Secondary Characters

[sXe_Jinxeh]

So, I've always believed that secondary characters are as important if not more then the protagonist. You can have the most pathetic and annoying protagonist in the world (Harry Potter, at least in my opinion) but they are totally made up for by great supporting characters (everybody else in the books)

So, what does everybody else think about the importance of secondary and supporting characters? I know they pretty much make long books and movies.

[Zombified]

I totally agree with you.

In every story I have written with more than one character (which makes up a few of my stories) the secondary characters always have a lot of personality.

Unless you are writing a story with one character, you got to have your secondary just as if not more important. They are the backbone of any story just like your own friends are the backbone of your own life.

[Zaphkiel]

I agree as well, secondary characters also help to take weight off of the protaganist. I mean this in by having the reader being able to divivde his attention on more than one source.

[Majyk]

I agree, too. It makes a story all that more interesting with more characters in it. The story I'm writing has a few secondary characters, one of which is almost more important than the protagonist.

[sXe_Jinxeh]

In my own story, I have like...twenty-eight named supporting characters? Each one with a personality, an appearance and a history...and it gets slightly confusing.

I think the best supporting characters in history are:
1. Leah, Juno
2. Wilson, Castaway
3. Fred & George Harry Potter

And then there are others I can't really think of.

[Starry]

Well, it depends with what you're doing with all of your characters, and whether or not you're using a classic storyline. I have three protagonists, each of which is doing different things throughout the entire plot. Even if I was forced to give them classic definitions, I couldn't really consider two of them to be "secondary."

And then with fantasy, the system kind of requires those "existing for five minutes for the sake of the plot" characters that only do a little something and aren't around for long enough to give them character development.

I'm kind of struggling with characters between the two importance levels, which I guess would be the ones termed "secondary." Friends, teachers, and rivals of the three main characters, who I do need to fit more in the way of character development with. So yeah, secondary characters are important, but it's not as clear-cut as protagonists and supporting characters. With a well-developed world and plot, you've got a bunch of characters going around, all working at separate goals with separate personalities, who in my opinion are way more than "secondary."

[Nyx]

I completely agree, main characters can be extremely cliche but I'll still read the book if the supporting characters have personalities. For example, I would've never read Twilight if it wasn't for the secondary characters who are much more real and interesting than Bella+Ed.

[Crocolyle]

In my own story, I have like...twenty-eight named supporting characters? Each one with a personality, an appearance and a history...and it gets slightly confusing.

I think the best supporting characters in history are:
1. Leah, Juno
2. Wilson, Castaway
3. Fred & George Harry Potter

And then there are others I can't really think of.

Swear to God, I almost cried when Wilson fell overboard.

[Shaun]

Twenty-eight characters is a lot to work with. Supporting characters are important, but you have to make sure your reader remains focused on the most important characters. Giving good supporting characters is important, but if, like you were saying, it becomes confusing, that's not a good thing. Readers aren't nearly as patient or as intimate with your work as you are. You want to make sure that supporting characters are just that: supporting characters. Not characters that draw away from the story, but add to it.

Personally, supporting characters are important, but I find that a lot of m SCs eventually become main characters, particularly in the novel I'm working on right now. I had several characters I just wanted to be there, but not overpower the POV of the character I started with, but then both of them ended up with stories of their own, so I just went with it. I'll have to go back and edit in different supporting characters to make up for the two new POVs :P.

[Carraka]

Swear to God, I almost cried when Wilson fell overboard.

I did cry when Wilson fell overboard.

And there was my dad, sitting next to me, going, "Ummmm .... it's volleyball. It's not even a real volleyball."

(I will add something meaningful to this conversation some other day.)

[Andy]

I love secondary characters. The MC tends to be the real do-gooder, and for good reason. :) If the MC was constantly joking around, always giving sage advice, or doing things that supporting characters usually do, the story would probably start to feel messed up.

I've always got the main character surrounded by two or three supporting characters, or if he's alone, then the supporting characters get their own little subplot for a while. :D

[GeorgeMichael]

I've always got the main character surrounded by two or three supporting characters, or if he's alone, then the supporting characters get their own little subplot for a while. :D

I do that as well, in fact, sometimes I like my Supporting Characters a bit more than my Protagonist because I feel that I can make my supporting characters just a bit crazier and more unbelievable than my protagonist since I don't really need my readers to really relate to my SC's but I use them to entertain instead.




And YES!!! Wilson leaving was so.. (Where are the crying smileys????) ok, well then Wilson's departure was :( :( :( :( :( to the power of :(

[Crocolyle]

The supporting characters are often more attractive, because the MC tends to have to be more serious and, well, more boring. Sure, he should have a unique personality, should be conflicted, etc, but because of his need to be in control, speculative fiction writers are often more limited in what their main character can do. Like in, say, Firefly the main character, Malcolm Reynolds, is probably one of the least interesting characters. I was watching it like a week ago and noticed that I felt more of an attachment to the supporting characters on that show. Likewise, on the television show Heroes, I care least about Peter Petrelli (sp?) the most powerful of the heroes.

Often it seems that the MC, to a limited extent, is used as a tool to move the plot forward. That being said, the main character still does need to be flawed and unique, otherwise you end up with Eragon (shudder).

[Starry]

The supporting characters are often more attractive, because the MC tends to have to be more serious and, well, more boring. Sure, he should have a unique personality, should be conflicted, etc, but because of his need to be in control, speculative fiction writers are often more limited in what their main character can do. Like in, say, Firefly the main character, Malcolm Reynolds, is probably one of the least interesting characters. I was watching it like a week ago and noticed that I felt more of an attachment to the supporting characters on that show. Likewise, on the television show Heroes, I care least about Peter Petrelli (sp?) the most powerful of the heroes.

Often it seems that the MC, to a limited extent, is used as a tool to move the plot forward. That being said, the main character still does need to be flawed and unique, otherwise you end up with Eragon (shudder).

I liked Peter! He was such an awesome character too, and he still had a unique personality despite his saving the world obsession. (Though Season 2 semi-ruined him. I think I stopped liking him when he went and left his girlfriend in the future and forgot about her.)

Anyways, I don't think that your main character has to be more serious or in control or anything. As long as they're in the thick of things and have a unique point of view (I wholeheartedly agree on your Eragon point *shudder*), they can do fine. I think it's actually much more interesting if your main character has an extreme bias or something else that colors their narration.

[Crocolyle]

Oh yeah, it's entirely possible to do it, just sometimes it seems authors make them blander. Though there are plenty examples of main characters who are extremely flawed or very interesting, though it's startlingly less common in speculative fiction with a heroic bent.

As you said it is more interesting if your MC has an extreme bias or some unique point of view shapes the narration, and it is a shame more authors don't do that, but sometimes it's necessary for one slightly bland character.

[Shukara]

Usually my secondary characters end up being main characters. It's a dangerous habit. You have no idea how many problems you get when that happens, or when you have too many secondary characters.

[Midnight_Moon]

I love secondary characters. But the all time best one are the rest of the Cullen family. Bella is so pathetic, and Edward's just to perfect! But the rest of them are awesome!

Secondary characters are just as important because they give the main character tons of things. A shoulder to cry on, feeling of anger (arguments always break out), love, and tons of other things. Without them, the main character would be all alone.

So over all, Secondary characters ROCK!