Here’s a tip that can save you (and your character) from the wrath of unsatisfied readers:
Your character’s arc isn’t built in big, sweeping moments. The real change happens through the micro-decisions that play out in every scene.
Let’s talk about that.
Growth Doesn’t Happen in the Climax
Most writers focus on the big scenes:
The confrontation
The betrayal
The speech
The final showdown
Sure, those matter. But if your character changes only in those moments, it can feel… forced. Unrealistic. Even manipulative.
Because in real life (and in good fiction), we don’t change in a flash of lightning.
We change through dozens of tiny, invisible decisions that together build up to a major change.
What Are Micro-Decisions?
A micro-decision is when your character:
Bites their tongue instead of lashing out
Hesitates before saying "I love you"
Chooses to stay at the party instead of leaving
Looks away instead of facing the hard truth
These moments aren’t big enough to drive the plot. But they drive who the character becomes.
Each one is a breadcrumb leading toward (in a positive arc) or away from (in a negative arc) their final transformation.
Why Readers Love Micro-Decisions
Readers don’t fall in love with a character because they saved the kingdom.
They fall in love because they watched that character hesitate, fail, try again, choose differently, slip back, get up, and keep going.
Micro-decisions make the change feel earned. They make the ending feel inevitable and surprising all at once.
How to Use This Technique
Here’s a simple but powerful exercise:
Go to any pivotal scene in your story.
Now, back up three scenes and look for a moment when your protagonist could make a tiny choice. Not a plot choice—a personal one.
Then, write a new micro-decision that foreshadows the pivotal scene. Make it quiet, almost invisible… but weighty. Make it count.
These are the scenes that build tension without readers even knowing why.
And when the climax hits, it’ll hit harder—because they’ve felt every little step.
If you liked this tip, hit the ❤️ and share it with your writer friends.
The more of us crafting characters this way, the better stories we’ll all get to read.