Tiny Roles, Big Impact: How to Avoid Placeholder Characters
Happy weekend, writing friends!
A dear friend of mine (waving hi to Sarah) asked me to discuss how to breathe life into secondary characters for a series of author advice reels I did on Instagram. I think it’s such an important writing concept, I decided to turn it into a blog article here too.
This skill is something I learned early in my writing journey, and it’s made a lot of difference to the quality of my stories. And it all started with some writing advice I got when I first started writing.
It came from multiple seasoned authors. I don’t even know who to credit because it came from so many directions, but here’s what they all agreed on:
Do not use placeholder characters.What does that mean? A placeholder character is someone who only exists to fulfill a plot point. The UPS guy delivering a package. A coworker who shows up for one scene. The best friend who exists just to be a sounding board for the heroine’s problems. You haven’t really thought about them as people—you’ve just plopped them in because the story needs a body in that moment.
And here’s the thing: even if that character only appears once, your reader can tell if you’ve thought about who they are.
Now, I’ll be honest. I don’t name every single character in my books. Especially if there’s a large cast! It can get overwhelming for both me and my readers. But just because a character isn’t named doesn’t mean they’re a cardboard cutout. If the UPS guy shows up in my story, I know in my head what he looks like. I know whether he’s married or single. Whether he had breakfast this morning. Whether he’s got a flirty vibe or a keep-it-moving vibe.
Why? Because when I write him, he’s going to move and speak like someone with a life. Even if he never gets another line, he’ll have a moment. He’ll feel real.
And for those named secondary characters—the ones who show up again and again, or who help carry the plot forward—you absolutely need to know their backstory. Even if you never put it down on the page, you need to know it.
Why? Because characters act and react based on who they are and where they come from. When a character has depth in your head, that depth comes out on the page. Readers feel it.
How Does That Look on the Page?Little behavioral choices tell the reader more than a paragraph of description. Here are a few quick examples of letting tiny actions do the heavy lifting:
The double-ring UPS guy. He doesn’t just thumb the doorbell once—he hits it, waits two beats, hits it again, and adds an impatient rap with his knuckles. Maybe he needs a signature and he’s running late on his route. Or maybe he’s just naturally impatient. Either way, the main character reads that vibe and thinks, Someone skipped breakfast today, revealing her own tendency to empathize (or judge!).
The barista who never looks up. Your heroine orders her latte; the barista calls out “Linda” even though she clearly wrote “Lydia” on the cup. He keeps his earbuds in, eyes glued to the espresso machine. That tiny moment shows he’s checked out, the café is slammed, or he’s socially anxious—and it gives Lydia a reason to reflect on her own name and how often people get it wrong.
The rideshare driver humming off-key. He’s stuck in traffic, tapping the steering wheel to a 90s boy-band song no one has admitted loving in decades. Your hero joins in under his breath, surprising himself with nostalgia. Suddenly we know both characters a bit better—one’s carefree enough to hum in front of strangers, the other has a secret soft spot.
In each case, the secondary character’s micro-actions invite your protagonist (and your reader) to respond emotionally. That reaction deepens both characters without a single info-dump.
You don’t have to create full bios.You don’t have to write a whole character sheet unless that works for you. (If it does, go for it!) But take a moment to ask:
What’s this person’s role?
What do they want in this scene?
What’s their vibe?
What’s one thing about them that makes them unique?
What do they look like?
I strongly recommend keeping the physical details and basic character info with the other cast of characters for your book. You never know if someone you thought was a “walk-on” is going to turn out to have a bigger part in your story, or future stories.
Give your secondary characters a touch of life, and your entire story becomes richer, more layered, and frankly more fun to write.
So let’s ditch the placeholders and start writing people. 💛
Until next time, keep writing and keep dreaming!
Lucy
P.S. I’ll be offering a Lunch & Learn virtual event in Bookspace about switching from traditional to indie publishing on Wednesday, July 2nd at 2pm ET. I’ll be sharing the highs, the lows, and the lessons I’ve learned on my journey. You’ll get an honest look at what to expect, what to love, and what to watch out for—plus there’ll be time for a Q&A, so bring your burning questions!
You can learn more about Bookspace here, and join for a special introductory rate to take part in this event!
USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Lucy Monroe has over 90 published novels and more than 12.5 million copies sold worldwide. Her stories—rich with emotion, heat, and high stakes—span contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance.
Now publishing independently, Lucy writes the bold, deeply romantic stories she’s most passionate about. Her latest series, Syndicate Rules, explores the dark and decadent world of mafia romance with morally gray heroes, fierce heroines, and all the spice fans crave.
A voracious reader and longtime romance fangirl, Lucy loves connecting with fellow book lovers online.
For info on all of Lucy’s books, visit her website.
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