Make Your Characters Work For You, Part 1, a Post by R. Clint Peters

I recently subscribed to Writer’s Village.  (The link is in the “Links YOU Should Follow” section of The Book Reviewers Club)

The first installment in the latest series of articles was “Use ‘character signatures’ to make minor characters memorable.”  If you would like more tips to make your characters work for you, please go to the link.

The first question to ask is, how can you make your minor characters a little more memorable.  You’ve worked your butt off creating the primary characters.  I know I did.  But, for a moment or two, let’s see how we can make the main characters memorable.

I use conversation to create characters, to write the back story, to direct my readers to the important items in my novels.  For example, I have two characters talk about a third character, usually behind his or her back, to flesh out the character, make the character more visible, provide insights.   In one book, I had a character describe how another character met his future wife.  I was able to create a complete biography of the character in a few sentences.

So, what do you do with minor characters?  Well, give them some specific identities.

“The driver’s side of Ford Explorer sank almost to the pavement when he heaved his body into the seat.”

Does anyone doubt that character is a sumo wrestler?

Later on in the book, you will be able to refer to the original details.

“She heard him clumping down the hallway, and wondered how concrete flooring could protest so fiercely.”

Is anyone going to wonder who the character is?

Some things to look at when creating minor characters:

As in the above illustration — body shape

Facial details — “His nose preceded him into the room.”

Dress — “Gladys grabbed her sunglasses when he walked into the room wearing his Hawaiian shirt.”

Speech — “Danny wondered if he had time to listen to John’s conversation.  He had only thirty minutes, and John repeated every sentence five times.”

A personal behavior — “Kevin wondered why Henry had not worn out his left hand with the constant pounding of his right fist into his palm.”

You don’t have to create a five page biography of a minor character.  That turns the minor character into a major character.  But, make the minor character someone that your readers will relate to, and will want to read more about in a later book, or later in the same book.

#RClintPeters #WritingTips