---
title: Create or Edit a Character
category: Characters
tags: characters, profile, cast, planning
contextKey: characters.edit
micro: Add or update a character's basic reference details and planning visibility.
quickTitle: What is this character form?
quickSummary: The character form captures the core reference details for a cast member, plus planning settings such as story importance.
screenshot:
---

# Overview

Use this form to create a new character or update the basic reference details for an existing one. This is the place for stable profile information: name, short name, age, description and other details you want available across the project.

# What Belongs Here

Use the profile fields for information that describes the character generally. Use the Character Details page for information that changes through the story, such as relationships, scene appearances, attribute history and knowledge.

# Understanding the Fields

| Field | What it means | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Story importance | How central the character is to the project structure. | Major for a protagonist, secondary for a recurring ally, minor for a brief witness. |
| Show in quick add bar | Whether the character appears as a shortcut in planning tools. | Useful for characters you add to scenes often. |
| Default description | A general reference note, not a scene-specific state. | "A careful solicitor with a dry sense of humour." |

# Writer Tip

Keep this form stable. If a detail changes because of a scene, record that change in the relevant story section rather than rewriting the general profile.

# Related Guides

- [Characters](/Help/Article/characters.overview)
- [Character Details](/Help/Article/characters.details)
- [Attribute History](/Help/Article/characters.attributeHistory)
