June 22, 2026
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3 mins.
Falling in Love with My Characters
Every story begins with a person. Over time, they become real to me—and that’s when writing changes. I start to care, to hesitate, and to trust their journey.
I don’t outline them completely. I don’t always know where they’re going. I just sit with them long enough until they start to feel real—until I understand how they move through the world, what they fear, what they long for.
There’s a moment, somewhere in the writing process, when they stop feeling like something I created and start feeling like someone I know. That’s when everything changes. Their choices surprise me. Their voices become clearer.
It’s also when writing becomes more difficult. Because now I care. I hesitate before putting them through pain, even when I know it’s necessary. I want to protect them, even as I write the very things that will break them open.
But that’s the quiet contract of storytelling. To love your characters enough to let them grow—even when it hurts.