Katara and Toph. Katara joins the story to travel to the northern water tribe to learn water bending. Toph joins the story to run away from an unhappy home life. They taught Aang bending but beyond that Katara shows Aang how to love and let go of pain, Toph teaches him to stand and fight. The war couldnt have been won without them. Perfectly written side characters.
@@Anweshamishraaa the first season was the set up of the world, from refugees to colonies as well as an episode dedicated to the backstory of Aang and Zuko, without the context, the rest of the seasons wouldn’t have made sense
Something I learnt in acting is that everyone has a goal. The way I like to think of it is when there is a busy market in the theatre show, you can't just walk around in random directions. Everyone has a goal, they go to buy some bread, then meet up with their friend and walk to the library. It makes everything more realistic
@@LottePea I'm also watching this to turn a fanfic into a novel, though I just found her today been binge watching just to make sure I'm not making any horrible mistakes, and fixing them while I'm watching...
One of my favorite side characters of all time is Finnick in the Hunger Games. I am a big reader and have read tons of the big thick literary classics, but in all those famous, eloquent, world-changing books, I have rarely found a side character as powerful as Finnick (as portrayed in the books). The way Katniss learns through her (platonic) relationship with him that you have to look past other peoples’ manipulation to see a person’s true personality, how anyone-even grown men who many people see as invulnerable-can be taken advantage of and sexually abused, how who someone loves is not defined by who they have loved before or who everyone thinks they should love, and how someone’s true personality can still be reawoken even after many years of manipulation and abuse. He was a phenomenal side character, both in his own right and because of what he taught Katniss. Side note, I think the Hunger Games is some quality ass literature and should be recognized as such. The love triangle and the classic mid teen “strong female lead” throw people off, but after reading a great many of what are considered “classics” and “great literature,” the Hunger Games still stands as one of the most transformative reads of my life🤷🏻♀️
An agenda: Why is it important for sidey to come in life of mainey? What's his role? An Impact: does and how my side character impact and engage my mainey? Theme: what lesson I want to my side character to teach my main character? His or her deciding vote for the end?
Wow I hadn't thought of how impactful all those Emma characters are! Now you make me want to reread it again. Just recently saw the mini series for it that you showed on here! One of my favorite side characters is Samwise in Lord of the Rings. And Roger Hamley in Wives and Daughters!
Well-rounded guidance on the roles of secondary or side characters and how to best fit them in your story adding new depth and dimensions. Practical examples from "Emma of Jane Austen" is and excellent bonus ! Thank you Abbie Emmons
1. Agenda - why do THEY NEED to enter story? 2. Impact - Do they do directly engage the MC (the yardstick of measuring others' importance to story)? 3. Theme - What lesson can they teach? 4. Deciding Vote - Can they vote on what the ending is?
I'm almost done writing this coming of age, comedy, fantasy, romance novel where I have this side character that I actually think I did a good job with writing! I wrote down how she checks out the 4 boxes you mentioned so you can see for yourself to see if she is good. :) Agenda: At the beginning of the book my side character is actually friends with the antagonist who is a narcissistic, manipulative, mean girl (this is a high school setting). They have been "friends" since 6th grade so my side character doesn't believe that her "best friend" would do anything bad to her. My side characters agenda is pretty simple, she wants to help my antagonist with her plots to keep my main character inferior to her, but deep down to prove herself to the antagonist even if what she helps my antagonist with are things that she knows are morally wrong. Impact: My side character starts making her impact in the 2nd act of the story. She agrees to helping my antagonist try to win prom queen so my antagonist can win a bet against the main character. However my antagonist knows that if my main character (especially my main characters best friend and love interest) finds out about her cheating my antagonist would lose the bet automatically. She explains this to my side character but assures her my mc won't find out. However close to prom my antagonist decides that she no longer needs my main characters help and sabotages her. This shatters my side character when she finds out my antagonist never really thought she was her friend. Needless to say, my side character is angered by this and goes to tell my mc that the antagonist has been cheating the whole time. A lot goes down after that, but in summary after this my main characters and my side character go confront my antagonist she gets my antagonist expelled from school and actually ends up winning prom queen but ends up passing it down to my mc after seeing how my mc treats her friends in the way they should be treated and by extension her. In the end she ends up becoming friends with my mc. Theme: The theme that my side character learns is one of the two major themes of my story actually. My side character learns that friends are people who are always there for you and stick by you no matter what. Deciding vote: My side character has a deciding vote because without her my mc wouldn't have found out about my antagonist cheating and because of that would have never been expelled. She also helps my mc realize the theme of the meaning of true friendship that my mc has already been doing subconsciously all along.
I am so happy when i say that i made these character and i could clearly answer each of the answers and have a clearer story thanks to you and im so happyyyyy Thank you!!!!
Powerful side characters literally help shape the story. The tale would not be the same without them. One of my favorites is M-O from WALL E. I friggin love that little guy.
