When You Find Your Character’s Voice

There’s this little magical moment when you find a character’s voice.

There’s no easy way to find it. No magical formula that works every time. Sometimes, characters come peacefully. Other times, characters gnash and rage until you discover they’ve had a life of their own all along.

And, once upon a midnight dreary, a bleary-eyed writer might find themselves typing in a character’s voice they never knew they had in them.

And that moment is pure bliss. 

Maybe the character is dripping in sarcasm before pivoting into sincerity. Maybe they’re rough-around-the-edges until you chip through to their heart of gold. Maybe, just maybe, your character has all the trappings of a villain, but all the makings of a true hero.

The moment that a writer finds their character’s voice, the rest of the story comes along for the ride with all the flourish of a dramatic red cape and a spotlight.

And there is no other moment like it, when a writer gives a character life.