While we type away, trying to follow the footsteps of a protagonist, it can be the easiest thing in the world to forget that the rest of our characters keep on moving, talking, choosing… living! Our secondary characters have lives beyond the page, and taking just a few minutes to explore those lives can help us with everything from deepening character development, to keeping time lines straight, to finding the seeds of new scenes.
Choose one of your secondary characters and find the last time he or she left a scene. Now, all you have to do is follow along! Act like a fly on the wall and write down everything that character says and does. It doesn’t have to be in the voice of your story- just observe. If you feel like it, keep going and follow that character all the way until his or her story meets back up with your main plot line!
As always, please post your response in the comments section so everyone can read it.
Enjoy!
-Amy Rose
