Writers in the Storm

Writers in the Storm welcomes back Anne Cleeland to share tips on writing Secondary Characters. Anne last helped us sort through the accuracy for details of our historicals.

by Anne Cleeland

A story with compelling secondary characters engages the reader by adding another layer of interest to the story.  Whether they are sidekicks, lovers, or shadowy villains, good secondary characters help make the story three dimensional instead of flat, and also make it a lot easier to beef up that all-important word count. As an added bonus, the secondary character often provides the hero with opportunities for bantering or bickering dialogue--always a reader favorite and an easy way to establish likeability.

In most stories, however, there are certain protocols that are expected and probably should be followed when it comes to secondary characters. The writer has to be careful not to violate these unspoken rules at the risk of annoying the reader, because an annoyed reader is not a happy reader.  Here are three that work for me:

1. Don’t kill off the secondary character everyone loves.

The death of the secondary character is often used to ratchet up the stakes.  The late, great Blake Snyder famously said that the hero’s best friend always dies around page 71 of the screenplay—it’s a tried-and-true literary device.  But the death should stir the reader’s sympathy on behalf of the hero, not make the reader feel betrayed because they’ve invested in the character.

The red-shirted crewmen on Star Trek were famous for being doomed from the start, so no one missed them when they dutifully got themselves killed by a gorn or something.

Sometimes you get the feeling that the writer was staring at his laptop, out of ideas, and decided to kill off a beloved character so as to be “edgy,” or to “allow the story to go in a new direction” (read: out of ideas.) To me, these deaths always seem too contrived; shock value for the sake of shock value and not authentic.

Examples of “good” secondary character deaths that evoked sympathy for the hero: Beth in Little Women; Rue in Hunger Games; Horatio in Hamlet; Helen Burns in Jane Eyre.

Examples of “bad” deaths that made the reader recoil:  Dumbledore in Harry Potter; Boromir in Lord of the Rings; Lady Sybil in Downtown Abbey.

2.  Don’t make the secondary character’s role unclear.

As a reader, I want to fit the character into the appropriate slot, so I don’t like it when the writer muddies it up.  No one expects Dr. Watson, Sancho Panza or Samwise Gangee to take a turn at being the hero. No one expects Falstaff to start speaking of weighty matters, and no one expects Obi-wan to start wise cracking --everyone should instead stay in role.

Exception: I suppose there is an exception to this rule when the secondary character’s role is supposed to be unclear.  Examples are The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz; Rebecca in Rebecca; Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Examples of secondary characters who break role and cause general confusion: Star Wars had more than a few, including Anakin Skywalker and Lando. You’d think an epic good vs. evil plot would stay within the lines, but you’d be wrong—and again, you got the feeling that the writers were out of ideas, and floundering around.

And speaking of which, remember Paradise Lost?  If you do, you probably remember Satan more than you do the protagonist, you-know-Who.

Peter Pan’s Captain Hook is another ambivalent villain, as is the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist, or Snape in Harry Potter. Either they’re secret good guys, or they’re villains, but make up your mind, for heaven’s sake.

3.  Don’t let the secondary character outshine the hero.

Every writer knows this feeling; the secondary character develops a life of his own. The writer has a choice; beat the character back into submission, or allow him to take over the story and hope for the best, as was the case with Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean, Huckleberry Finn from Tom Sawyer or Jacob Black from the Twilight series.

However, in most cases I prefer that the writer keeps everyone firmly in their chosen role. Storytelling involves certain expectations and you don’t want to cause confusion or annoyance, see Rules 1 and 2.  

Georgette Heyer wrote a wonderful book called Cotillion, where the archetypal hero turns out to be not-so-heroic, and instead the dorky secondary character turns out to be the hero. Heyer was a master, however, and caution is advised before trying this on your own.

Examples of secondary characters who outshone the hero:

Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind. Think about it—weren’t you just flipping the pages, waiting for him to show up again?  Amy in Little Women is another example. I know we were supposed to applaud Jo’s choice of husband, but Amy’s beat him to pieces. Lestat, in Interview with the Vampire (who arguably started this whole vampire thing), and Long John Silver from Treasure Island (what is it about pirates?)

Can you think of other rules, or examples?

Anne's Regency novel, Tainted Angel ,  is due out in June (is that a gorgeous cover, or what?)

Anne Cleeland holds a degree in English from UCLA as well as a degree in law from Pepperdine University, and is a member of the California State Bar.  She writes a historical fiction series set in the Regency period as well as a contemporary mystery series set in New Scotland Yard.  A member of the Historical Novel Society and Mystery Writers of America, she lives in California and has four children.

by Fae Rowen

Backstory: I always wondered why my husband fell in love with me. He was a thirty-year-old "confirmed" bachelor when I met him. And I never intended to marry anyone. Six months after we met, we were engaged. How did that happen?

