tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post3231777422107674346..comments2024-03-18T08:33:25.907-04:00Comments on Inkwell Inspirations: Secondary Doesn't Mean Second RateLisa Karon Richardsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-53135411962468604472010-12-04T17:04:00.593-05:002010-12-04T17:04:00.593-05:00I had to come back to this post. I just had a seco...I had to come back to this post. I just had a secondary character offer a challenge to my hero which just bumped the plot up a notch and plays right into my theme. One of those "YES!" moments. Obviously I have pretty smart 'secondarys'.<br /><br />By the way, I just got to the next book on my TBR. Something titled Passion ... A Passion Denied,maybe? Anybody heard of it?<br />IDebra E. Marvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17853387871623424853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-76003954987790083762010-12-03T10:11:43.926-05:002010-12-03T10:11:43.926-05:00Lisa, excellent post, girl!! And secondary charact...Lisa, excellent post, girl!! And secondary characters are a particular fondness of mine because most people shirk and shortchange them when they can be incredibly valuable in A) rounding out the main character, B) providing valuable contrast between the main character and them and C) increasing the reader's affection for the main character just by virtue of the secondary character's Julie Lessmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00406395645316139292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-63624273280570848752010-12-02T23:56:38.590-05:002010-12-02T23:56:38.590-05:00My secondaries tend to be a bit over-the-top, or e...My secondaries tend to be a bit over-the-top, or else I meet them and think, "Ooh! New character for next book!" <br />Keeping them from becoming cliches while keeping them interesting is a a challenge!Niki Turnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10419436634375255412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-6451275756019758042010-12-01T20:22:11.379-05:002010-12-01T20:22:11.379-05:00Interesting points, Gina. Julie tends to have a lo...Interesting points, Gina. Julie tends to have a lot of POVs in her stories doesn't she? I think it works really well for some authors like Julie and the Thoenes. I tend to have fewer. May just not be at a place where I can do that yet and still make everyone distinct!Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-5016614812229399172010-12-01T16:52:04.939-05:002010-12-01T16:52:04.939-05:00Oh, I forgot to add that I think Julie Lessman doe...Oh, I forgot to add that I think Julie Lessman does a fabulous job balancing out her leads and secondaries in her family sagas.<br /><br />One frustration I've had when reading is when the secondary seems like s/he is only there because the author intends on the character to be the lead in the next book. This is more likely to happen when the secondary is given a point of view, in addition toAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18306070937646453722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-15493377421312153802010-12-01T16:48:58.883-05:002010-12-01T16:48:58.883-05:00Gina, you may have persuaded me to go back and wat...Gina, you may have persuaded me to go back and watch Lost. I never got into it because I didn't see the beginning. <br /><br />Seems like we run the risk of turning them into caricatures rather than characters if we make them TOOO whatever. What do you guys think?Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-45105790466893466462010-12-01T16:46:56.251-05:002010-12-01T16:46:56.251-05:00You're right, Beth. Matthew was the one person...You're right, Beth. Matthew was the one person in Anne's who encouraged her dreams. He was an incredible character. I still always cry when I watch the part of the movie where he passes away.Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-63407553375144686762010-12-01T16:45:44.055-05:002010-12-01T16:45:44.055-05:00Susie, I was really impressed with Sherlock. liked...Susie, I was really impressed with Sherlock. liked it a lot and so did my husband who isn't a notable mystery fan.Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-73389850858695147872010-12-01T16:45:16.147-05:002010-12-01T16:45:16.147-05:00Great mention about Emma, Deb! Sevearal of the sec...Great mention about Emma, Deb! Sevearal of the secondary characters are personifications or reflections of Emma's flaws. <br /><br />I've noticed, like Dina, how secondaries become exaggerations of real life. More evil, prude, funny, absurd, phobic, etc, than normal...well, certainly more than the main character.<br /><br />What I loved about Lost was how the secondaries where the glue Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18306070937646453722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-13469853829658867932010-12-01T16:44:52.102-05:002010-12-01T16:44:52.102-05:00Unspoken of course, Dina. Can't you read my mi...Unspoken of course, Dina. Can't you read my mind!Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-76278134322364810652010-12-01T16:15:14.069-05:002010-12-01T16:15:14.069-05:00Well, to piggyback on your Anne of Green Gables co...Well, to piggyback on your Anne of Green Gables comment, I loved Matthew Cuthbert. His presence in Anne's life made such a difference in that story.He added to her character arc, while having his own.Beth K. Vogthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04032849469366266791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-30742627284175599142010-12-01T15:47:33.283-05:002010-12-01T15:47:33.283-05:00Fun post, and it's got me thinking. I agree th...Fun post, and it's got me thinking. I agree that writing secondary characters is where I can really let go and have fun!<br /><br />Great point about Dr Watson, too. He is a perfect example of a secondary character showing the reader how likable the main character is. I was noticing this during the new PBS BBC Sherlock episodes. I could see how the members of Scotland Yard could be put out Susanne Dietzehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09710634601407161821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-38552483169200244842010-12-01T15:30:08.029-05:002010-12-01T15:30:08.029-05:00Ha ha, which one, Lisa? I mentioned a bunch.Ha ha, which one, Lisa? I mentioned a bunch.Dina Sleimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05214446103057806111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-18954630081610049332010-12-01T15:27:50.599-05:002010-12-01T15:27:50.599-05:00i really need to read that book, Dina. I've he...i really need to read that book, Dina. I've heard such great things about it.Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-73404067093240906082010-12-01T15:27:16.970-05:002010-12-01T15:27:16.970-05:00Anne, one of my favorite LM Montgomery characters ...Anne, one of my favorite LM Montgomery characters is Davy. The little boy that comes to live with Marilla after Anne's teaching. His sister, Dora is there too, but even Anne notes that Dora is too good to be interesting. Love that!Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-17214207537311928462010-12-01T15:25:42.626-05:002010-12-01T15:25:42.626-05:00I think you're right, Dina, It's easier to...I think you're right, Dina, It's easier to get away with truly bigger than life secondary characters. Maybe because they aren't "on screen" as much. It might get exhausting to spend an entire book in the head of that one wacky aunt.Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-89306423819018528852010-12-01T15:23:23.832-05:002010-12-01T15:23:23.832-05:00Interesting thoughts, Deb. I hadn't considered...Interesting thoughts, Deb. I hadn't considered the secondary characters to be a mirror. I'll have to mull that one around a little.Lisa Karon Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02175430876079208723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-77454412630300572682010-12-01T09:58:16.930-05:002010-12-01T09:58:16.930-05:00Trying to think of great secondary characters. Run...Trying to think of great secondary characters. Running through the books I've read in the last few years, I remember nearly the full casts in all of Steven James novels and also Roseanna White's Stray Drop of Blood, Lisa Samson's The Passion of Mary-Margaret, and Siri Mitchell's Loves Pursuit.<br /><br />But, by far my favorite single secondary charcter of the last few years was Dina Sleimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05214446103057806111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-34552192727187225182010-12-01T08:48:27.387-05:002010-12-01T08:48:27.387-05:00I think Dickens was the master of secondary charac...I think Dickens was the master of secondary characters. Somehow he made each one of them memorable and necessary to the story. L.M. Montgomery runs a very close second. In all her books, not just the Anne books, she creates very distinctive secondary characters, even if they seem somewhat similiar (like the maiden aunts in the Emily books). Secondary characters can add so much to a story!Anne Mateerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11330467138236037032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-81691118155726086422010-12-01T07:55:52.079-05:002010-12-01T07:55:52.079-05:00Here's something I've noticed lately in my...Here's something I've noticed lately in my study of characters. Protagonists should be relatable and likeable, but secondary characters are where you can really have fun. Zany, outrageous, evil, awkward, whatever. I've been noticing the same thing even with my kids television shows like ICarly, Zoe 101, Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, Victorious. I think you keep the Dina Sleimanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05214446103057806111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7502152359497137754.post-81344008681741578852010-12-01T06:05:58.628-05:002010-12-01T06:05:58.628-05:00I think of secondary characters as being mirrors f...I think of secondary characters as being mirrors for the h/h/villain. When they see themselves in the light of the secondary character, we see them better as well. They also become a measuring stick by which we see the h/h's growth.<br /><br />For example, Melanie in Gone with the Wind. We don't necessarily want Scarlett to be more like Melanie, but she grows into a more well-rounded Debra E. Marvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17853387871623424853noreply@blogger.com