Ask the Doc: My question has to do with secondary characters. Do you generally create them before you start writing? How well to you have them sketched out? Or do you write the story and then realize you need a character here and create them on the fly?
It happens. There you are, cruising away at your story, and you run up against a moment where you need your heroine to interact with someone other than the hero, other, even than her co-workers, or friends. So, you put together a quickie character, someone who just serves as a sounding board.
And then, suddenly, that minor throwaway character gets up and demands a voice! But wait, you say – I don’t know what you look like, really. Or what your flaws are, or even your dreams! How can I write about you? And most importantly, when did YOU become so important?
Secondary character play an essential role in illuminating the main character’s flaws, dreams, or fears, and can drive home the theme of the story. I try to have a character who is a Voice of Reason, and a Voice of Passion – two people who show both the positive and negative sides to the theme I’m working with. However, often that secondary character doesn’t pop up his ever-so important head until after I’m inside the story.
What to do? Do you stop writing and engage in a full out characterization session? Do you plot their demise, like you would your main character?
No. But you do need to push away from your desk, fix a cup of tea/coffee/hot cocoa, and have a quick chat. Just three questions will do it to get you inside the skin of this important, yet illuminating character. Ask: What is your goal (or greatest dream)? What is your dark moment in your past that has made you what you are today? And, what device – as in advice or a tool (a skill, an activity, even a slip of information) — do you bring to the hero/heroine that will help him/her on their quest?
The dream will help you understand what they want in the scene. The dark moment will tell you what life experience they have, and how they might interact with your heroine. And the device gives you something for them to fulfil their purpose in the story.
Dream, Dark Moment, Device. The keys to creating powerful secondary characters.
Stop by tomorrow and we’ll continue our conversation about the secrets to making a reader cry!
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