Comments on: Cohorts, Henchmen, Villains and Red Shirts: The Care and Feeding of Secondary Characters

By: “How Bad Is Your Bad Guy?” ~ by Mercy Pilkington | Authors Helping Authors Resource Site

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:56:52 +0000

[...] 3 Tips for Writing Secondary Characters Who Engage Your Reader (writersinthestorm.wordpress.com) [...]

By: adriejf

adriejf — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 00:03:13 +0000

Since there was already a Stephenie Meyer reference... Meyer has said several times that the character of Ian in The Host refused to be ignored and eventually began to take on a life of his own as a love interest for Wanda. I thoroughly enjoyed The Host (vs. Twilight series) primarily for Ian's character and the complexities of the Melanie/Wanda/Jared/Ian dynamic. When secondary characters begin to outshine the hero, I thinks its essential that the secondary character(s) evolves with (or complementary to) the main character. If that happens, the secondary character's evolution can add something deeper to the main character's development.

By: Robyn Mackenzie

Robyn Mackenzie — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 05:00:19 +0000

In reply to writersinthestorm. All in a geeky day's work. :D I saw it's now Horatio. They're both great examples of secondary characters killed to evoke sympathy for the hero.

By: writersinthestorm

writersinthestorm — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 07:31:07 +0000

In reply to Robyn Mackenzie. You know your Shakespeare, Robyn. Thanks for letting us know! Glad that you got some clarity for your own writing from Anne's tips. -Fae

By: writersinthestorm

writersinthestorm — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:26:51 +0000

In reply to ellaquinnauthor. Thanks for the love, Ella! -Fae

By: Robyn Mackenzie

Robyn Mackenzie — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:19:26 +0000

Hate to be that person that points out the one mistake in a fantastic article, but...Mercutio is from Romeo and Juliet, not Hamlet.

Other than that, I loved this article! It made some things clear to me in my own stories--what I need to change, and what I'm doing right.

By: ellaquinnauthor

ellaquinnauthor — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:19:02 +0000

This is a fantastic post. I love secondary characters, though you're right, some of them threaten to take over the show!

By: ellaquinnauthor

ellaquinnauthor — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:18:08 +0000

Reblogged this on Ella Quinn ~ Author and commented: I'm hunkered down today, taking a break from my blog tour and getting the websit ready. Here is a wonderful post from one of my favorite blog sites, WITS. Enjoy. I know I did.

By: Lorna's Voice

Lorna's Voice — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:52:48 +0000

I love it! Just as in the English language--always exceptions to the rule!

By: linda2009

linda2009 — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 13:18:24 +0000

In reply to Joel D Canfield. Oh, Joel, you are so right. Firefly is probably my all-time favorite TV show, and I was so upset about Wash's death that it's tainted my subsequent viewings of the series. I can deal with a heroic death with a purpose, but this had no purpose other than to fulfill Joss Whedon's tendency to HAVE to kill off somebody, just because. And just about everyone else I know who's seen the series and the movie, even if they're not Browncoat-level fans, feels the same way. I feel betrayed when a book does that to me, and I tend not to read subsequent books by that author.