《How to Write Stories People Will Love》Question 86: Side characters
Advertisement
asks: How do you best use side characters? To be more specific, whenever I read or watch a story that has too many secondary characters, they become a burden on the overall plot. However, with too few, the cast is too small and hinders the story's development. I just want to know how to balance it out.
Each side character should have a purpose in the story. Here are some supporting roles they might fall into (and I mean supporting the story, not the main character):
1. Foe - someone to struggle against, maybe indirectly help the main character to grow
2. Friend - someone to talk to, do things with, and help reveal plot points
3. Role Model - someone to look up to or follow
4. Family - people who help reveal home life and give insight to the main character's personality
5. Helper - someone who helps provide answers or solutions, like with knowledge or gadgets
In stories with a lot of people in the setting, for example a school or refugee camp, it can be easy to forget not to overwhelm the reader with too many characters. For example, most people have more than two friends at school. Thankfully you can have a lot of people in a story without having a lot of characters.
As soon as you give someone a name, they become a character. This is why, in many of my stories, I'll write things like, "one man said" or "the teacher sighed." The fact that these people in the story have no name signal to the reader they aren't really important to the story, so they don't have to remember or pay much attention to them.
Minor characters that you plan on referencing here and there can have names. They don't have to be side characters or even have speaking roles. Names make it easier for readers to know who you're talking about. We just don't want to include too many names, because readers will start to forget who's who and get confused.
Advertisement
There's no concrete answer for this. Every reader varies in how many characters they can remember, just like every story varies in the scope and scale of the plot or setting. I once watched a movie called Telephone where the entire movie consisted of Whoopie Goldberg talking on the phone. Then you have Lord of the Rings where there are more names than an entire classroom.
Feedback from readers can help you determine if maybe there are too many characters. If you receive several comments asking, "Who is this guy again?" then maybe that guy isn't needed in the story.
Advertisement
Mana System - Hello, World! [Complete]
What would you do if your world collapsed and you had less than an hour to choose a suitable role that would allow you to survive? Would you give in to despair? Paul choose to fight for survival, now he has to face off against predatory animals, monsters, and even the land itself all modified by the Mana System. Eventually, he will have to face off against a foe even deadlier than the rest. Humans! I feel I need to add this disclaimer because some people really get their panties in a twist when they reach the second arc. This is not a grimdark story. Yes, there are portions that are dark and grim, including slavery which is why I have the traumatizing content box checked. If you can't stomach a little slavery and torture, probably best to find a different story to read. Complaining that you felt lied to isn't going to make me change my story. If this offends you, leave a review.
8 214The Traveler Initiative
Liam is a down on his luck gambler and his life is falling apart at the seams. It all culminates in a rather unfortunate end, as his loan sharks come to collect. Yet, it would seem that he gets another chance at life. With no other choice, he joins the Traveler Initiative, which promises the freedom to explore planets across the universe, a new body, and a slew of other benefits. But even in this strange afterlife, his gambling addiction rears its ugly head and he somehow ends up as a... Slug???
8 385Lyra's Tale - a second chronicle of the Children of the Bear
Ambition. Lyra Bryndotter has it in spades. Plus the black heart and skills to achieve her goals. This is a chronicle of Lyra's fight to the top, reaching beyond what even her father aimed for. And Lyra the Tigress always gets what she wants and woe to anyone who tries to stop her. Please note the rating for graphic violence, torture, sexual content (including noncon), and abuse
8 187Interwoven ✔️
"I am quite flexible.""Stop wiggling your eyebrows."✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧In which she's assigned an alien under the rules of the New Order for both races to learn more about each other.[FULL SUMMARY INSIDE]©Kiki 2020© ➢AU➢Romance/Action➢Dystopian**Started: May 16, 2020****Ended: --**
8 122Virlyce Infinity
One day, Yeoman, our oddly named main character, is thrown into the world of Virlyce's novel A Rational Zombie. If he can clear his mission and make it out alive, perhaps he'll be tossed into The Godking's Legacy or The Blue Mage Raised by Dragons. Who knows? Yeoman might evolve after each mission, but he certainly can't tell you the answer. Follow him as he struggles to survive through Virlyce's infinite worlds!
8 453skz smut and reactions
just some smuts and reactions for you to read they arent done yet so come backkkkk
8 147