In an article for Writer’s Digest, Marina Adair shares five ways to create secondary characters your readers will love. “Creating secondary characters that readers will fall in love with can significantly enhance your readers’ experience and deepen the world you’ve created,” Adair says.
Adair uses a character bible to document descriptions, quirks, goals, and motivations for her entire cast. While much of the information will never be shared with the reader, knowing these details helps Adair creating well-rounded characters. However, their best traits or quirks do make it to the page. “These can be endearing or intriguing, helping readers to remember and care about them,” Adair says. “A character might have a peculiar way of speaking, a unique hobby, or an unusual perspective on life.”
Adair also recommends developing strong relationships among your cast members. “Whether it’s a deep friendship, a complex rivalry, or a supportive mentorship, strong relationships can endear secondary characters to readers,” she writes. “Their bonds with the protagonist can reveal their positive qualities and make readers root for them. The secondary character’s job is to create conflict or support for the main character.”
Secondary characters should also get a standout moment. “Highlighting their contributions to the plot and their own mini-arc can make them essential to the story and not just a device for the protagonist,” Adair writes. And of course, your supporting cast should feel human. “Perfect characters can feel unrealistic and distant, but those who struggle, make mistakes, and grow over time are easier to connect with,” she writes. “Show their human side through their fears, dreams, and personal growth.”
