Writing Convincing Background Characters

BUT, who are these people?

How do you introduce these sub-characters to your readers without sounding like filler content or worse, flat characters!?

Sub-characters create depth to your story. They build stronger connections with you reader by highlighting your main guys strengths or weaknesses. All of my favorite authors create believable and fluid background characters and I want to do the same, everyone should do it! So here’s some of the knowledge I’ve gained through trial and error during my first novel.

Build Strong Character Connections!

Create a list/diagram starting with your MC and branching out - think of it like that 7 degrees of separation game. Just focus on a name and what the connection is - that's it!

Once you know the connection to your main character you can weed out which are heavy background characters and which are light

Heavy characters - lots of dialog and visibility, prime for sub-plots

Light characters - stand ins, extended families, community members

Keep an Ongoing and Up to Date “Light Characters” List

Make a document just for your light characters so if need be you can easily reference their role and either cut them or weave them into an amazing subplot!

Create a list - and most importantly keep it updated! Once you write down that random name to fill a random need add them to that list! - Oh you think you’ll remember it now but 35k words in you’ll be thanking yourself for this!

Just name, rough age, their “one line”/main purpose/point in the plot they will be needed
Or maybe you don’t even reference a name - maybe it that old man in the black hat who falls down and your MC helps him up - well jot that shit down

Create a Timeline for Your Plot line

Don't confuse who did what and when - make a timeline! I draw mine out by hand but I also use Timetoast.com. It’s relatively helpful and sort of user-friendly (it’s my favorite of all the bunches of apps out there at least lol)

Timelines help you visualize the entire story and gain a better understanding of which characters/events are necessary

Know Who to Cut Back and Who to Grow

Write a background story for each and every light character (it goes without saying you’d write one for your main and heavy characters)

Don’t get overwhelmed! Write a small history for each one - a few sentences outlining relationships, perspective and persona
Use a character template if you need some inspiration. There are a quadrillion different kinds on the interwebs!

Let the subplots reveal themselves! Define who you can use and when. Make sure the sub-plots drive your main plot forward and aren’t too far off the theme

Don’t be afraid to trim back characters you once thought would be heavier and bring in a former lightweight. Each character and scene should be beneficial to the story as a whole - if it’s not trim it down or cut it out altogether.