#51: 3 Tips for Writing Unforgettable Secondary Characters
Dec 7, 2021
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Crafting unforgettable secondary characters in fiction writing involves developing them fully, letting them represent story aspects, and giving them hooks. Tips and examples are provided to help writers create dynamic supporting characters that enhance the main storyline and contribute to protagonist development.
Develop supporting characters just as fully as protagonist and antagonist.
Let supporting characters represent an aspect of the overarching story to stand out effectively.
Deep dives
Importance of Developing Supporting Characters
Developing supporting characters is crucial as they add depth and complexity to a story. These characters play a vital role in immersing readers in the fictional world by providing layers of color and intricacy. Supporting characters help reveal key details, motivate the protagonist, and define the story's setting. They can also introduce conflict by opposing the protagonist in various situations.
Populating Supporting Characters based on Content Genre
To create a well-rounded supporting cast, start by identifying the roles required based on your story's genre. Each supporting character should be fully developed with unique goals, motivations, and backstories. By filling these roles effectively, readers can better engage with the characters and their contributions to the narrative.
Creating Memorable Supporting Characters
Making supporting characters memorable involves giving them distinctive hooks such as unique personality traits, physical features, or roles in the story. These hooks help readers distinguish between characters and remember their individual traits. By utilizing various character hooks effectively, writers can enhance the depth and appeal of their supporting cast.
In today's episode, I'll walk you through three tips for crafting unforgettable supporting characters. Here's a preview of what's included:
[01:15] Supporting characters are any characters that are not your protagonist or your antagonist. In general, each supporting character in your story will either support or thwart your protagonist as they try to achieve their goal. [03:10] Tip #1: Develop your supporting cast of characters just as fully as you would your protagonist and your antagonist. [05:15] Tip #2: Let your supporting characters represent an aspect of the overarching story. [07:15] Tip #3: Give your supporting cast of characters a hook to help them stand out. [11:30] Key points and episode recap.
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