You are so knowledgeable, well-spoken, talented and beautiful! Your UA-cam channel is one of the most helpful and entertaining ones I've subscribed to this year.
Literally every character in the movie Troy (2004) have amazing subplots and finally end up making a big impact on the overall progress of the story. I love how its a series of mistakes made by all these characters and their consequences as faced by everyone.
I haven't commented on your videos lately, but I've been watching them all. Your videos are so helpful! Last week I used your plotting videos to finally use the 3 act story structure in conjunction with my outline, and wow! It was so eyeopening. Thank you for sharing all of these tips. I definitely took notes for this one.
Peace be with you 💐💐 I am no expert, but I think one of the ways to make that happen is if you give enough internal conflict for the side character in the first book. Or depending on your book, you could even leave the character's internal conflict not entirely solved at the end of the first book. Internal conflict is key!! Check out her videos on that topic (internal conflict). Another way you could do that is make the character important to the main character. Maybe the choices this side character makes is important, or has some sort of impact (as she discussed in this video) on the main character. Another important thing could be point of view. Feel free to ask further questions!!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🌟 Side characters should have their own agenda or motive, not just exist for the plot's convenience. 02:12 🌟 Side characters must directly engage with or impact the main character to matter. 03:45 🌟 Side characters can carry an additional theme, teaching the main character a powerful lesson. 04:55 🌟 Side characters should have a deciding vote in how the story ends, influencing the main character's realization. 06:28 🌟 Use Jane Austen's novel "Emma" as a story example to illustrate the four must-haves of powerful side characters. 09:43 🌟 In "Emma," various side characters impact the main character's growth and lead to her ultimate realization. Made with HARPA AI
Thank you, Abbie! I really needed this! I'm writing a story that has expanded into so many more characters than I originally planned. But now, you've help me already begin figuring out which ones will pay major contribution to the plot!
Favourite side character for me is Guido Mista from Jojos Bizarre Adventure Part 5: hilarious and kinda wack when he has to be but also serious when it’s time to get to business
Thanks, Abbie I've just finished watching this video and WOW you are amazing as always. I have created some side characters in my story but except for a few I haven't done sufficient to give them the respect they do deserve. In fact, the antagonists ( They are a diabolical bunch) have more detailed personas than the outer fringe of the Protagonist's team. These team members-some very close to the protagonist and as you mention-advise the protagonist and have a say but their influence seems to have a very subtle display of weightage that could go unnoticed by a quick reader. I'm going to set that right in the next few days. Thank you again and Rock On!!!
I'll admit some of these points had me lost at one point. I could not for the life of me figure out if two of my characters were side characters or not, I mean they're pretty important as they are my MC's parents and yes they teach her important lessons. But did they make an impact/directly engage in my MC's life/story? What is their theme? Huh? What? Theme? What do you mean theme? I was already extremely frustrated, stressed, and angry with other things that are going on in my life at the moment, plus with Autism topping that like a cherry on an ice cream sundae...yeah not a good mix. But after I rested for a bit while listening to relaxing music, I came back to this video with a fresh mind and everything began to click, finally it all made so much sense. After I wrote some points down I can finally concluded that yes my MC's parents are side characters, thank you for taking the time to make these videos for us writers, especially writers that are autistic or have any other mental challenges as it can sometimes be a real struggle to understand on how to make our stories amazing.
Love this one Abbie and thank you for the quality videos - I can see how much effort you put into them! It gave me an idea to expand the novel duet I am working on.
In a story I'm working on (I haven't decided whether it'll be a book or comic), when the mc and her brother start working at this agency, one of their first missions are to find the killers of a young boy's parents, a few years later as they are bleeding out, failing to beat the villian. The black ops (from the agency) drop in through the doors and windows, standing at the top of the warehouse, is the boy, now a teenager and wearing a mask styled like an octopus, the aroua of a tentacle grapples the villian, breaking his hawk mask. (You have to read the comic/book to understand the power system)
this video might be 2 years old but it's still VERY helpful. I'm making a point and click game and was scared that the 'side characters' are too plain. this helped a lot!
In the Lord of the Rings I really like how Sam influences Frodo throughout his journey. He is not truly the main character but he has main character symptoms. Tolkien even said he was the true hero but the story was about Frodo destroying the ring.
Family members could offer important lessons and/or obstacles for the main character, so they are something to consider. They don't HAVE to be focused on if otherwise.
My main character has a big family and even though I try to make everyone important, I can’t find a way for the mom to add anything. Should I remove her?
What if the main character develops a family relationship with the side character (Like a child). I am still figuring out what is their purpose in the story since it's a post-apocalyptic-medieval-fantasy-story. Pretty much a make-believe end of the world, post-apocalyptic medieval fantasy world, that takes place after the impact. Sort like on those earth stories. When the earth ends and heals over time, and things change. So I am still world-building it how I make it interesting usually post-apocalyptic genre is all about character surviving but the fantasy genre is magic and monsters I like that idea. How I put side character into a genre like that? (:
This episode made me so happy!!!!! I legit saw this this morning when you posted it and screamed with delight... but sadly had to wait till now to watch it cuz of VBS this morning... This was actually exactly what I needed right now because I’ve been working on my side characters and am trying to develop them more. I have kind of been treating them as miniature main characters needing to flesh them out fully since they’re her three best friends.
