Working with Characters
This guide covers creating, managing, and deleting characters in Penpoint. All character data auto-saves as you type, so you never have to worry about losing your work — and if you change your mind, you can always edit or re-type anything.
Creating Characters
Click the Add Character button in the Characters page toolbar. Enter your character's name (up to 45 characters) and click Add Character. Names don't have to be unique, but keeping them distinct helps you stay organized. You can also right-click anywhere in the character list to quickly add a new character.
New characters start with the same importance level as your most recently created character. Creating multiple primary characters in a row? You won't have to keep setting the importance level. In a series, new characters start out present in the Book you're currently working in, and the level they start with applies in every Book until you give one of those Books a different level.
Tip: Add all your main characters first, then switch to Secondary or Background importance before adding supporting cast members. The importance level carries over automatically.
Character Importance Levels
Organize your cast with three importance levels: Primary (main characters and major antagonists), Secondary (supporting characters with significant roles), and Background (minor characters with occasional appearances).
Change a character's importance level in Edit mode (switch to Edit mode using the pencil button at the top of the character page, or press Ctrl+E, or Cmd+E on Mac) using the dropdown below their name. You can also right-click anywhere on the character detail panel and choose Change Importance to switch between levels without entering Edit mode. Use importance to sort your character list, keeping main characters at the top for quick access.
In a series, importance is kept separately for each Book, so a character who leads Book 1 can drop to Background by Book 3. See Importance Across Books.
Profile Pictures
Give your characters a face by adding a profile picture. In Edit mode, click the profile picture placeholder to upload an image, then crop it to fit. You can also drag and drop an image file directly onto the placeholder. Hover over an existing picture to see options for changing or removing it. Another quick way to change a profile picture is to right-click on the character detail panel and choose Change Profile Image.
Profile pictures are completely optional. If you don't add one, the placeholder simply won't appear in View mode - your character sheet stays clean and focused on the details you've added. When a profile picture is set, clicking it in View mode opens a full-size preview so you can see the image in detail.
When you export your characters, profile pictures are included automatically. See Exporting Data for export options.
Nicknames and Aliases
Give a character the nicknames or aliases that other characters might use. In Edit mode, type in the Nickname field below the character name and press comma (or Enter) after each nickname: each one becomes its own small tag with an X to remove it. Drag a tag by its grip (the dotted handle on its left) to change the order; the first nickname is the one Penpoint shows where space is tight, like a scene's POV label. In View mode the nicknames read as a simple list under the character's name.
Every nickname works on its own throughout Penpoint. When you type @ in the manuscript editor (where you write your prose) and search for a nickname, the character appears in the results with an "aka" indicator. The search bar at the top of the screen finds characters by any of their nicknames, the spellchecker recognizes each one so it won't underline them in your prose, and the Chapter Scanner (which detects character names in your manuscript chapters) recognizes each nickname separately when scanning.
Tip: List all the names your character goes by, even one-off pet names. Each one becomes independently searchable and recognized everywhere character names are.
Deleting Characters
Note: Deleting a character permanently removes all of their traits, tags, relationships, items, locations, chapter connections, and any custom information. This action cannot be undone, but a confirmation dialog will show you exactly what will be removed before you confirm.
To delete a character, select them, switch to Edit mode, scroll to the bottom of the character's page on the right, and click Delete Character. You can also right-click a character in the list or right-click on the character detail panel to find a Delete Character option there.
For more information about editing character details, see View Mode vs Edit Mode.