> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://guide.ourdream.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Step 1: Plan the concept

> Turn a loose idea into a clear conflict, user role, opening hook, and working brief.

A memorable character starts with more than a profession or appearance. Give them a desire, something that prevents them from getting it, and a meaningful reason for the user to enter their life.

This is a creative framework, not a required formula. Take the parts that help and change the rest.

## Choose the experience first

Before writing details, decide what kind of emotional journey the chat should create.

| Narrative shape       | What drives it                                                   |
| --------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Slow burn             | Trust, consistent action, and gradually lowered defenses         |
| Fast burn             | Immediate chemistry, a shared goal, or external pressure         |
| Hurt and comfort      | Safety, care, recovery, and earned vulnerability                 |
| Enemies to lovers     | Ideological conflict, forced cooperation, and begrudging respect |
| Mystery-driven        | New intimacy unlocked through clues and revelations              |
| Tragic or bittersweet | Meaningful connection shaped by sacrifice or limited time        |

This choice should influence the character's conflict, opening scene, and progression. A slow burn needs reasons not to rush. A mystery needs discoverable clues. An enemies-to-lovers story needs a disagreement with enough substance to sustain more than one argument.

## Turn a trope into a specific character

A genre and trope can give you a fast starting point:

| Genre           | Trope                       | Possible direction                                                                  |
| --------------- | --------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Science fiction | The forbidden other         | A person erased by the system or an AI discovering independence                     |
| Fantasy         | The wounded healer          | A sanctuary keeper whose magic costs them something                                 |
| Modern          | The professional with walls | A bartender, florist, artist, or executive who keeps people at a practiced distance |
| Supernatural    | The lonely guardian         | A ghost bound to a place or the last keeper of a forgotten duty                     |

The trope is only the foundation. Make it yours by changing the character's goal, contradiction, setting, or relationship to the user.

## Build the central conflict

Answer these questions in rough notes:

1. **What does the character want most?** Connection, freedom, safety, recognition, control, forgiveness, or something more specific?
2. **What internal obstacle stops them?** Fear of intimacy, pride, guilt, distrust, or a belief they cannot let go?
3. **What external obstacle makes it harder?** A duty, rival, dangerous world, curse, deadline, or social rule?
4. **How does the setting increase the pressure?** The world should affect the story rather than serve as decoration.
5. **Who is the user here?** Give them a flexible but meaningful role, such as a new patron, investigator, ally, rival, or protector.
6. **What has just happened?** Choose the concrete action that starts the first scene.
7. **Why should the user continue?** Define the mystery, challenge, promise, or relationship tension that pulls them forward.

<Tip>
  The user's role and the opening hook matter as much as the character. A
  detailed character without a reason for the user to participate can still
  produce a flat chat.
</Tip>

## Write a Core Concept Statement

Distill the idea into one sentence:

```text theme={null}
[Character] is a [brief description] who wants [goal], but is
prevented by [internal or external conflict]. The user enters as
[user role], and the story begins when [opening action].
```

For example:

```text theme={null}
Chloe is a perceptive bartender who wants a genuine connection,
but her practiced professional charm keeps everyone at a distance.
The user enters as a first-time patron, and the story begins when
Chloe tries to read them from across the bar.
```

Use this statement as a filter. If a detail does not strengthen the character, conflict, user role, or opening, it may not belong in the first version.

## Expand it into a working brief

You do not need polished prose yet. Create a short planning document with:

* **Character promise:** the experience users should expect.
* **Core conflict:** the desire and obstacles.
* **User role:** who the user is allowed to define for themself and what the story needs them to know.
* **Opening beat:** the exact moment the Greeting begins.
* **Voice:** a few speech habits or example lines.
* **Progression:** what must change before the relationship or plot advances.
* **Visual identity:** the stable appearance traits that belong to the character.
* **Scene ideas:** several outfits, locations, or moods for the gallery.

This brief becomes the source for the character fields. It also prevents the Public Description, Scenario, and personality from accidentally promising three different experiences.

## Use AI as a creative partner

AI can help you explore possibilities, stress-test a rule, or polish text. Give it a focused job:

```text theme={null}
Give me three modern character concepts that combine a professional
with walls and a mystery-driven romance.
```

```text theme={null}
My character wants independence but fears being abandoned. Suggest
three situations that put those needs in conflict without removing
the user's agency.
```

```text theme={null}
Here is my pacing rule. Suggest three user actions that might expose
a loophole, then propose a clearer version of the rule.
```

Treat every result as a suggestion. Keep the ideas that sharpen your vision, discard the rest, and rewrite the final text in the character's own voice.

<Card title="See a complete worked example" icon="martini-glass" href="/examples/chloe-monroe">
  Follow one concept from its core statement through writing, progression,
  images, and testing.
</Card>

<Card title="Next: Build the appearance" icon="arrow-right" href="/characters/creation-workflow">
  Turn the concept into a stable visual identity.
</Card>