Background Characters

How vital are your background characters? Their role in your story must be important enough for them to be there but not such that they overshadow your leads. It has never been easy to play second fiddle. It is not always easy to write it either!

Your background characters must have a vital role to play but not hog the limelight.  Pixabay image.

I love stories associated with the Nativity, which often involve characters such as the innkeeper and his wife.  I’ve come across a story recently suggesting the innkeeper’s wife was keener than her husband to help Mary (given he’d been rushed off his feet with the influx of guests and the last thing he needed was a heavily pregnant woman also needing accommodation, the one thing he was short of!). I thought the idea was well executed.

Even in the Nativity there were background characters but whose role was pivotal.  Pixabay image.

So how can we show our background characters in the best light but at the same time ensure they don’t hog the limelight?

I’ve found it helpful to bring a background character into the story early as this flags up to the reader this character is worth watching.  They must be there for a good reason.  Hopefully the reader will want to find out if their suspicions  are right!  Also naming the character can act as a flag to the reader.  (It will flag things up further if that name is repeated, especially if done by your protagonist).

What roles have you planned for your background people?  Pixabay image

 One of the classics in fiction is having a situation where your hero/heroine needs help and your background character is the one to save the day.  But it doesn’t need to be overly dramatic.  Even in this day and age of emails, social media etc., people still need to receive messages.  Think about how Romeo and Juliet hinges on whether Juliet’s letter is delivered or not.  Update the procedure!  Your background character could be the one to let your heroes down or to prove to be their salvation.

Do your background characters act as catalysts for change or are they the "connectors" in your story?  Pixabay image

Talking of which, I’ve visited a couple of fascinating medieval fairs and the role of the scrivener was something that drew my attention.  Understandably so, I think!  As well as writing things for people for a fee, he would read letters they had received in the days with literacy was limited.  How often did the scrivener read what was really there?  Did they write things down their customer didn’t want them to write but had no way of double checking?  There was a great deal of trust put in the scrivener.  Could your background characters be in that type of role where they are needed to be trustworthy (but aren’t necessarily)?

Was the scrivener trustworthy?  Are your background characters faithful to your leads or treacherous?  Pixabay image.

The scrivener's wares.  Image by Allison Symes

There should be a good reason for the background character to be able to provide the assistance needed. Every word and character has to justify their place in your tale but background characters can be the catalyst for change which every story needs.  Also, your lead characters cannot be in every scene, they need to interact with others, have conflicts with others (else there is no story), and again this is where your subordinate people come in.

The scrivener had some of the best accommodation in travelling fairs. A great example of a vital role that could change people's lives.  How vital are your background characters?  Image by Allison Symes