When I first started writing Facility X, I thought I was writing a story about aliens, secret labs, and science experiments gone horribly wrong. And it is. But somewhere along the way, the heart of the story became the characters. Not just what they were doing—but who they were, and why they mattered.

Here’s a breakdown of how I created characters that stuck with me…and, hopefully, with readers too.

1. I Let Them Be Messy

Janie, my protagonist, isn’t perfect. She’s angry, guarded, and unsure of what’s real. She second-guesses herself, pushes people away, and makes questionable decisions. But she also wants to understand, to protect, and to do the right thing; once she figures out what that even means.

I didn’t try to make her likable. There were times where I personally didn’t even like her. But, I made her honest. Readers connect with characters who feel human, even if they’re flawed. Especially if they’re flawed.

2. I Gave Them Something to Hide

Every major character in Facility X is holding something back. Radix, the humanoid alien imprisoned in the lab, isn’t just a mysterious specimen. He has his own agenda, his own pain, and a way of seeing the world that slowly shifts Janie’s perspective. Reed, the security officer, has his own loyalties and secrets that complicate everything.

Characters become unforgettable when you know there’s more beneath the surface, when their truth is something the reader has to earn.

3. I Let Their Relationships Evolve Organically

Not every dynamic was planned from the start. Some of the most emotionally charged moments came from letting the characters surprise me. Janie and Radix didn’t trust each other at first. (Honestly, they still don’t fully.) But there’s something between them. Something neither of them fully understands.

I didn’t rush it. I didn’t force them into friendship, romance, or alliance. I let tension build. I let moments breathe. And that made those shifts—when they did happen—feel earned. At least, that’s the hope.

4. I Tied Their Arcs to the Bigger Questions

Facility X isn’t just about containment breaches and alien biology. It’s about identity, morality, and what happens when science loses its soul. I made sure each character had a personal stake in those questions.

Janie wants to understand her father, and maybe, herself. Radix wants freedom, but also to challenge the very definition of control. Even side characters have their own complicated ties to the facility, to power, and to survival.

The plot gives the story its pace. The characters give it weight.

5. I Gave Them a Voice

One of the most important things I did was let each character speak like themselves. I paid close attention to how they spoke, how they thought, what words they used—or didn’t. Radix’s speech patterns are deliberate and eerie. Reed’s are clipped and cautious. Janie’s internal monologue shifts depending on how much she’s unraveling.

When characters speak with a clear voice, they stay with you, even long after the chapter ends.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thing I’ve learned writing Facility X, it’s that readers might come for the sci-fi, the danger, the twists—but they will stay for the people. For the characters who feel real, whose choices matter, and whose stories linger in your mind long after the book is closed.

If you’re building your own cast of unforgettable characters, start by asking: What are they afraid of? What do they want? And what are they willing to do to get it?

Then let the rest unfold.

I can’t wait to see what you do!

Buy my novel HERE!

Kayce Grant

@book.of.kay

How I Created Unforgettable Characters in Facility X