supporting characters – Almost An Author

The One Story That Always Keeps Readers Turning Pages

It’s not every author that has a movie made in their honor. But when the author makes global impact, the movie industry takes notice.

A few months ago, the movie Tolkien hit theaters.

J.R.R. Tolkien is the writer behind the famous The Lord of the Rings trilogy. His books were so well-read that a multi-hour movie was filmed based on his books. Countless have found inspiration on the pages of his story, and countless will yet find inspiration.

They are classics.

Writing a classic is probably a dream many of us have. So how did Tolkien do it? How did he become such a well-written author that multiple movies were made on his books, and a movie was made on his life as well?

He told the one story every reader wants to hear. Let’s break it down.

Write The Protagonist You Want To Write

If you’re unfamiliar with the story, Frodo is the protagonist, supported by his friend Sam. All three books follow Frodo’s journey as an unlikely hero. His strengths and weaknesses are a central focus to plot points, twists in the story, and an ending that almost doesn’t happen due to his own character flaws.

Frodo’s story not only holds The Lord of the Rings together, but creates an element of relatability in an otherwise fantastical story.

Write The Supporting Characters Your Story Needs

However, despite Frodo’s obvious page time, Tolkien wrote a full cast of supporting characters, each with their own histories, families, hopes, and dreams. The brilliance of Tolkien’s writing is that he wrote characters every reader could relate to.

Most books demand a protagonist that’s relatable to the target audience. This is a necessary and smart rule to play by. But take a look at Tolkien’s classic.

The protagonist is a short, insignificant hobbit.

One of the main supporting characters is a runaway man’s man who’s supposed to be a king.

There are two blundering, yet endearing cousins who cause some of the biggest plot twists due to their eagerness to help.

There’s the princess who refuses her destiny and claims mortality so she can also claim love.

There’s the small, seemingly inconsequential trinket, a single golden ring, that ties the story together from first page to last.

Every supporting character adds to the story, while at the same time making it relatable to nearly every reader who picks it up…

So, you’re writing a fantasy and your last name isn’t Tolkien. That’s ok! Learn from his writing and incorporate his methods into your own story.

Write the protagonist you’re passionate about, and don’t focus so much on whether he/she is relatable to every reader. Your story will also demand supporting characters.

When you write a story of intricate, round characters, your readers will keep turning pages until the very end.

That’s the story every reader wants.

That’s the story every reader will love.

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

10 Tips for Writing Secondary Characters

Not everyone can be the hero or the villain. A story needs a cast of supporting characters too.

Here are ten tips for writing characters who play supporting roles.

Every secondary character must have a role in the main character’s story. They may be a sidekick, a coworker, a competitor, the neighbor who happens to be an expert in bonsai, or just the guy that runs the café, but they must have some connection to the main character and his story.
Every secondary character must also have a plot function. Sometimes that function is obvious, such as an ally or an opponent. Sometimes the function is more subtle, such as functioning as a mirror or foil of the main character: showing contrasting choices and behaviors. Sometimes the function is to cause complications, such as a false ally—someone who appears to help the main character while actually pursuing their own agenda.
Speaking of agendas, every character has one. We humans always have our own agenda, which we may or may not sacrifice for our friends and coworkers. Fictional characters do too, even if the reader only gets a hint of what those agendas might be.
Don’t mislead readers by making secondary characters seem more important than they are. You may know their hidden agendas and backstory, but unless it applies to the plot, keep that information in your head.
Each character needs a unique purpose within the story. If two characters fulfill similar roles, combine them into one character. If the hero’s two pals are both allies, consider trimming one from the story.
Look for other ways to eliminate extra characters. Think outside the box and see if characters with seemingly different roles can be combined. Perhaps the pastor who runs the outreach your heroine joins is also the difficult neighbor who complains about the heroine’s garbage-loving dog. Doesn’t that add an extra dose or two of tension?
Give stock characters a twist. Take the time to personalize even unimportant characters by altering the stereotype in some way. Don’t make the hairdresser a talkative town gossip. What about an emo hairdresser with interesting tattoos? Or a hairdresser who hums praise songs while she works, because she refuses to gossip?
Whenever possible, avoid naming walk-on or background characters. The story may need taxi drivers, waiters, and a school principal for specific scenes, but the less attention minor characters attract, the better.
Whatever the heroine focuses on, the reader focuses on, so don’t allow her to dwell on minor characters. Instead make sure she dwells on something they said, something they did or something they represent.
Don’t allow secondary characters to steal the story—even when you fall in love with them. If you discover a character has tons of potential, promise them their own story, but insist they stay within their role in the current one.

Secondary characters add depth and authenticity to a story, but always remember:

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