Why Morally Grey Characters Are the Most Fun to Write
Writing morally grey characters has always been one of my favorite things to do. There’s just so much you can explore when a character lives in that moral ambiguity. You can dive into their darker side, exploring thoughts and actions that maybe you’d never entertain in real life, like revenge or anger. But it’s more than just tapping into these raw emotions. There’s something incredibly therapeutic about it, especially for those of us who have lived through trauma.
When you’re writing a character that walks that fine line between right and wrong, it opens up this incredible space for emotional exploration and release. It allows you to put your own experiences—sometimes painful, sometimes complex—into the story in a way that feels cathartic. I’ve personally found that crafting morally grey characters is one of the best ways to heal through writing. It’s an outlet, a safe space to conquer inner demons without causing harm or bringing real-world consequences.
I did this with The Serpent Woman, book two in The Serpent series, which is now available for pre-order in both paperback and digital formats. Writing this book was a deeply healing experience for me, as it allowed me to confront a lot of past traumas that had haunted me for years. Creating characters like Von Schlang, the female serial killer in the story, offered me a way to release the pain of those experiences. Von Schlange isn't just a villain; she’s a symbol of revenge, of darkness, of everything that can spiral from unchecked pain. But in writing her, I wasn’t just writing a serial killer—I was writing a way to exorcise painful memories. Through her story, I could metaphorically kill off those experiences and finally let go.
Exorcising trauma through morally grey characters can be incredibly cathartic. For authors who have lived through personal trauma of their own, writing these characters offers a profound way to heal. Writing becomes a therapeutic process, helping us release buried emotions and confront past pain in a controlled, safe environment. It's an outlet to exorcise inner demons without any real-world consequences.
Here’s why writing morally grey characters like Von Schlang is so much fun, beyond the healing and catharsis:
Unpredictability: With morally grey characters, anything can happen. They’re not bound by the strict moral codes that define traditional heroes, nor do they indulge in evil for the sake of it like classic villains. Their choices are complex, often driven by survival, desire, or an internal code of ethics that might only make sense to them.
Relatable Flaws: We love characters that are deeply flawed because they remind us of ourselves. Morally grey characters make questionable decisions, but they’re not evil—they’re human. They stumble, they break rules, and they sometimes hurt others in pursuit of what they think is right. That makes them relatable and, ultimately, far more compelling.
Internal Conflict and Mental Health: These characters are often at war with themselves, and there’s something exhilarating about exploring that. Their battles with guilt, self-doubt, and justifications can mirror the mental health struggles many of us face. Writing about this internal turmoil offers therapeutic benefits by allowing you to pour your own emotional struggles into the narrative. Will they rise to the occasion or give in to darker impulses? It keeps readers guessing, and it keeps us writers guessing, too.
Therapeutic Growth and Healing: One of the best parts of writing morally grey characters is witnessing their growth—or lack of it. These characters can either find redemption or dive deeper into their flaws. Their journey reflects the therapeutic process, where growth is neither linear nor predictable. For writers like myself, this journey can be a form of emotional release. It mirrors how we process our own trauma: slowly, unpredictably, but with a sense of purpose. Writing them allows us to explore unresolved feelings in a way that’s productive and safe.
Unexpected Creative Freedom: Writing morally grey characters gives you endless creative freedom. They’re unpredictable, flawed, and emotionally complex, offering rich material for storytelling. Watching them grapple with their own morality over the course of a series (especially in Book 2 😉) gives you the space to explore new layers of their personality—and of your own.
So here’s a little teaser for Book 2: expect more moral dilemmas, questionable alliances, and characters who continue to navigate the fine line between good and evil. As the stakes get higher, choices become even more complex, testing not only their morality but their very survival in a world where right and wrong aren’t always clear.
Morally grey characters are a mirror—sometimes of the worst parts of us, but also of our struggles, our resilience, and our capacity to heal. Writing has the power to be transformative. It’s helped me release so much of what I used to carry, and I hope that The Serpent Woman offers the same catharsis to readers who pick it up.
