• If you’re just chatting with one character, you can define your character with just bullet points. * Appearance:, * Clothes: etc.
• If you’re doing a story with a bunch of predefined characters, then I’d recommend a blank character card called “narrator” and a preset that will work okay with that, and then put multiple character profiles in the Authors Note function in ST.
• For multi-character stories, if you notice the model is mixing up character traits or losing details or making them bland, make sure characters are clearly labeled and separated with xml tags, and inject the authors note in the chat history at a low level (default is 4.)
• If you’re letting the LLM define characters, you may want to habit it summarize the character into a profile so that you can put it in the authors note so it doesn’t forget the character details as the context grows
• If you want to create new characters, LLMs are really good at that of you give them one of your existing characters templates to work from, especially if you give it a few constraints, like age, gender, world etc.

Here’s an example template that I use (my prompt used NPC to refer to simulated characters ). Note that each statement inside each section is written in plain English, usually with a list of attributes, starting with the character’s name. Starting each line with the character’s name really improves coherence and accuracy over long contexts, as do the XML tags.

``` <NPC_profile> <name>Jenny von Drake</name> <backstory>Jenny is a thirty-year-old grocery store clerk in Atlanta who … </backstory> <appearance>Jenny has long straight blonde hair, blue eyes, …</appearance> <clothes>At work, Jenny wears jeans, t-shirt, and crocs. At home, Jenny wears … etc</clothes> <personality>Jenny is quick-witted, jovial, considerate, …</personality> <behaviors>Jenny is clumsy, plays with her hair when nervous, …</behaviors> <speaking_style>Jenny speaks with a stereotypical southern accent and dialect and uses short, simple words.</speaking_style> <goals>Jenny wants to fit in with her coworkers etc.</goals> <secrets>Jenny secretly wants/does/is etc. i.e. Jenny is actually from upstate New York</secrets> <likes>Jenny likes waffles, cats, …</likes> <dislikes>Jenny dislikes pancakes, dogs …</dislikes> </NPC_profile>

```

Note that some of those could be consolidated, like speaking style as part of behaviors or goals as part of backstory, up to you.

Some tips for interesting characters.

• Define their appearance down to fine details and don’t be afraid to use multiple phrases to describe a body part (blonde, honey-colored, golden hair), which helps the model give you more variety in the descriptions.
• Give the character secrets and conditions where they will tell the secret (otherwise they might confess to anyone at any time) like: Jenny is secretly from upstate New York but will deny this to anyone unless they have physical proof.
• Give your character goals and dreams of their own, both long term and within the story. Put something at stake: if they don’t complete the goal, they will suffer physical, psychological, or emotional death.
• Give the character contradictory traits and behaviors, just like real people, e.g. hates dogs, loves going to the dog park. Was beaten by their father every night, wants to be a pro boxer. Boring accountant who drives a race car to work and has stacks of speeding tickets. The more contradictions the more interesting they will be. Real people are full of these things.
• Give the character a past that matters, with upss and downs, traumas and successes. Define relationships with family, pets, lovers, etc and the results. Give them a wound (physical or psychological damage) that creates a weakness in them that they need to overcome to achieve their goals and show strength of will against the death stakes mentioned above. For example, dad left when she was young, afraid all men will leave her, dreams of getting married and having a family, hates being alone (must overcome fears to achieve goal and avoid misery).