Character Development – From Sketch to Storyline

When I start developing characters, I usually have a clear picture in mind.

There’s the “good guy” in the white hat. The heroine people root for. The charming best friend. And of course, the girl everyone loves to hate.

Seems simple enough, right?

But here’s the thing—I’ve learned that characters don’t stay in their boxes. At least not for me. What starts out as a sketch often turns into something messier, deeper, and way more interesting. And more often than not, the ones I write for people to hate… end up becoming my favorites.

Take Terrence Taylor, aka The Tyrant. A pro basketball player. Tall. Fine. Filthy rich. Endorsement deals. Charisma off the charts. On paper, he’s got it all. But underneath? There’s a dangerous streak. Something dark and unpredictable that makes him hard to love—maybe even impossible.

At one point, every chapter I wrote with Terrence had me hating him. Hating his choices. His presence. His whole damn existence. But then I decided to give him a book of his own. A backstory. A deeper look into why he is the way he is. And something changed.

He started to make sense.

Not excuses, but layers. Pain. History. And suddenly, I found myself rooting for him. Then I paired him with one of my leading ladies, and let’s just say—he grew on me. Now? He’s one of my favorite characters to write. Because his arc feels real. Complicated. Earned.

That’s what I love most about character development. Where I start is rarely where I finish. And for me, that’s what makes the journey fun.

Best,

Meli Mel