Developing secondary characters

Status
Not open for further replies.

starrykitten

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
286
Reaction score
16
In a story I'm working on, the narrator is a colleague of who I'd say my main character is. The story is all about her, his observations and memories of her.

Yet, because it's told in his voice (first person), I need to show something of him as well. What I can't decide is how much transformation and conflict to throw at him since I want the focus to mainly be on her. Any suggestions?
 

Dani79

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 2, 2013
Messages
201
Reaction score
18
Location
Hastings, UK
Website
daniellengales.com
If you build up a backstory between your MC and narrator, it would allow you to present the story in such a way that it's biased by what the narrator knows of the MC. You don't necessarily have to have the narrator change in this regard, since its more about their own voice and view of the events that transpire.

Not short fiction, but a good example to check out: Robert Harris' novels Imperium and Lustrum tell the life story of Cicero, but do it from the first-person perspective of his slave, Tiro. Tiro isn't particularly involved in any of the events that happen (and nor does he change by a great amount), other than being there to tell the tale. It still works brilliantly, and most of Tiro's personality comes through in the way that the events are filtered by his own unique perspective on the various power players involved, and his own little insights into Cicero's behavior based on how well he knows him. The story is always Cicero's, though.

That's one option, anyway.
 

Nonsuch

All Too Concise and Too Clear
Registered
Joined
Apr 24, 2014
Messages
46
Reaction score
2
Location
Portland, OR
Website
danwiencek.net
What is the narrator's motive in telling the story? How much influence over the action does he have? Maybe answering those questions will point you in the right direction. And if the answers are "None really" and "Not very," does the story need the first-person narrator?
 

starrykitten

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 20, 2008
Messages
286
Reaction score
16
What is the narrator's motive in telling the story? How much influence over the action does he have? Maybe answering those questions will point you in the right direction. And if the answers are "None really" and "Not very," does the story need the first-person narrator?

That's very helpful. Thank you!
 

Ride the Pen

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 19, 2014
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Vienna, Austria
You could make the "transformation and conflict" about both of them, about the narrator as well as about the main character. For example, a conflict between the two of them.

That way you are developing the narrator's role, but you don't take the spotlight off the main character either.

Your question is especially interesting for short stories, where space is limited.
 
Last edited:

dantefrizzoli

Banned
Spammer
Joined
May 28, 2013
Messages
245
Reaction score
5
I think it would be best to slowly ease the character in slowly- but I think lots of books do a great job of this, try to read some to get a good idea.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.