Add them.
Begin by adding your characters. Assign a color to each, and note their importance to the plot.
Example: Jane and Ross are our protagonists, Liam is a supporting character recurring to the story, and Fiona is a minor/background character.
Characters
Drag them.
Drag your characters’ bubbles along the 16 trait lines to reveal and visualize their unique personalities.
By plotting them on the Warmth scale, we can see that Liam (blue) is the most reserved of the group, and Ross (red) is the most empathetic. Fiona (yellow) and Jane (green) fall somewhere in between. Notice how their importance to the story defines their bubbles’ sizes.
Get the full picture.
Complete the map to keep track of their similarities and differences.
Your completed trait map is your definitive guide to each character's behavior, helping you predict how they will act and react in any situation.
From character ideas to living personalities.
Every writer knows the struggle: having a gut instinct for characters, yet finding it hard to make them consistent on the page. 16Core Character Mapper helps you move beyond simple labels to build a genuine psychological portrait.
AVOID CLONE CHARACTERS
Sidestep the trap of an ensemble that all sounds alike. By mapping your cast side-by-side, you can spot personality overlaps and ensure every character has a distinct psychological footprint.
SPARK ORGANIC CONFLICT
Compare traits like Assertiveness or Distrust to visualize where personalities collide. Pinpointing these opposite poles provides a natural source of narrative tension and dialogue friction without forcing the plot.
TRAIT QUESTIONNAIRE
Use the built-in questionnaire to establish a character's baseline using research-backed insights. It's the perfect diagnostic tool for those early stages when you're still discovering who your character is.
TRAIT-SPECIFIC NOTES
Document your thoughts: specific story beats, examples of how a character manifests a trait, or ways that opposing trait values between your cast could create personality-driven conflict.
IMAGE & NOTES EXPORT
Export your trait map as a PNG for your series bible and your notes as a TXT/RTF file to keep a reference you can import into your principal writing software.
LIGHT / DARK MODE
Switch quickly between light and dark themes to match your creative workspace, whether you're writing in a bright cafe or in a late-night session.
LOCALIZATION
Map your characters in the language you write in. Nine translations are currently supported, ensuring your creative workflow remains uninterrupted and intuitive in your native language.
100% PRIVATE & OFFLINE
Writing is a private process. 16Core Character Mapper works entirely offline with no signup required. Your character files stay on your machine. Professional-grade development that is completely free to use.
INTERACTIVE TUTORIAL
New to the app? Click the Tutorial button anytime for a short interactive walkthrough to quickly familiarize yourself with the interface.
All that for free? What's the catch?
No catch. I'm a screenwriter (among other film & TV roles) and built this program originally for my own personal creative process. It helped me so much that I decided to polish it and share it with the public for free. If you find it useful, consider a donation (that will probably support my work as a writer most of all).