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Minor characters ( sometimes called tertiary characters) are supporting characters that fill important roles throughout your story, propel the plot along, provide your main characters with motivation, and flesh out your main characters’ worlds. They’re every bit as crucial to the story as major characters and require careful attention when ...
May 1, 2012 · He simply amused us for a moment. Because he was a minor character, that was exactly what he needed to be. Likewise, in your stories you need to realize that your minor characters should not be deeply and carefully characterized. Like flashbulbs, they need to shine once, brightly, and then get tossed away.
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May 13, 2024 · Create Depth: Minor characters add layers to the story. Their own small stories make the main story richer. In The Great Gatsby, characters like Jordan Baker and Myrtle Wilson are there to provide a bigger picture of the novel’s societal context and themes. Set the Mood: They help create the story’s atmosphere.
- Keep them in the reader’s mind. If you have a minor, named character, make sure your reader is set up to remember them if they’re supposed to show up again.
- Make minor characters distinct. Since minor characters have less time on-page to make an impression on the reader, make sure you give them descriptions, names, and mannerisms that are different from the main characters and other minor characters.
- Consider combining characters. If you find yourself with too many small characters to keep track of, consider giving their roles to one character. This can help your reader keep track of the cast, as well as making fewer, more rounded characters, as opposed to more, flatter characters.
- Cover up the plot-device nature. While major supporting characters should not be used as plot devices, that’s simply the nature of minor characters. They’re there to enrich the world, provide background for scenes, and move the plot forward.
Jan 12, 2024 · The character definition of antagonist is actually the opposition the protagonist faces. This could be another character, but it could also be the protagonist’s environment, social expectations, or a part of themselves. By definition, a story’s antagonist stands between the protagonist and their goals. Minor characters
Joseph McGuinty is a minor character at the start of the novel. He’s used as our first introduction to the idea of the circus. “I used to carry water for the elephants,” says McGuinty. I drop my fork and look up. He is positively dripping with self-satisfaction, just waiting for the girls to fawn over him.
Connection to a motif or theme is an excellent way to make your minor characters matter in a broader thematic sense. 5. Give them clearly defined traits. Another approach lies in accentuating minor characters’ defining traits. Whether it be on the physical level (appearance or actions) or mental (thoughts, ideas and dialogue), well-drawn ...
