Writers are often told to make every word count. We should avoid over-describing our characters or settings, and instead pick out the most important or telling details that support the story we’re trying to tell. That advice also applies to characters. Every character needs a specific role to play in the story. In a post on Writer Unboxed, Jim Dempsey offers advice for ensuring each of your characters has a reason to be in your story.
“Every character should affect the narrative and influence the actions of the main character(s),” Dempsey says. Viewing your characters as archetypes – mentors, tricksters, mirrors – can help you define their role in the narrative, even if you aren’t interested in fitting them exactly to type.
Dempsey also suggests creating a map of your characters’ roles in the story. Imagine your character has to leave home. What would they miss? Of course they would miss family and friends, but what intangibles would they regret leaving behind? It might be intimacy, advice, encouragement, conversation. Where will your character find these things when they leave home? They might find new friends, allies, or mentors.
Use this exercise to consider what your character needs to get through their journey. “When you want to introduce a new character, try to think how they would fit into this list of your character’s needs,” Dempsey suggests. “If they don’t, maybe your readers don’t need that weight in their backpacks.”
