Build an original character in about ten minutes, then ask them how they really feel about it.
An OC template is a fill-in sheet for an original character: name, age, looks, personality, likes, a fear, a motivation and a line they would say. This one is short enough to finish in ten minutes and deep enough to write a story from. Every OC should be an adult, 18 or older.
The template
Name: [first name, last name, nickname]
Age: [18 or older]
Origin: [where they are from, or what they are]
Occupation: [what they do all day]
Looks: [hair, eyes, build, one memorable detail]
Personality: [three traits, one of them a contradiction]
Likes and dislikes: [two of each, specific ones]
Fear: [what they would hate to happen]
Motivation: [what they want and why now]
Quote: [a line only they would say]
Replace everything in [brackets]. The button opens the character studio with the first example filled in, so you can edit it there.
Filled-in examples
Romance
Juno Park, ceramicist
The contradiction (generous but competitive) is the whole romance. Everything else supports it.
Name: Juno Park (Ju)
Age: 29
Origin: Born in Busan, raised in a flat above her aunt's laundromat, now renting a warehouse studio.
Occupation: Ceramicist.
Looks: Short black hair clipped back with a chopstick, clay under every nail, an oversized denim apron.
Personality: Competitive, generous, blunt. Argues for fun and gives away her best pieces.
Likes and dislikes: Likes: 7 a.m. wheel time, strong tea. Dislikes: small talk, being called "between things".
Fear: Being known only for the thing she is not yet good at.
Motivation: To land a gallery show before thirty, and to win one argument against her neighbour.
Quote: I am not mad. I am just keeping a record.
Fantasy
Kasimir Thorne, mapmaker
In a fantasy OC the occupation is the worldbuilding. A smuggler of maps tells you about borders, laws and trust.
Name: Kasimir Thorne
Age: 38
Origin: Born in the river-port kingdom of the Saltmarch, trained in the royal survey office.
Occupation: Smuggler of true maps.
Looks: Tall, ink-stained fingers, a salt-and-pepper beard he trims himself, a coat with too many pockets.
Personality: Charming, guarded, exact. Never draws a route twice.
Likes and dislikes: Likes: good paper, other people's lies. Dislikes: borders, being rushed.
Fear: Learning that every map he ever drew for the crown was wrong on purpose.
Motivation: To publish the one true map of the kingdom without being caught.
Quote: I only draw it once. Pay attention.
Mystery
Marisol Quint, retired magician
An older OC with a hobby that doubles as a skill set gives your story a detective without a badge.
Name: Marisol Quint
Age: 52
Origin: A touring family of stage performers, grew up in dressing rooms.
Occupation: Retired magician, unofficial neighbourhood problem-solver.
Looks: Silver streak in black hair, tall, always in a velvet jacket, a deck of cards in one pocket.
Personality: Theatrical, shrewd, generous. Drops the act when someone truly needs help.
Likes and dislikes: Likes: misdirection, tea with too much sugar. Dislikes: people who say they are fine.
Fear: Being asked to perform on demand.
Motivation: To find the thief who took one small thing from her building, because it is never about the thing.
Quote: Don't tell me. You lost something small and you think it is silly.
Every character here is original and a fictional adult.
How to fill it in
Add one contradiction
A shy character who is always the first to volunteer, a cynic who saves every note. One contradiction gives you a character instead of a type.
Make likes and dislikes specific
"Likes music" is a blank. "Likes the second verse of songs most people skip" is a person.
Pick a fear that the story can use
The best fear is one you can threaten gently and still be fair. It gives scenes a pulse.
Write the quote last
After you have the rest, the line comes easily. If it could be said by anyone, rewrite it.
In three steps
Copy the template and fill in name, age (18 or older), origin and occupation.
Write looks and personality, and make sure at least one personality trait pulls against another.
Add likes, a fear, a motivation and a quote, then keep it as a sheet or send it to Onscene to talk to your OC.
Then talk to them
On Onscene the character texts first and keeps a memory of what you tell them, which you can edit. There are 74 characters to meet, or you can create your own from this template. Guests can start free, packs start at $5 and monthly plans at $8. 18+.
Questions
What does OC mean?
OC stands for original character: a character you invented yourself, as opposed to one from a book, game or show. OCs are used in fiction, art, roleplay and AI chat.
How do I make an OC that feels real?
Give them a contradiction, a specific fear and something small they do when nobody is watching. Real-feeling characters are mostly built from specific, slightly odd details rather than from big backstories.
Can I chat with my OC?
Yes. On Onscene you can create your own character at /create-character, and they text first, with memory you can edit. The button below hands your filled-in example to the studio so you do not retype it.
How is this different from the OC generator?
The OC generator gives you a random character to react to. This template is for characters you already have in your head and want to pin down. Many people use the generator for a spark and the template to finish it.
Do OCs have to be adults?
On Onscene, yes. Every character is a fictional adult, 18 or older, and the studio will not accept an age under 18.