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Step 1
First of all, your supporting characters need a background story.
Even if you don't want to go as detailed as you would with a main character, as an author you want to know more about supporting characters than you may show your readers. Creating a profile sheet with basic information and notes on the supporting character's relationship to your main character is helpful. -
Step 2
Think about what your supporting character can reveal about your main character.
How your main characters treat other people shows their personalities and what they value. If the supporting character is a friend, they can reveal positive aspects of your character. If the supporting character is an enemy or antagonist, they can show how your main character handles challenges. -
Step 3
Supporting characters can pull cautious characters into conflict or restrain reckless characters from leaping too fast.
Having supporting characters who are a sharp contrast to your main character makes both more interesting. It also allows you to put a main character into situations they would not enter under other circumstances. -
Step 4
Leave yourself enough room to turn a supporting character into a future main character.
In long-term fiction projects, keep in mind the characters you would like to expand on later. You have the benefit of readers knowing the character from a previous story, even if they were not a main character.
Comments
mattsaboy said
on 8/26/2009 Great article. 5 stars
ljstraight said
on 8/11/2009 Great tips for a successful story. 5 stars