If you’ve ever gone through something traumatic, I encourage you to try writing characters like these. Use them to express things you’ve buried deep within. You might be surprised by just how much it helps you process, release, and ultimately heal. ❤️🩹
When you’re writing a character that walks that fine line between right and wrong, it opens up this incredible space for emotional exploration and release. It allows you to put your own experiences—sometimes painful, sometimes complex—into the story in a way that feels cathartic. I’ve personally found that crafting morally grey characters is one of the best ways to heal through writing. It’s an outlet, a safe space to conquer inner demons without causing harm or bringing real-world consequences.
I did this with The Serpent Woman, book two in The Serpent series, which is now available for pre-order in both paperback and digital formats. Writing this book was a deeply healing experience for me, as it allowed me to confront a lot of past traumas that had haunted me for years. Creating characters like Von Schlang, the female serial killer in the story, offered me a way to release the pain of those experiences. Von Schlange isn't just a villain; she’s a symbol of revenge, of darkness, of everything that can spiral from unchecked pain. But in writing her, I wasn’t just writing a serial killer—I was writing a way to exorcise painful memories. Through her story, I could metaphorically kill off those experiences and finally let go.
Exorcising trauma through morally grey characters can be incredibly cathartic. For authors who have lived through personal trauma of their own, writing these characters offers a profound way to heal. Writing becomes a therapeutic process, helping us release buried emotions and confront past pain in a controlled, safe environment. It's an outlet to exorcise inner demons without any real-world consequences.
Here’s why writing morally grey characters like Von Schlang is so much fun, beyond the healing and catharsis:
Unpredictability: With morally grey characters, anything can happen. They’re not bound by the strict moral codes that define traditional heroes, nor do they indulge in evil for the sake of it like classic villains. Their choices are complex, often driven by survival, desire, or an internal code of ethics that might only make sense to them.
Relatable Flaws: We love characters that are deeply flawed because they remind us of ourselves. Morally grey characters make questionable decisions, but they’re not evil—they’re human. They stumble, they break rules, and they sometimes hurt others in pursuit of what they think is right. That makes them relatable and, ultimately, far more compelling.
Internal Conflict and Mental Health: These characters are often at war with themselves, and there’s something exhilarating about exploring that. Their battles with guilt, self-doubt, and justifications can mirror the mental health struggles many of us face. Writing about this internal turmoil offers therapeutic benefits by allowing you to pour your own emotional struggles into the narrative. Will they rise to the occasion or give in to darker impulses? It keeps readers guessing, and it keeps us writers guessing, too.
Therapeutic Growth and Healing: One of the best parts of writing morally grey characters is witnessing their growth—or lack of it. These characters can either find redemption or dive deeper into their flaws. Their journey reflects the therapeutic process, where growth is neither linear nor predictable. For writers like myself, this journey can be a form of emotional release. It mirrors how we process our own trauma: slowly, unpredictably, but with a sense of purpose. Writing them allows us to explore unresolved feelings in a way that’s productive and safe.
Unexpected Creative Freedom: Writing morally grey characters gives you endless creative freedom. They’re unpredictable, flawed, and emotionally complex, offering rich material for storytelling. Watching them grapple with their own morality over the course of a series (especially in Book 2 😉) gives you the space to explore new layers of their personality—and of your own.
So here’s a little teaser for Book 2: expect more moral dilemmas, questionable alliances, and characters who continue to navigate the fine line between good and evil. As the stakes get higher, choices become even more complex, testing not only their morality but their very survival in a world where right and wrong aren’t always clear.
Morally grey characters are a mirror—sometimes of the worst parts of us, but also of our struggles, our resilience, and our capacity to heal. Writing has the power to be transformative. It’s helped me release so much of what I used to carry, and I hope that The Serpent Woman offers the same catharsis to readers who pick it up.
If you’ve ever gone through something traumatic, I encourage you to try writing characters like these. Use them to express things you’ve buried deep within. You might be surprised by just how much it helps you process, release, and ultimately heal. ❤️🩹
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