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Secondary Characters
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Pamela(AllHoney), Fairy Godmother
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Mar 04, 2013 07:54AM
How important are they? Can they make or break a book? Feel free to give a shout out about some of your favorite "extras".
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Actually, pretty important. I love it when they are great. I even have a bookshelf entitled "amazing-secondary-characters."
I'll have to check that out, LK.I think Kristen Ashley writes some wonderful and quirky secondary characters.
I've only read a few books of hers and I can't remember offhand. Might have to check her out more.
Anyway, I too believe they are important and have made a few books tons better in my opinion. They can add needed comic relief at times, give the H/h insight and wisdom, give the story a purpose even.
Interesting discussion, ladies! I'm curious, do you prefer the secondary characters to simply support the main characters, or do you like for secondaries to have story lines, or issues, of their own? Any examples?
I think I prefer them in a supporting role for the most part. I don't mind a secondary romance at times but it depends on whether the romance overshadows the main couple's. As far as issues and such, as long as it can be integrated into the story and adds something to it then I'm okay with it. For example, if a friend needs help and the heroine needs to go to her even though the hero tells her to stay put. That could give the author the way to put the heroine in harm's way and depending on the situation could excuse her TSTL act.
I think secondary characters make a story seem fuller, richer. Unless the story takes place on a desert island, we don't live in a vacuum and our lovers shouldn't either. How a character reacts with those secondary characters gives us insight into their personas. The old show, don't tell.
Yes, a secondary romance with the secondary characters is tricky, as it can overshadow the main one. I've seen it happen several times. I remember I kept a couple of books around and re-read the sections with the secondary romance and didn't re-read the main one. LOL! While I love secondary characters, I'm left a little disappointed if an author only uses MC from a previous book in the series as a "walk on." Now, if they do it well, that is different, but if they don't bring their personality, then...pffft.
I just read Kristen Ashley's Raid and there is an elderly character, Miss Mildred, who really adds to the story. She's 97, I think and without her character I think the story would have suffered deeply. But KA has a lot of interesting and wonderful characters that she gives life to in her stories that really couldn't be done without them.
Oh, dear. There are a couple of secondary character romances in my Cowboy story. Don't hate! :)If a story is all about the H/h, then it gets boring as they're in their own little world. One thing that bothers me, though, are small town stereotypes. Do they ALL need a town busybody? And a diner to go to when you need gossip? And the one person everybody hates?
Oh, no, I didn't mean to imply I don't like them, Abigail. Actually, I like them a lot, but the Main one better be the best of the two.LOL! over the small-town stereotypes.
LOL, I live in a small town and yes, there is always the busybodies (even in big cities) and there are the cafes or diners that everyone goes to.Funny story - when my hubby and I just moved here, I got a phone call. It was the 80 year old lady across the street. She welcomed us to the area and invited us over and the whole nine yards. Also, whenever we weren't home and someone came over, we got phone calls from neighbors telling us that someone had been there. lol
**snort** Yes, that (people telling you someone was there) does happen in small towns. They think nothing of it.
I like the secondary characters most of the time, but I do get annoyed at how no one can write a stand-alone book anymore it seems. I'll find a book I like, and then it's like every character introduced is being set-up to have their own book, and the only reason they appear in this book is to introduce them for the next book.
Jacqueline wrote: "I think secondary characters make a story seem fuller, richer. Unless the story takes place on a desert island, we don't live in a vacuum and our lovers shouldn't either. How a character reacts wit..."What she said^^^^
Pamela(AllHoney) wrote: "LOL, I live in a small town and yes, there is always the busybodies (even in big cities) and there are the cafes or diners that everyone goes to.Funny story - when my hubby and I just moved here,..."
What a lot of city and big town folk don't realize is that those characters aren't stereotypes. They're real. In my hometown, the town drunk's last name was Beers! He was drunk as a skunk by 9PM every single night and sober as a judge next morning on his way to work as a fire department dispatcher. He used to give it up for Lent every year and I never saw him with the DTs, but the day after Easter whooo-boy.Look out!
You can't make stuff like this up.
