Every character carries regret. The real question is whether your reader can see it without your character ever saying the word aloud. If regret is missing, stories tend to float along without consequence. If it’s overdone, it turns into melodrama. But when it’s written with nuance, regret becomes the heartbeat of transformation. It’s the scar tissue that reminds readers that choices matter.
We going to learn how to write regret in a way that actually works for your novel and each character. Think of this as a writer’s tea break (and I do love my tea) where we pull apart the problem areas, share a few simple fixes, and nudge your story towards something sharper and more memorable. Let’s hop right into the article so you can get back to writing.
Why Regret Matters
Regret is universal. Every human being carries it, whether or not we like to admit it. That’s why readers lean into it so strongly—it’s familiar, it’s haunting, and it’s the most natural way to show that choices have consequences. Because, they actually do. A protagonist without regret feels weightless, like their actions don’t matter and either did their struggles. A villain without regret feels like a cartoon, all sharp edges with no cracks, even if they regret not being evil enough, even they still regret. Even a side character can add depth when a flicker of regret crosses their face at just the wrong (but opportune) time.
What you’re really writing when you write regret is the aftermath. The pause, the silence, the unravelling. That’s what will linger with your reader long after they’ve finished the chapter.
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The Mistake Almost Every Writer Makes When Writing Regret
Most writers swing too far one way or the other. They either make regret too vague “She regretted everything” which tells us absolutely nothing. Or they make it so dramatic with screaming, sobbing, fist-pounding, something that feels more like a 90’s soap opera than a novel.
The trick is specificity. Your reader doesn’t want a foggy blanket statement; they want the sharp sting of a single moment. Instead of “He regretted it all,” try “He regretted not answering the phone before it went silent.” That’s the sort of line that cuts deeper than the basic.
Let the Body Show the Regret
Regret doesn’t always need to be spoken aloud. In fact, some of the best regret is written in silence and in the body. Think of a jaw tightening when a certain name is mentioned. 90% of communication is non-verbal and as a writer you should learn to incorporate this fact in your writing. Think of lips parting like they want to confess, only to shut again. Or a hand twitching toward a door handle but never opening it.
A character’s regret should live in their countenance—their whole way of carrying themselves—so much so that the reader feels it before it’s ever put into words.
Different Roles, Different Regrets
This is where so many writers slip up. They write every character’s regret in the same tone, as though everyone processes consequence identically. But here’s the truth: regret flexes differently depending on the role in your story. I come from a house hold with 4 sisters and I can assure you each and everyone of use regret completely different. That’s the thing with regret, it’s tied to personality.
Your protagonist’s regret usually pushes them towards change or redemption or repentance. It’s the fuel behind their arc. A villain’s regret is rarely moral; more often it’s strategic—what they should have done differently, or the weakness they refuse to admit. Side characters carry regret in much more smaller doses, often used to reflect or contrast the hero’s journey. And when a mentor figure regrets, it usually ties back to wisdom earned the hard way, mistakes that now shape the advice they give.
Love interests? Their regret is intimate. It’s the unsaid, the “almost” or “could’ve been“, the ache of a moment missed. That sort of regret adds tension to a romance subplot in ways that dialogue never quite manages.
A Question That Will Change the Way You Write Regret
Whenever you’re stuck, ask yourself this: Would readers recognise this regret without the character ever saying the word ‘regret’?
If the answer is no, then you need to rework that scene. Maybe add more silence. Maybe give your character a habit that betrays their guilt. Maybe sharpen the moment they wish they could undo. The goal is for the reader to feel the weight before they’re told.
Things To Remember About Regret
Writing regret isn’t about dramatic confessions or endless inner monologues (unless you’re writing a Shakespeare piece). It’s about silence, countenance, ripple effects, and tailoring it to the role each character plays. Done well, regret deepens your novel and makes your characters unforgettable. Done poorly, it turns into noise the reader skips past.
I hope I’ve given you enough here to start weaving regret into your own writing. Join our mailing list and we’ll let you know when our Negative Emotion Dialogue Workbook is completed and added to our Writer’s Corner Vault. The full deep-dive completed with cue banks, word vaults, and editor-level pitfalls to avoid, all combined and tucked away in this one workbook.
We write it so it’s practical, layered, and detailed, the kind of resource you’ll keep reaching for every time you shape a new character arc.
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And if you’re still hungry for more writing tools, I’ve got a few related posts you’ll love.
Stay faithful, stay quirky, and stay writing.
With love and fire,
V.S. Beals
Writer. Watchwoman. Woman of the Word.
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