Secondary Characters - Do They Know Their Place?

As a writer, I populate my books with characters of all sorts. Some play the major roles – the protagonists and the antagonist, for instance. Some characters play other vital roles in the story but are not the main characters. We call these secondary characters, or the supporting cast, if that sits easier.

Although they are not the main players in any story, they still have an important role to play. They still need to have substance, they still need to have reason to be in your story, but...they must not become the focus of the story and overwhelm your main characters. 

They need to know their place.

Secondary characters have all sorts of jobs in a story. Let's have a look at some.

The Mentor

The Mentor is the character who is specifically in the story as a guide to your hero or heroine. The one who listens and then advises, but never orders. Sometimes The Mentor is only in the story briefly, other times they are a character who is a constant in the story. It is up to the writer to decide how much The Mentor character is used and why.

Woody and Buzz from Disney's Toy Story

The Devil's Advocate

The Devil's Advocate is the character who puts doubt into your hero or heroine’s mind but is not necessarily doing something bad or meaning to put doubt in the main character’s mind. Sometimes this character is called The Fool, not because they are stupid but because they are often used to tell the hero the truth about something that needs to be said. Usually The Fool is ignored, only later to be found to have been right all along. This type of character, if used right, can be a powerful tool in your story.

Fry from Futurama

The Sidekick/BFF/Conscience

This character has the main character’s interests at heart. They don’t always do the right thing but they mean well. These characters usually mean a lot to the main character, who will forgive them nearly anything they do, but if they cross the line, making the main character feel betrayed or disillusioned, it can add a lot of emotional tension to the story. Or perhaps the hero lets down his BFF, the person who trusts him.

Sebastian from The Little Mermaid

The Unrequited Love

This secondary character is seen in many movies. She/he is necessary for that 'love triangle' trope that a lot of readers love. This character will do things to help, to protect, or simply to prove their love for the hero/heroine. There is so much scope for this secondary character, but a writer must be wary that the reader does not start barracking for the wrong couple and be unhappy with the choice the hero or heroine makes in the end.
Ducky in Pretty in Pink comes to mind as a good example of The Unrequited Love supporting character.

Peanuts by Charles M Shultz

The Know-it-all or Librarian

I always think of Hermione from the Harry Potter series when I think of this type of secondary character. The one who knows everything can be very useful to our main characters, giving vital information at just the right time, or perhaps never at the right time. They can also be annoying and endearing and a little odd, but they are handy secondary characters to use.

From Parks and Recreation.

Just because a secondary character plays second fiddle to the main character in one book doesn’t mean that they have to stay that way. A lot of secondary characters go on to graduate and become the main characters in their own stories. 

Two of my favourite secondary characters who ended up in their own books are Reginald Davenport from The Rake by Mary Jo Putney, and Vere Mallory from The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase.

You may recognise some of these secondary character types in books that you have read. So, tell me, who is your favourite secondary character? Did they end up in a book of their own? And which book was it?

I love to love – going to the movies with my son in his holidays.

I love to learn – that my CP is getting published.

I love to laugh – at my daughter’s cat and dog playing together.