When Your Characters Start Making Decisions Without You
There comes a moment in every writer’s journey when a character refuses to do what they’re told. You’ve outlined their arc, planned their choices, possibly even diagrammed their emotional trajectory like a deranged cartographer, and then they simply disobey.
This is not madness. This is writing.
When characters “take over,” what’s really happening is that your understanding of them has deepened. Their motivations have solidified. Their choices no longer feel like puppetry, they emerge from who they are, not who you intended them to be.
Listen to them.
If your villain refuses to deliver the monologue you wrote because they “would never say that,” trust them. If your protagonist insists on falling in love with the wrong person, explore why. If a side character suddenly demands more page time, it’s often a sign they’re interesting and useful.
Characters misbehaving is a sign you’re doing it right. You’ve created something alive.