In a post on the SFWA blog, J. D. Harlock offers advice for creating minor characters that stand out from the crowd. “When we think of classics like Discworld or One Piece, often our memories of the supporting characters are as strong as that of the protagonists,” Harlock says. “If a writer understands how to create interesting supporting characters, they can achieve a similar effect in their own work.” Harlock’s tips include:
- Give your minor characters a life outside the story. Create the illusion that your reader is seeing only a small portion of the character’s life, the moments that intersect with your main plot.
- Give them something to say or do that’s not related to the plot. “Life just doesn’t fit neatly into a three-act structure where everything that’s introduced factors in later somehow,” Harlock writes. “The odd, minute details are often as memorable as the larger character strokes, even when they don’t serve a specific purpose in the plot.”
- Don’t tell the reader everything right away. As with your main characters, let pieces of your minor characters unfold over time, as the reader needs to see them.
- Keep some secrets. Some details don’t need to be explained. Let your minor characters maintain some mystery.
Click the link for the rest of Harlock’s tips.
