The relationship between characters in your book holds the story together, think of it as threads holding seams. Readers fall in love with character relationships, it gives them something to appreciate as they read your book. Creating bonds between your characters also serve as mediums to explore more about these characters.
You cannot build a character that stands aloft. No man is an island, let your story mirror life as it is. Every character is influenced by the actions of others around him, just like in real life. Relationships give depth to your Main character’s development. No matter how character-driven the arc may be, supporting characters play an important role in the decisions the MC makes; supporting characters may not be the focus of the story, but they are as important as your main character.
Supporting characters are characters that play a role in the path of the main character. They have character arcs as well, though the story does not revolve around them. However in series and trilogies, supporting characters may become MCs in spin-offs, prequels and sequels.
How do you create a meaningful bond between the main Character and supporting Characters?
1. HAVE A RELATIONSHIP ARC:
This is as important as the rest of your plot. A relationship arc allows your characters to explore more aspects about themselves that may be unknown to them or the readers. It is like allowing a supporting character to show a different side of the MC or to change the MC’s mind about something by either bonding with the MC, training the MC, working hand in hand with the MC, etc.
Try to map out the important points of this arc:
Example:
A is on course to obtain Z but instead meets B. (This could be romantic or something of chance).
B is a factor that can get A to Z, or so they think.
Or B seems to be an obstacle stopping A from obtaining Z.
But then A and B realize they are not enemies, and they can only get Z if they work together.
Or, B becomes a love interest who is somehow related to Z (it could be by interest, background, etc).
This relationship also allows A & B to manifest more of their traits as they face twists and trials together; the reader gets to know them and begins to root from them.
B doesn’t always have to have the same goal as A, but you can make them an important factor to A’s goal.
Your relationship arc should help your story progress. Get creative with how you map this arc; try avoiding clichés and instead find more interesting ways to introduce B to the story. Give B a more interesting role than what the reader would expect. Think. What would the reader expect? Make your reader think they have predicted the story but instead, get surprised.
Carefully picture how this relationship will progress, what would be the major problem in the relationship? And how will the characters overcome that problem?
After establishing the status quo of the relationship, the relationship arc can have twists and turns, however, whatever you choose to include in this arc must further the story and both characters must grow throughout these ordeals.
Mini Example:
A and B understand they need each other in the beginning.
B finds out something about A that goes against their values.
Or they could have a change of heart because of an external factor or a reason to betray A.
A discovers B’s treachery, and both separate. The MC feels cheated or neglected. The MC struggles on their own.
However both characters reconvene later in the story for a common good.
Through all the events involved in the above, A and B have grown, and all must be towards the furtherance of the MC’s goal, or the furtherance of the main storyline.
When these characters have gone through the conflicting phase, you should bring a reunion to the relationship. What have the characters been able to learn from their mistakes? How have their misunderstandings helped to change their perspective? How have their personalities and behaviors changed? Not all relationship arcs have happy endings (the above was just an example). But whatever the end may be, the way the characters have evolved through their experiences is important .
2. CHARACTER DESCRIPTION:
In describing your characters, avoid using terms like handsome, short, tall. You can describe them in relation to other characters. For example, you could say a female secondary character could only touch the main character’s chin if she were standing on a six inches shoe. Or that she loved him despite the fact that her neck hurt from continually having to meet his gaze. This way, you are already suggesting that she is short and you are establishing a relationship between the two characters in the mind of the reader. Try as much as you can to always describe character appearance and behavior in relation to other characters. Does a secondary character’s behavior remind the protagonist of someone that has been in his life before? This pattern of description draws up memories and questions that help to reveal more about the MC or supporting character to the reader.
3. BACK STORY:
Backstories can be very useful in creating realistic bonds between characters in a book. It raises stakes, reveals motivation, prospective fears, intention and obstacles in a story. It helps to answer the reader’s questions, like “why is this character behaving or thinking this way?” It could later be revealed that the supporting character knows the background of the protagonist.
4. GIVE THE MAIN CHARACTER AND SUPPORTING CHARACTER DISTINCTIVE TRAITS:
If the main character is strong willed and impatient, then let the supporting character be the exact opposite. This way your protagonist will not be overwhelmed by the roles of other characters. This helps bring out character flaws and conflict. You don’t want characters that agree with everything the other says. That would be boring. So bring pivotal scenes to life by contrasting character traits.
5. THINK ABOUT THE ROLE YOUR SUPPORTING CHARACTERS PLAY IN THE BOOK:
Understanding the exact role of your characters will help you build meaningful bonds among them. Is your character supporting and encouraging your main character through conflict? Are they acting as the voice of reason to the protagonist? Do they rebuke and correct? Is he an informer? Or someone with experience the protagonist needs?
6. INTERNAL MONOLOGUES:
You can help your reader’s understanding of character relationships through internal monologue. It will explain the MC’S behavior and intentions towards those around them. Monologues reveal mindsets which in turn affect relationships.
Learn more about Character Development here!
My name is Racheal Asikpo. I can take the creative weight of completing your stories. I can also give you 70% distance from the writing and research. I offer ghostwriting, developmental editing and copyediting services. How about you allow a fresh pair of eyes give you a fresh breath of air?
You can follow me on:
Linkedin or Facebook to know when I post.
I also write episodic shorts on Medium!
You can also reach out to me after perusing my profiles on my Linktree.
I look forward to hearing from you.