to read until the end.

110 unique character ideas

I've organized the potential ideas for your next character based on five genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Drama, and Sci-Fi. But don’t let this limit you — no matter what type of story you’re planning, you can find inspiration from any of these ideas and repurpose them for your own needs.

Let’s begin with some magical character ideas…

Fantasy

A realm of magic and mayhem provides fertile ground for exciting, memorable characters with some pretty out-of-this-world characteristics. Will you create a lovable hero à la Harry Potter, or perhaps someone as misunderstood as Severus Snape?

1. A warrior who is past their prime.
2. A witch-in-training who is stubborn to a fault.
3. A knight-in-training who used to be idealistic.
4. A sorcerer who is rather unpredictable.
5. A necromancer-in-training who has self-esteem issues.
6. A charlatan who is misunderstood.
7. An assassin-in-training who is a worrywart.
8. A ghost hunter who is afraid of the dark. 
9. A jester who is unexpectedly charismatic.
10. An elven prince who is misunderstood. 
11. A warrior with a kind heart. 
12. A brigand who is innocent. 
13. A sellsword who has good intentions.
14. A centaur who has never met a human before.
15. A witch-in-training who has a reputation for being eccentric.
16. A peasant who is obsessed with status.
17. A sorcerer who is stubborn to a fault.
18. An enchantress who is past their prime.
19. A nomad who yearns for a home.
20. A beekeeper who is allergic to bees.
21. A vampire who is allergic to blood.
22. A historian who can alter the past.
23. A photographer whose camera only captures ghosts.
24. A painter whose artwork comes alive.
25. A herbalist who makes counterfeit potions.

Next, let’s dive into a world of enigmas and intrigue…

Mystery

No matter whether your story takes place in an Agatha Christie-inspired courtroom or a quaint, sleepy village filled with secrets, you’re bound to find a character idea of interest below.

26. An undercover agent who always has bad luck.
27. A detective who is a compulsive liar.
28. A federal investigator who is retired.
29. A journalist who only reports lies.
30. An intern who has an eye for opportunity.
31. A prosecutor who is impatient.
32. A constable who is easily swayed.
33. A spy who is a klutz.
34. A lawyer who is defending a guilty client.
35. A college student who becomes an amateur sleuth.
36. A housewife who is suspiciously agreeable.
37. A bridesmaid who was at the scene of the crime.
38. A high school student who always looks on edge.
39. A double agent who hates lying.
40. A retired detective who is asked to solve one last case.

If you struggle to keep a secret, perhaps a love story might be more up your alley…

Romance

As a famous playwright once wrote, “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Use one of the character ideas below to create your next “will they/won't they” couple. 

41. A veterinarian who is allergic to animal fur.
42. A musician who becomes tone-deaf.
43. A barista who can be arrogant.
44. A tattoo artist who can be absent-minded.
45. A chef who cannot taste their own cooking.
46. A fashion designer who is obsessed with work. 
47. A dentist who is unexpectedly charismatic.
48. A stylist with a fear of hair dryers.
49. A makeup artist who is an undercover celebrity reporter.
50. A confectioner who hates anything sweet.
51. A football star who is stubborn to a fault.
52. A comedian who almost gives up on their comedy.
53. A surfer recovering from a near-drowning accident.
54. A prince who can be haughty.
55. A violinist who is past their prime.
56. A ballerina who has become jaded.
57. A writer who is no longer inspired to write.
58. A baker who only makes one kind of dessert.
59. A mechanic who is overprotective yet gentle.
60. A photographer who is self-centered.
61. A florist who specializes in funeral arrangements.
62. A singer at risk of losing their voice. 

Before I continue, you should know that in Reedsy Studio, our free writing tool, you can use the Boards feature to jot down and sketch out your character ideas. It’s a handy way to detail their physical and behavioral traits, and you can create quick personality summaries that are easy to reference while writing your novel.

Next up, we’ve got some ideas for all the drama-lovers out there…

Drama

As a writer, you get to pull all the strings, even if that means leading your characters down dark and sometimes dangerous paths. Will you feature one of these troubled characters in your next melodrama?

63.  A socialite who tends to get tongue-tied.
64. A detective who is rather manipulative.
65. A plumber who is afraid of water.
66. A butcher who is a strict vegetarian.
67. A con artist who has good intentions.
68. A veteran who has outrageous moral inflexibility.
69. A director who has a reputation for being eccentric.
70. A firefighter who is a pyromaniac.
71. A taxi driver who is directionally challenged.
72. A constable who is a chatterbox.
73. A swindler who can be lazy.
74. A librarian who falls asleep on the job.
75. A teacher who despises children.
76. A superhero who is overly trusting.
77. A pilot who suffers from panic attacks.
78. A lifeguard who forgets how to swim.
79. A zookeeper who is scared of animals.
80. A painter who is colorblind.
81. A judge who is indecisive.
82. A scholar who hates reading.
83. An actor who inevitably cries onstage.
84. A businessperson who is a compulsive liar.
85. A housekeeper who is very private.
86. A widower who is always at the pub.
87. A thief who has good intentions.
88. A charity worker who is self-centered.
89. A parent who is overprotective.
90. A tour guide who hates people.
91. A billionaire on the brink of financial ruin.

