Transcript:

As we’ve learned during this series about character development, what keeps readers invested in your story isn’t just the plot — it’s the people.

Strong relationships drive emotion, tension, and meaning throughout the story and give your readers more to care about and root for.

Whether it’s two allies learning to trust each other, rivals who bring out the worst — or best — in one another, or that slow-burn romance that has the reader screaming “just kiss already!” … chemistry is what makes stories unforgettable.

Today, let’s talk about how to write relationships that feel real — the kind that make readers believe these characters truly know each other.

Hi, I’m C. Sloan Lewis, your virtual writing coach, and my goal is to help you not just improve your writing, but to support you as a writer. Welcome to my channel!

Types of Relationship

It’s important to note that not every significant relationship in your story needs to be romantic — and honestly, most shouldn’t be. There’s beauty and power in every type of bond.

Think about your story’s mix of connections, the ones you see in your own life:

• Friendships — the steady hand character, like Samwise Gamgee, or the one who always causes trouble, like Grover from Percy Jackson.
• Mentor/mentee — the guiding figure who challenges and shapes your protagonist, like Gandalf or Obi-Wan.
• Romance — filled with vulnerability, longing, and often a touch of chaos. Look no further than a Jane Austen novel to see this done well.
• Rivalry — tension that sparks growth, jealousy, or even respect. These are fun when they shift to friendships and romances, too, like Geralt and Yennifer. Or the rivalry that used to be friendship, like Magneto and Professor Xavier.

Each type adds a different kind of heartbeat to your story.

Building Chemistry

But, what actually creates chemistry?

It’s not about big speeches or constant flirting — it’s about connection through conflict, goals, and emotion. You want to make the other people in the protagonist’s life the reason for their conflict, the way to meet their goals, and the source of their greatest emotional stakes.

Here’s the secret: chemistry comes from interaction, whether it’s pitting them against each other or forcing them to work together. When characters want something — from or despite each other — sparks fly.

Give them a shared history. Give them reasons to team up… or clash. Let them interrupt, misread, tease, or comfort one another.

That friction and familiarity are what make relationships come to life. Because in real life — and in fiction — connection rarely comes easy.

Dynamic Growth

A believable relationship isn’t static, it’s dynamic. It grows — or fractures — as the story unfolds, creating an emotional rollercoaster that will have the same amount of ups and downs regardless of the type of relationship, even if they feel totally different from each other.

At the start, two characters might distrust, hate, or feel completely indifferent to each other. Midway, they start to rely on one another or actively work against each other. By the end, they’ve either deepened their bond or burned it to ashes.

That evolution mirrors the character arcs themselves. In fact, many character arcs rely entirely on the relationships in the stories. No one stays the same, so their relationships shouldn’t either.

Include obstacles, miscommunication, and moments of truth — the kind that test their bond and reveal who they really are. The most powerful relationships are earned over time, just like in real life.

Quick Exercise / Takeaway

To put these ideas into practice, try this:

Write a short scene — just a few lines — that shows one key relationship dynamic.

It could be a best friend comforting your protagonist after a failure. Or a rival taunting them in front of a crowd. Or a mentor giving harsh advice that stings because it’s true.

Focus on how the characters interact — not just what they say. What’s beneath their words? What history shapes the moment? That’s where the chemistry lives.

So as you write, remember: relationships are the emotional backbone of your story. They give your characters depth, your plot meaning, and your readers a reason to care.

That wraps up this mini-series on character development. For our next series, we’ll be exploring worldbuilding and setting — how to make your fictional worlds feel rich, immersive, and alive.

Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it, and as always, you’ve got some writing to do, so I’ll see you in the next video. Ta-ta!