Zoë Sumra Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Really having trouble trying to flesh out secondary characters. They're all pretty one dimensional in my novel right now, a read more as plot-devices than characters. Any tips? Work out what they want and how they think they plan to get it. (For every named character in the book, you need to know this.) This automatically sets up points of cooperation and conflict with the main characters, both antagonists and protagonists, but should also give them a bit of humanity (word chosen on the assumption that they are human). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnar of Skagos Posted February 27, 2015 Share Posted February 27, 2015 Thanks for the advice guys. The biggest problem is giving them a bigger role in the story, as at the moment they are merely members of one of the kings' councils, and none of them are POV characters, so I'm still struggling to find interesting ways for them to express their desires. Then again, I am not that far into the novel yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiandyiiii Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Have you planned out the entire plot already, or are you more of a GRRM-esque 'gardener', with just a good idea of how it will wrap up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnar of Skagos Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Have you planned out the entire plot already, or are you more of a GRRM-esque 'gardener', with just a good idea of how it will wrap up? I am working off a very detailed outline, yet I still leave enough room for change and flexibility, as in, I'm very open to altering the story should the need arise, even though I have a very good idea of how it will end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiandyiiii Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I am working off a very detailed outline, yet I still leave enough room for change and flexibility, as in, I'm very open to altering the story should the need arise, even though I have a very good idea of how it will end. Have you started writing the book yet, or are you still doing the outline, or are you doing both at the same time? I write a detailed outline first, but the writing process often changes some of the details. For characterization, what works best for me is determining and defining a character's motivations and desires, and figuring out what that person would actually do in that situation. The problem is that sometimes they don't want to cooperate with your story! When that happens, I'll either go along with it and see what happens, or change the character entirely. If you're having trouble with secondary characters, maybe this would help -- try to figure out what these secondary characters are actually after, and see how that meshes with the main plot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Marquis de Leech Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 My advice would be to just write the story, and see what comes up. You'll discover stuff about all your characters, and once you've finished the first draft (not before) you can go back and tinker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnar of Skagos Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I think I might do that. I've been playing with a few ideas this past weekend that I think could prove for some good story-telling, so I shall have to just write and see. If it doesn't work, Ill just have to try something new. I currently am working on the second draft of the novel (the first draft ended up being about 125,000 words in length, and took only a year to write) and already it is shaping up to be much better in terms of prose, style, character development, consistency, etc. I've added, deleted, and completely revised entire characters, and all-in-all the story is much tighter, and more interesting than before.Still having trouble working out some things here and there, but looking at my progress so far, I'm hopeful that I can figure it out. I also might add, If anyone is debating whether or not to put their novel away for a few months before returning to it with fresh eyes, I would extremely recommend it. When I finished the last chapter of my first draft, I remember thinking to myself "This is quite good. Just a few little corrections and I could probably start sending it out." Needless to say, I was mortified with what garbage I had managed to come up with. I didn't let it discourage me, however. Instead of thinking "Is this really the best I can do? I'm a terrible writer," I looked at it and realized just how drastic my standards had changed in 3 or 4 months or so after I last worked on it. I noticed things I hadn't noticed before, and learned plenty of new tricks along the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoë Sumra Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So this just happened. I am still partially in denial! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrddin Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So this just happened. I am still partially in denial!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AWESOME, ZOE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the novel I read a few years ago, right? Great news. I'm truly happy for you. :D (We need a Snoopy Happy Dance emote) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetiger Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So this just happened. I am still partially in denial! Congratulations ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiandyiiii Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I put it in the "blatant self-promotion" thread as well, but my second novel, "The Pen is Mightier", a fantasy satire/homage/love-letter to GRRM, ASOIAF, and the fantasy genre is out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derfel Cadarn Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Congrats!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiandyiiii Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First of My Name Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Congrats iiandyiii :) So this just happened. I am still partially in denial!Wow, that's really cool :) Congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebenstone Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 So this just happened. I am still partially in denial! Nicely done! Congrats!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briantw Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Really having trouble trying to flesh out secondary characters. They're all pretty one dimensional in my novel right now, a read more as plot-devices than characters. Any tips? When I write secondary characters, I try to fashion out a life for them beyond the main story. Who are they? What do they want? Why are they in a position to interact with the main characters. It doesn't have to be needlessly complex, but if you understand your secondary characters, you can write them more realistically. Know who they are and why they're involved. You don't have to put all of that on the page, or even any of it, but having an idea of where your characters are coming from will help you write them. Maybe you can drop a hint about who they are in their dialogue, or in their description. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChampion Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Congrats Eloisa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iiandyiiii Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Congrats to Eloisa! My book was spotlighted (spot-lit?) on the book blog "The Gal in the Blue Mask" today. Nervous and excited! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoë Sumra Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thank you, all. NB Starkess is a great CP. :). I'm now trying to focus on all the things I'll have to do in the next few months, which is interesting when drafting two other books at the same time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamjm Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 So this just happened. I am still partially in denial! Congratulations, that's great news :) I look forward to reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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