If you’d rather go to infinity and beyond (or at least a few lightyears away from Earth), check out our final genre…

Sci-Fi 

While writing science fiction, you’ve got an exciting, brave new world to explore. What better way to develop your story than by populating it with fascinating characters — both human and extraterrestrial?

92. A scientist who is afraid of germs.
93. An android who is well-meaning.
94. A cyborg who is amoral.
95. An astronaut who is very forgetful.
96. A robot who masquerades as a human.
97. A time traveler who can no longer go back in time.
98. A science teacher who is hiding a secret about the universe.
99. A bounty hunter who struggles to do the right thing.
100. An outlaw who is trying to change their ways.
101. An extraterrestrial being who becomes popular among humans.
102. An astronomer who has become skeptical.
103. A handmaiden who has become jaded.
104. A professor who can read minds.
105. A chemist who has discovered something groundbreaking.
106. A biomedical engineer with a dubious moral compass.
107. A clone who is depressed.
108. A billionaire who invests in commercial space travel. 
109. A smuggler who often jumps to conclusions.
110. A mutant who wants to become human.

And there you go — over 100 character ideas to consider while writing! But if you feel inspired enough to try coming up with your own character ideas, read on...

How to come up with character ideas yourself

With new books being published left and right, you might find the idea of creating a memorable fan favorite a bit daunting. If you’ve read through our entire list, you probably noticed that most of the ideas I shared focus on playing with contrasts. “A scholar who loves reading” is a realistic, relatable character, but what could be more interesting than that?

If we change this idea into something unexpected, we end up with something a bit more intriguing: “A scholar who hates reading.” Who is this scholar? Why would they pursue an academic career if they hate reading? How do they intake knowledge? Just by changing “loves” to “hates,” we’ve opened up a door to a ton of different questions.

Similarly, “A housewife who is suspiciously agreeable” begs the question: What is she up to? Will her insincerity be exposed, and at what cost? 

So, in order to come up with potential new ideas, try subverting your readers’ expectations and make sure there’s always a hint of inner or outer conflict.

Let’s now look into how into a few more ways to come up with your own character ideas: 

Use our plot generator

If you need a quick way to decide on a protagonist, secondary character, plot, and twist, look no further than Reedsy’s Plot Generator, with over 1 million plot combinations to inspire you!

People-watch

A classic tip, but for good reason! What better way to write realistic, relatable characters than drawing certain mannerisms and sayings from people you’ve observed in everyday life? Don’t forget that you can combine the quirks of various people to create even more multifaceted characters. 

Get inspired by popular characters

When in doubt, turn to your favorite books! Even if you’re writing in a different genre, you can still draw inspiration from many well-written passages and character descriptions.

For example, if your protagonist is a grouchy physician but your favorite literary character is a loquacious barkeeper, what intrigues you the most about the latter? Is there an unspeakable pain or secret hiding behind their talkative nature? Do they use jokes and crude language to mask their inner turmoil? Perhaps you could find a way to add similar depth to your physician character (without copy-pasting their whole story).

Here’s a list of beloved characters in literature with distinct qualities who you can try modeling your own characters after:

• Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice: A clever, kind-hearted, and independent young woman who is sometimes quick to judge.

• Dobby from the Harry Potter series: A reliable, selfless house-elf who’s willing to risk his life for the people he cares about.

• Fermín Romero de Torres from Shadow of the Wind: A goofy, loyal sidekick and mentor who can be a bit too talkative for his own good.

• Marie-Laure LeBlanc from All the Light We Cannot See: A brave, resilient girl who doesn’t let her lack of sight stop her from surviving a war.

• Starr Carter from The Hate U Give: A witty yet insecure teenager who finds the courage and strength to become a vocal activist.

• Pip from Great Expectations: A kind but immature boy who transforms into a self-assured, ambitious young man.

• Lisbeth Salander from the Millennium series: An intelligent, badass computer hacker with a dark past who struggles with self-awareness and processing deep emotions.

• Connell Waldron from Normal People: A shy and caring teenager who’s overly self-conscious.

• Ged from A Wizard of Earthsea: A reckless, proud boy who’s destined to become a great magician.

I hope you’ve found some inspiration from this list for your current or next work-in-progress. But if you still need more help with character creation, or if you’ve chosen an idea and want to make your character more three-dimensional and complex, don’t forget to check out our post on character development.