Mere weeks ago I attended a workshop that was totally different than what I thought it was going to be. Turns out, it was better than anything I could have imagined on many levels. I learned and experienced amazing things personally. But, more important for you, I got one of the best writing lessons ever as a secondary benefit.

It turns out that the class was about the four somatic attachment styles. Don't be put off because you've never heard of it. Neither had I. The information has reached "limited audiences" in the past five years, though the research started twenty years ago.

Your attachment style can be determined by answering a series of questions. If you are interested in learning more, you can visit Diane Poole Heller's website and take the short version of the quiz. (If you have trouble getting your responses accepted. Try another time.) I would highly recommend any one of these workshops; Patti Elledge was the leader for my four-day workshop.

In this first blog, I'll introduce you to the secure attachment style. In future blogs I'll share more of what I discovered about how--and why--we fall in love. And how five easy scientific facts can help you connect with your readers (and your beloved) at a deeper level. To help them fall in love with your characters as your characters fall in love with each other. Writer gold!

You began developing your attachment style when you were a baby. Consider your primary caregiver as you read the summary below. But remember, you may have a mix of styles because you bonded with many people--even pets. Your attachment style strongly influences your adult relationships.

During this workshop I realized why I ran from the first three guys who asked me to marry them. They were all great and, without a doubt, loved me. But based on my attachment style, they didn't build the bonds with me that my husband did. I guess you could say that from the cradle, I was fated to marry my husband because of my attachment style.

SECURE Attachment Style: The Gold Standard

My parents provided a secure, safe environment. They were present, consistent, protective and predictable. They were responsive and sensitive. When I needed them, they were there. They showed interest in me as I grew. Interest in what I was learning, how I thought. When I acted out, they disciplined me with love, not frustration and anger.

Believe me, I was no angel. Back in those days, discipline took the form of a spanking. But only with an open hand on the bottom. Never more than a couple of swats. And no anger afterwards; they hugged me until my tears stopped. I think I cried more from the situation than physical hurt.

My father was playful with me, gently teasing but never bullying or emotionally attacking. The teasing was a way my father showed that gleam in his eye. My mother didn't tease. She would touch my hand, pat my back, and give me "contact nutrition." They never swore at me, called me names, or said anything in anger that they'd want to take back later.

These are all hallmarks of how to develop a secure attachment style. Now I know why my favorite picture is one of me as a baby. My mother is holding me in her arms, beaming and smiling down at me. I'm returning that eye gaze and smile. I used to show people that picture and say, "Can't you feel the love?" years before The Lion King.

That soft eye gaze is the hallmark of a secure attachment between two people. Or a person and a well-loved pet. Yes, some of us grew up and received our secure attachment style from a family pet, or a teacher, or neighbor. And that's okay. As long as you experienced a secure attachment style as a young child, it's there in your body. It may be buried under years of living, but it's there--and that's what's important.

As an adult, secure attachment is displayed by a realistic optimism. A capacity for clear communication and more resiliency in recovering from stress is a bonus. In a relationship, securely attached adults protect each other from outside harm and resist harming each other. They initiate and receive attempts to repair the relationship when necessary.

As an individual, a secure attachment style means you tend to be unflappable and level-headed. You give others the benefit of the doubt when it's appropriate. And you have a working radar for danger.

Wouldn't you fall in love with someone with these characteristics? Wouldn't your character (and your readers) fall in love with someone with these traits?

You might be saying, "Wow, she had a golden childhood." Actually, I used to think so. I didn't, but because most of my time I was cared for by my parents, I'm lucky to have this as my primary attachment style. But, as you'll see in the next installment, I've got the other three styles, too. (And you probably do as well.) And those styles have played havoc with my adult life.

The good news: You can "repair" attachment styles to move them to the secure model. I can't give you four days worth of experiences and information in a blog series, but we're going to use this information to help you build character relationships in your writing. You'll see how you can build wonderful, loving relationships--and not so happy ones. And you won't have to spend hours angsting over body language cues and how to write the emotion. You'll use attachment styles. At the end of the series I'll give you a bibliography if you're interested in exploring more about this research.

Do you have tricks or problems in showing how a relationship develops believably between your characters? Have you ever wondered about your own relationships?

by Orly Konig-Lopez

Who are these people who live in your head? Where do you come up with these ideas?

You’ve heard those questions a few times, right?

A few days ago I was giving someone a quick and dirty of my new book. Quick and dirty because that’s all I have at the moment—there’s only so much I can plot and plan ahead of time.

