After looking back to the beginning of my story, I realize I am beginning to favor my MC's "sidekick." I'm interested in the unexpected direction, but I'm unsure if I want to proceed or tone him down. I'm afraid his sudden elevation is less plot-related and more (subconsciously) hormone-related. Has anyone else experienced a shuffle in your character hierarchy? If so, what did you do?
Very much so Xavier (then melvin) was once just a sidekicking backing band member for Katrina, the more I wrote the larger he became to the point he is now the co-star, Stefano's role now grows in a similar fashion,as does Afrika, I had a romance for the mom and a mayor from South Dakota that is fizzling thanks to the emergence of other characters, I will feature that sub-story in the squel
I see. Henry's starting to push Irene into the corner. Once James enters the picture, I think he'll also overtake Irene. Ahhh! Did you have to rewrite to get the earlier parts to seem less disjointed or did it work out without editing?
The whole front end will have to be reworked, however with Xavier as a sibling I have a source of dramatic tension K'tina only meets Barry thru an Xavier Battle scheme to make money, you feel me her provides the "bridge" uptown so if thats the price I got to pay to whom do I write the check ya dig ?
Stories written through the sidekick's view are interesting I don't particularly enjoy writing heroic characters, no matter how flawed they are, because they have to make stupid decisions to further the plot of the story. It's always the sidekick's job to roll their eyes and tell them not to, and there's a much wider range of personalities available to them. So my viewpoint always starts drifting away from the "Yeah! Let's go!" sort of character and much more to the "I told you so" guy.
I have it all the time, my two (about to be three) subplots are all more interesting than the main plot. It's cool, but kind of annoying...
My most used MC Socrates was originally killed off in the third chapter of my first ever book. He now has a bigger role in that book and two of his own, however Socrates lover Nate is now demanding his own series lol So I have worked it so Nate can take the lead for any spy/adventure stories and Socrates for the time travel. Other minor characters have grown into bigger roles or earned their own stories. However my favourite character is not a main character and don't see him ever being for more than a short/novella maybe.
It happened to me too. When I was a teen I was writing about the people I now use for my story ut in a totally different context, and one of the secondary characters now is one of the POV characters, one of three main characters. He was such an interestign person and I liked his point of view on everything, so I just had to give him more space in the story. You could always give the side kick a more prominent role, making him more important to the story. I actually like when these things happen, it has happened to me in other cases too. a friend of my MC is really fun and when Im writing her part it comes out in a more quick, slightly bitchy tone which really suit her and her role in the story. i almost thought about giving her a story of her own.
He is a main character, basically second in command, and is responsible for all of the action in the first half. In such, I decided to use someone else as numero uno (who is present throughout) so his inevitable, long absence doesn't mess up the story. He's a ham, though, so I guess it makes sense.
Oh, In that case... I think its interesting even reading books where you feel the most interesting and charismatic character is one of minor importance, that for me is the best example to when a character really comes to life.
