5 Tricks To Give Secondary Characters in Stories More Purpose

How to Give Secondary Characters in Our Stories More Purpose

Does Every Character Have a Purpose for Being in the Story?

Readers will notice when you introduce a secondary character.

If that character has no purpose in the story by the end, that can leave our reader confused, underwhelmed or worse, disinterested and disengaged. Make sure every character has a purpose to the story, even if the impact may be minimal to the overarching outcome of the story.

Ways to incorporate every character:

Your secondary character shares a different perspective that causes your main character to make a decision
Your secondary character encourages your main character when no one else will
Your secondary character has the influence and power to do a favor for the main character
Your secondary character is an unexpected help
Introduce an unexpected love interest

How to Give Secondary Characters in Our Stories More Purpose

Your secondary character shares a different perspective.

Your main character needs some help. They just don’t know it yet.

This could be because they are stubborn and narcissistic, or they just don’t realize it.

Having a secondary character that brings a needed perspective to your main character carries the story where it needs to go and makes the secondary character valuable to your reader.

Your secondary character encourages your main character.

Your main character is downtrodden and can’t go any further on their journey.

Your secondary character says something no one else is willing to say.

That is when your main character realizes they can’t give up, not yet.

Make your secondary character the encouragement your main character needs in order to keep moving forward.

Your secondary characters have influence your main character needs.

Your main character needs to get across the world in 2 days but they don’t have the money or resources.

Introduce the rich character that has the private jet and any car you might need.

This character doesn’t have to be deep as much as a means to an end and a willing supporter.

Introduce secondary characters when your reader least expects it.

Throw in a character that your main character needs but don’t let your reader know about them until the last second.

Put your main character into a bind that they can’t get out of on their own and then have the secondary character swoop in and save them at the last second.

Introduce love that no one saw coming.

Your main character doesn’t know it but the most interesting love interest of their life is about to walk through the door.

Your reader should be as surprised as your main character.

Introduce this secondary character as unexpected love and your reader won’t question their existence at all.

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Hope this helps!

Now get out there and write something!