Jacquelyn, that's hilarious! Beers! Hahahaha!!!Kit, I don't mind secondary characters having their own story as long as it's not OBVIOUS that's why they're there. I read a book where about 3/4 of the way through, everything suddenly focused on one character. She ran away at the end of the book and I was SO annoyed I never read that author again, not even to find out what happened to the runaway.
Now I understand that sometimes it's the fault of the publishing company. :)
I think that secondary characters are just as important as the leads. They are part of the world-building of the authors so they play an important role. Sometimes, secondary characters bring out what kind of personality the main characters has. Plus they add more fun to the story. Quite honestly I've read some books where I liked the secondary characters better than the main characters.
I agree, C.C. They are very important in my opinion. I have read a few stories that deal only with the main couple and they tend to lag in places. Its good to have those extras to really bring out the story.
Abigail wrote: "Jacquelyn, that's hilarious! Beers! Hahahaha!!!Kit, I don't mind secondary characters having their own story as long as it's not OBVIOUS that's why they're there. I read a book where about 3/4..."
Yea, I liked the secondarys when they are good characters, for example, Lisa Kleypas' Wallflower girls, etc. You're example is a great one though of what I don't like. Another one I read had the heroine's younger sister never mentioned at all through the book until the last chapter when we meet her and all of a sudden the focus in on what she's doing while the main couple were I guess off in lovey-dovey land. Like, she came out of nowhere.
Was the book called Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the sister's name Dawn? :)
Yes, I've read a couple books where it is almost solely the couple...which isn't very realistic. While this might work in a scrutiny of a relationship, there has to be a balance if it is set in a "real" world. Nothing's in a vacuum.
Lisa Kay wrote: "Yes, I've read a couple books where it is almost solely the couple...which isn't very realistic. While this might work in a scrutiny of a relationship, there has to be a balance if it is set in a ..."Well, the ones where the couple is snowed in or on the run usually have very few extras in them. I am a fan of extras, as long as they are really extras and don't take over.
Thank you all! This discussion has helped me tremendously. I'm writing the second book in a small town romance series. I liked the main characters. I liked the plot. I liked the developing romance, but I didn't like the stroy - if that makes any sense. It's been sitting there for weeks while I tried to figure out what's wrong.Reading your comments, I realized that it's too much couple and not enough town! We love small town romances because they give us a chance to visit old friends as well as watch the potential lovers unite.
I knew this about the books I read, but didn't see it in the one I was writing! Your comments, particularly about walk-ons helped me see what wrong.
I'm inspiring AND helpful! *laugh*. Have fun with the writing, Jacquelyn.
You're welcome, Jacqueline! ☺
I think good secondary characters give books that little something that takes it from a good book to a great one. I don't mind if they get there own story later on but I do prefer that they stay as secondary in the book they were introduced in then they can shine in there own book if it is a stand alone book or trilogy time setup. If they are part of a long running series it is different, they need to evolve along with the main characters in that situation. Like JD Robb's In Death series, the main characters are so important to that series success, without them I don't think I would have continued to stayed into a series with 30 some books in it. But her secondary characters are allowed to step up occasionally and shine in the story and other times they are background depending on what the story needs them to be.
I think secondary characters can make a book more vivid and readable, if done right. There's always that challenge of avoiding making them more interesting than the lead characters though. I feel like I always get intrigued with secondary characters and then I want a series about them.
I think secondary characters need to complement the main characters. The interaction between them need to mesh. Its great when you get certain characters that you want to see more of but they are just secondary characters.For instance, the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. I love them for the most part but I often feel that the main characters of some of the books get cheated out of their story because the focus is taken away from them too long. I love revisiting the past characters and catching up but not to the degree that the author goes to in that series.
I agree, Pamela. As much as I like the Virgin River series, RC does tend to do that. I often find myself wanting her to get back on point. And a few times I remember thinking a book was really about two couples, as they shared the spotlight equally.
Abigail wrote: "Was the book called Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the sister's name Dawn? :)"Lmao! xD
I really like well developed secondary characters. If they end up with their own romance great. I love who Eggie got his own story in Howl For It in the Laurenston series. He was just a great character for many books.
