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Authors: K. L. Going
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amount of action and dialogue. Thus the character arc lacks fulfillment. Instead of feeling most attached to that character, I lose interest in his struggle.
This is an easy trap to fall into. Many writers relate experiences where characters they intended to keep in the background gain prominence as the story progresses. Characters can take on lives of their own, which is great because it allows for spontaneity as we create our novels, but when push comes to shove, it's still our job to make sure the right story gets told. Sometimes, that story might truly belong to a character other than the one we thought was the main character. If so, this will involve going back to square one to start over again. But more often than not, what needs to happen is for you to be clear in your own mind about who the main character is and what that character's story arc should be.
Remember this: The main character is the one the story is about. She is the one whose actions should most affect the plot. Can there be more than one main character? Yes, in certain circumstances such as novels told in alternating chapters, this can work, but generally it's difficult for the audience to be truly invested in more than one set of goals. This is not to say there won't be other major characters with story arcs of their own. A secondary character can even end up being a reader's favorite character, but in the end, the story is not his, and if it was, it would be told very differently.
Secondary characters exist to interact with the main character. They might be fabulous, interesting, hilarious, or brilliant, but if they didn't relate to the main character's story, we wouldn't know about them. Consider comic books as an example. Every hero has a sidekick, and while he is central to the story, he never takes over the main character's role.
In addition to the main character and major secondary characters, there are also minor characters who play smaller roles in your main character's life. I've often heard these characters likened to extras on
a movie set. Some extras have speaking roles and they might reappear during the course of the movie, but others will only be seen in the background, never being named or clearly defined. In fact, whether you give a character a name is an important clue to your readers as to the level of that character's importance.
With every character you create, be sure the amount of time you spend developing them is proportional to their importance. Let your reader know right from the start who your main character is and be consistent throughout. The most action and dialogue should go to your main character and the major secondary characters she interacts with.
STEREOTYPES _
So, if your main character is supposed to be the one you develop the most, how can you bring minor characters to life? This is a tricky issue, but there are times when stereotypes can be used to a writer's advantage. In our society we do our best to avoid conventional forms, but a writer must be aware of readers' prefabricated notions and either use them as a quick way to shed light on background characters or de -stroy them as necessary.
When dealing with your main character and your major secondary characters, stereotypes should either be avoided or given a surprise twist so your reader doesn't feel like he is reading a cliche. When a major character relies too heavily on stereotypes, your reader will feel like he's read your story before and it will be difficult for him to suspend his disbelief. However, if you take a conventional character type, such as the popular cheerleader, and give her companion traits the reader isn't expecting—a MENSA IQ perhaps, or maybe a rebellious streak and a penchant for tattoos—this will wake the reader up again. We're interested in what's unfamiliar. That's why characters with interesting quirks are so attractive.
Think back to your first period history assignment. It might be helpful to recall how many books have
This is an easy trap to fall into. Many writers relate experiences where characters they intended to keep in the background gain prominence as the story progresses. Characters can take on lives of their own, which is great because it allows for spontaneity as we create our novels, but when push comes to shove, it's still our job to make sure the right story gets told. Sometimes, that story might truly belong to a character other than the one we thought was the main character. If so, this will involve going back to square one to start over again. But more often than not, what needs to happen is for you to be clear in your own mind about who the main character is and what that character's story arc should be.
Remember this: The main character is the one the story is about. She is the one whose actions should most affect the plot. Can there be more than one main character? Yes, in certain circumstances such as novels told in alternating chapters, this can work, but generally it's difficult for the audience to be truly invested in more than one set of goals. This is not to say there won't be other major characters with story arcs of their own. A secondary character can even end up being a reader's favorite character, but in the end, the story is not his, and if it was, it would be told very differently.
Secondary characters exist to interact with the main character. They might be fabulous, interesting, hilarious, or brilliant, but if they didn't relate to the main character's story, we wouldn't know about them. Consider comic books as an example. Every hero has a sidekick, and while he is central to the story, he never takes over the main character's role.
In addition to the main character and major secondary characters, there are also minor characters who play smaller roles in your main character's life. I've often heard these characters likened to extras on
a movie set. Some extras have speaking roles and they might reappear during the course of the movie, but others will only be seen in the background, never being named or clearly defined. In fact, whether you give a character a name is an important clue to your readers as to the level of that character's importance.
With every character you create, be sure the amount of time you spend developing them is proportional to their importance. Let your reader know right from the start who your main character is and be consistent throughout. The most action and dialogue should go to your main character and the major secondary characters she interacts with.
STEREOTYPES _
So, if your main character is supposed to be the one you develop the most, how can you bring minor characters to life? This is a tricky issue, but there are times when stereotypes can be used to a writer's advantage. In our society we do our best to avoid conventional forms, but a writer must be aware of readers' prefabricated notions and either use them as a quick way to shed light on background characters or de -stroy them as necessary.
When dealing with your main character and your major secondary characters, stereotypes should either be avoided or given a surprise twist so your reader doesn't feel like he is reading a cliche. When a major character relies too heavily on stereotypes, your reader will feel like he's read your story before and it will be difficult for him to suspend his disbelief. However, if you take a conventional character type, such as the popular cheerleader, and give her companion traits the reader isn't expecting—a MENSA IQ perhaps, or maybe a rebellious streak and a penchant for tattoos—this will wake the reader up again. We're interested in what's unfamiliar. That's why characters with interesting quirks are so attractive.
Think back to your first period history assignment. It might be helpful to recall how many books have
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