Read time: 5 minutes
You aren't creating characters.
You're creating people with lived experiences.
And that distinction matters because it's easy to know everything about your character and still leave your reader feeling like she barely knows her.
And if she doesn't know her, how can we expect her to buy into her journey?
To care what happens next?
To invest in this book—or come back for the next one?
You know what she believes. What she's afraid of. What happened in her past. You know who she is at the beginning of the story, how she's going to change, and exactly who she'll become by the end.
But does your reader know?
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Your reader only knows what you show her
Here's the thing—your reader doesn't have access to your outline. Your notes. Or all those conversations you've had with your character in your head. 
She only knows the person you've allowed her to experience through your story.
Let’s look at what this means in practice. And for the sake of continuity, let’s call our character “Imani.” 
🐿️ Quick Note: We’re using she/her because Imani is our girl. This applies to all your people.
Now back to our regularly scheduled program…
You know Imani starts the story believing one thing and ends believing something completely different.
You can know exactly why Imani changes and what it means for her journey.
But your reader needs evidence. She only knows what you show her.
Because quiet as it’s kept… you know Imani. We don’t.
Full stop.
And I need you to let that sink in for the rest to matter.
Your reader needs to see those beliefs affect how Imani lives. The choices she makes. The conversations she has. The ordinary things she does without thinking about them.
And when those things begin to change?
Her actions.
Her words.
Her choices.
That's when your reader gets to experience the transformation too.
What does that actually look like?
This is what I mean when I say something needs to be on the page.
Objectively visible for the reader to see. Literally.
I'm in the middle of a draft right now, so let me use mine.
My “Imani” starts this story believing she needs to change her body before a man will choose her.
This is really simplified but I think it will put us on the same page.
Then enter the hot chef across the hall.
Hello, Idris. 
(I really need help. )
Anyway, through their relationship—and especially the time they spend together cooking—her relationship with food begins to change.
What starts as her trying to change her body becomes something different as she learns more about food, cooking, and eventually herself.
Now, I know that's happening because I'm writing the story.
But remember—knowing it isn't enough. My reader needs to experience that change on the page through the way Imani lives her life.
So early in the book, she goes grocery shopping. Imani’s cart is full of pre-packaged everything. In and out. Done.
Later, she's shopping at the farmer’s market. Buying whole foods. Examining produce. Taking her time. Making different choices.
Same woman. Same ordinary part of her life.
Imani is changing. 
And I never had to stop the story and tell you.
You don't have to know all of this up front
Now, before you start thinking you need to go plot every grocery store run in your character's life...
Please don’t.
And know that I didn't know this particular moment when I started the book.
I knew who Imani was. I knew what she believed. And I had a pretty good idea of where I wanted her to land.
The grocery shopping thread came later, once I was inside the story and understood more about how her transformation could show up in her everyday life.
That's the beauty of micro-moments.
Once you know the transformation you're trying to create, you can start looking for the small, ordinary places where your character can live it.
And when you look back, those moments begin to form a clean thread through the story.
One moment at a time.
Find the evidence on the page
Here's what I want you to do.
Pick one transformation you're asking your reader to believe.
Just one.
Now ask yourself: What would this look like in my character's everyday life?
Not what would she say about it. But how she would show up.
What would your Imani do differently?
Maybe it's what she buys. How she answers the phone when she sees who's calling. Where she sits when she walks into a room. What she tells her mother.
And it could be something so small you would never think of it as a plot point.
Look for an opportunity to show it early. Then look for another as she begins to change.
You don't have to explain it.
Let your reader see the evidence on the page.
Because remember: you know your character.
We're trying to make sure your reader does too. 
And if you want a place to bring what you're working through—the questions, the pages, and all those but how do I actually do this in my book? moments—that's what we do in The Writing Room.
This week in the room
MONTHLY Q&A: Blurbs, Chart Toppers & the Perfect 7
What do a blurb that isn’t landing and an outline that feels technically complete but emotionally flat have in common? Coach Dana breaks down the gap between what you know about your story and what actually makes it onto the page—and how to use the Perfect 7 to strengthen both.
Watch the Replay → HERE.
Inner Circle: Niche Newsletters & Swap Strategy
How do you use newsletter swaps to grow without exhausting your pen name’s reader list? Coach Dana walks through the niche-newsletter strategy she’s building to carry more of the promotional load—and the bandwidth tradeoff authors should consider before creating one.
Watch the Replay → HERE.