Remember the Minor Characters

Writing

Ever since I was a little girl my favorite part of books were  the minor characters. There was something about them that always felt more real and because I was in their heads less I could make up their backstories and contemplate on how they must have felt in a certain part of the book. I've always loved the sweet supporters, the loyal friends, and disturbed followers. Main characters with their varying personalities, motivations, and goals are incredible, but minor characters have their very own, and it's the range of characters that breathe life into a book. 

In the book I'm currently writing, I'm at a point where a lot of minor characters, be they protagonists, antagonists, or neutral, are needing to make important decisions. It's fun to see how their decisions, based on their development so far, will drive the main characters to act in different ways. Various successes and failures are caused by the little choices made by a unique cast of characters who are trying their hardest... or their worst. 

I finished reading Redwall by Brian Jacques a couple of days ago. That's a book which is full of a lot of characters. It was interesting reading it while managing writing a book currently that has a lot of characters as well. It made me notice how little decisions made by minor characters, even characters who were only in the book for a scene or two, could force the main character to act in certain ways. It all felt real and believable which is something I hope I've accomplished in my own writing. 

Editing

On the editing front, I've almost finished another pass through my Isle of the Forsaken Gods book. I think I've filled in all the plot holes and got rid of inconsistencies. I'm going to read through it a couple more times and then give it to people to beta read once I feel happy where it is and feel as if I've fixed all that I can find by myself and then read it once more. This book is very different from Heart of Ice as it takes place in a smaller area, with less but closer characters, and in less time. It's fun editing because there are different kinds of problems that I need to pay closer attention to. 

Thank you so much for reading my blog. Who are some of your favorite minor characters in books or games? Have you written a minor character that you've really enjoyed? At which point do you let readers look at your manuscript? 

Keep dreaming and daydreaming of the beautiful worlds in your head.