How my character saved my dishwasher (and the credibility of my novel)

Why trusting your characters is more effective than watching sci-fi movies for your world-building.

Today, I'm killing two birds with one stone: I'm taking you behind the scenes of my new 2026 release, Dreamers, and sharing with you a key element of my creative process. If you've ever wondered how to make a futuristic universe believable, this article is for you.

🎙️ “How do you create such realistic worlds?”

That's the question I was asked recently during a book signing. I could have replied that I spend my nights watching science fiction movies (which certainly helps!). But the truth is elsewhere: when I write, I see everything as if I were there.

For Dreamers, it's Théo, my protagonist, who serves as my guide. I teleport my mind to his side and perceive everything: the smells of the megacity, the textures of the neon lights, the electric atmosphere. And when I have a technical question... I don't Google it, I ask Théo directly.

This is where the (almost) tragic anecdote about the dishwasher comes in.

❄️ The duel with my proofreader: the case of the automatic dishwasher

In one scene in the novel, I had written that Theo used an “automatic dishwasher.” A little vague, isn't it? My proofreader, Katia, thought it would confuse readers. And she was right.

My mind tried to come up with a complicated solution, but I preferred to use my favorite method: intuitive writing.

Me: Theo, what makes your dishwasher more futuristic than mine. Theo: It doesn't use water, and it's activated by sensors as soon as you close the door. It's cryogenic cleaning.

My mind immediately blocked it out: “Cryogenics is for freezing people in science fiction movies, Johanna, you heard wrong!”

However, I trusted Theo. I typed “cryogenic cleaning without water” into my search engine. And then... surprise!

🔍 The discovery: Cryogenic cleaning really does exist!

I discovered that cryogenic cleaning is a high-performance industrial technique that uses solid CO2.

This process is environmentally friendly, waterless, and highly effective. What was initially just a character's intuition turned out to be a fascinating technological reality.

So I replaced “automatic” with “cryogenic.” The result? A more precise, more immersive scene, and a delighted proofreader!

🔑 Your key to a “real” universe: Trust your characters

The secret is not to do endless research before writing, but to connect with your character and trust what you perceive in the moment.

Why does it work?

• Your character lives in this universe: They know the rules better than your mind does.

• Precision comes from immersion: If you “see” the scene, you're not inventing anything, you're transcribing reality.

• Realism appeals to your readers: They much prefer technical precision that makes sense (such as cryogenics) to vague jargon or “déjà vu.”

✍️ And you, what's your craziest find?

We've all had that moment when an idea seems to come out of nowhere and turns out to be brilliant.

What is the most unexpected detail you've had to describe in your stories? * Has your character ever contradicted you on a technical point?

Tell me everything in the comments, I love discovering your own creative paths!

I look forward to reading your responses.

Johanna