I think I expected it to be more work, and in some games maybe it would be. One thing you learn fast is that every game is very different, so what applies to one may not apply to another. But that's why I like to experiment. It helps me work out what is actually feasible for me and what I enjoy writing.
It's fun to work on different things and, honestly, customisation as a feature is a lot more accessible to small devs than it was a few years ago. There are a lot of tools available now to help us do things like recolour art or add in pronouns in a simpler way. It opens up a lot of possibility.
I hope Wil is an enjoyable character for you in the final game. They're fun to write sometimes (they can be such a gremlin. ha ha). 🤣