But there are a few things that I always know before starting a new project: character names, personality traits, physical attributes, career, hobbies.

1. What’s your name?

Some characters come with names. The moment they start “talking” I know what their name will be. Others require a bit of inspiration. For them I usually turn to social media. Seriously, it’s a great excuse to hang on Twitter and Facebook. Procrastinating? Nah, researching.

I scroll until a first name jumps out that will fit one of the characters. Another pass for a last name then I say the names out loud a few times for feel—some combinations click immediately, some need tweaking. When it sounds comfortable, I think about anyone I know in “real life” whose name might be too similar. And yes, sometimes I’ll use a first or last name of someone I know as a thank you nod, but the character will never actually resemble that person.

In the manuscript I just finished, the main character’s name is Maia. Why? Because I always loved that name and wanted to name my daughter Maia. Hubs nixed that name which was moot anyway because we had a boy. But I was able to have my Maia anyway—and minimal sassing back from this one.

2. Is that your natural hair color?

Every character sketch worksheet starts with a few descriptors:

• Eye color, shape, etc.
• Hair color, length, etc.
• Height
• Weight
• Complexion
• Body build
• Unique features

It not only helps me get to know the characters, but works as a handy reference when I’m 50,000 words in and can’t remember if someone has brown eyes or green, almond shaped eyes or droopy lids, freckles or a killer dimple.

3. What’s your sign?

Okay, I don’t go down that path. But one of the first questions on my character sketch is “What makes this character interesting?”

• Did she/he have a degree in a unique field? Why did they pursue this field? Are they working in it? If not, why?
• Does she/he have a quirk or unique gift?
• What does the character like to do that would surprise those who “know” her/him?

The main character in one of my manuscripts, for example, confides in a suit of armor—an actual, metal suit of armor in a museum. When she needs perspective, she goes to the museum and talks to Sir Jean, as she calls him. He doesn’t actually talk back but her ability to work through her problems with his “help” is one of the things that makes her unique.

4. What do you do for a living?

Characters in books don’t have to pay rent—well, not literally at least; they do need to earn their keep with a good story that will hopefully sell.

My characters have held jobs that I always thought would be interesting but obviously didn’t pursue: an architect, an art restorer, an archeologist. Doing the research on those careers is half the fun.

And sometimes career ideas come out of the fridge. Literally in this case. I was totally stumped with what to do for the husband of the main character in my new book. Nothing was working. Then dinnertime came. I went to retrieve a jar of marinade and ended up with sticky fingers thanks to a leaky bottle. Voila, a marinade entrepreneur was born.

5. What do you like to do in your spare time?

There has to be more to life—even a fictional one—than working, eating, sleeping. Hobbies, we all have them. Our characters need them. And why not live vicariously through the people we’re creating.

One of my characters runs on the beach. I don’t live by the beach, but I can get on the treadmill, and with my eyes closed and brain cells working, I’m there. Then sit down and write that scene.

Love the idea of knitting but can’t get your fingers and brain to work together? Have a character who knits beautiful hats and sells them at craft shows.

Maybe all writers have a little Dr. Frankenstein in us. Mary Shelley’s novel was the first that made me dream about writing. But since I write Women’s Fiction, I hope none of my characters will send the villagers screaming into the night.

A few resources that might come in handy:

• http://www.parents.com/baby-names/popular/
• http://baby-names.familyeducation.com/popular-names/girls/
• http://baby-names.familyeducation.com/popular-names/boys/
• http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
• http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/top5names.html
• http://nameoftheyear.blogspot.com/
• http://jobs.lovetoknow.com/The_100_Best_Jobs_and_Careers
• 45 Master Characters: Mythic Models for creating Original Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

So tell me, how you do decide on names or careers or hobbies for your characters? What other questions do you ask your characters?

About Orly

After years of pushing the creativity boundary in corporate communications, Orly decided it was time for a new challenge. Three women’s fiction manuscripts later (plus a handful of picture books), it’s safe to say she’s found her creative outlet.

Orly’s manuscripts have finalled in seven contests including the Wisconsin Romance Writers “Fab Five” and the Greater Seattle Romance Writers of America’s “Emerald City Opener.” She’s currently querying her most recent manuscript, THE DAY THE MERRY-GO-ROUND STOPPED.

When she’s not talking to her imaginary friends, she’s reading or at least trying to ignore everyone around her long enough to finish “just one more paragraph.” Orly has also joined forces with some amazing women’s fiction authors to launch the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

You can find Orly on Twitter at @OrlyKonigLopez or on her website, www.orlykoniglopez.com.