I would love to see you do a study on side characters in Wuthering Heights, since it’s really them who have complete character arcs and in the case of the next generation, happy endings. Cathy and Heathcliff both have their tragic endings, never really resolving.
Silena Bouregard is one of the best side characters i've seen. And the fact that she didn't get much screen time as well. She had a full arc, a goal, a failure, a misbelief. Just Perfection
Thank you so much for the tips I’m writing a Draco malfoy fanfic and I needed help on creating the characters Jacob Jenkins and Courtney Bennett best friends of my main character Davina rose
The thing that matters to me the most is the main and side characters in a story. If they're not colorful or likeable, then I always abandon the book because plot is nothing to me if the character's aren't interesting. It's also why I love making all of my characters have either colorful personalities or personalities that hold depth based on their background or backstory. I also have a thing for friendship because it's so wholesome so I always have my side characters have a big impact on my main character's growth while also developing on their own, impacted by the main character in the same way.
One Punch Man have good arc for side character that convey the impact of the main character and Rezero has great side character that learn from the main character that happen to teach the main character. ^_^
I still remember how, on my 15th birthday, in English class, instead of doing whatever the rest of the class was doing, I got to summarize my favorite movie. However, there was a catch: I had to summarize the entire movie on an index card. It was far easier said than done. It took several tries, and, in the end, I couldn’t even mention my favorite character because he wasn’t important to the plot. I initially saw him as a side character, especially since he appeared in some of the promotional material, but I learned the hard way that he was actually a minor character/comic relief who had no impact on the movie’s plot. I started out excited and ended up disappointed.
Mathew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert's brother, and stand-in father figure for Anne in Anne of Green Gables. Mrs. Rachel Lynd (Marilla's busybody neighbor) and of course, Gilbert Blythe also figure prominently. That is the joy of well-written side characters. The ensemble is much greater than the impact of any one character.
Michael Carpenter from Jim Butcher’s The Dresden files. He makes the main character take a hard look at some of the choices that he makes and pushes him to make the more honorable ones
I have a question ; You said that one of the points that makes a side character powerful is whether or not they have an impact on the mc, and the reason for that is that us, as readers/viewers care the most about the mc. But it seemed to me like it would make everything revolve around them. However, I want a story where the mc is just as important as any other character, since the only thing that makes them different is an external factor : them being the main character of the story. So I was thinking, can't we make the audience care about the side characters themselves without their concern being linked to the mc?
The fact that I almost never love or even like main characters just makes me think everything I’ve ever watched or read has horrible main character creation and development 😂 98% of the time, my favorite characters end up being the side characters. Either the best friends, the villains, the antagonists or even just the love interests. It’s so rare for a main character to be my favorite that whenever it happens I call it a miracle 😂 I can’t think of everything I’ve ever seen or read on the spot but I’m pretty sure out of the thousands, I’ve only ever had like 5 mains that are my favorites, and probably 10 or less mains that I love or at the very least like. Edit - proof that Abbie knows what she’s talking about: 100 Days of Sunlight is one of those rare miracle works where the main character Tessa is my favorite. And Weston is right up there in the number 1 spot too! He’s a precious bean that must be protected XD
I can think of too many good stories with that happening. I think it has to be okay because side characters don't exist in a vacuum. They have others in their lives. But the balance of how much each type of side character appears and how much each interacts directly with the protagonist (if at all) probably should be kept in mind and only the side character with a direct impact on the protagonist and a subplot like that should probably have much "screen" time.
I love your videos! I just found you because I also give writerly tips and YT suggested your channel, I love it and will definitely promote it on my videos. BTW I just preordered your new novel!! Can't wait. (I also write YA)
Question: how can we make sure that the side character doesn't become a main character? Sometimes I think that of I work too much on the side characters, they'll draw the focus of the story.
"Everyone is the protagonist of their own story"
Haikyuu is one of the best examples of this
TheRealJR7 my hero academia too
I was searching for this comment!!!
@Ms. Penguin Except Leorio :(
I feel like the antagonist in my family's story
@@rindomness
So be a powerful-ass antagonist!
Katara and Toph. Katara joins the story to travel to the northern water tribe to learn water bending. Toph joins the story to run away from an unhappy home life. They taught Aang bending but beyond that Katara shows Aang how to love and let go of pain, Toph teaches him to stand and fight. The war couldnt have been won without them. Perfectly written side characters.
I didn't care for the second season
@@reubenshupp8132 Yee the last were better
@@Anweshamishraaa Samesies😁. It really is a masterpiece of story telling
I love atla!
@@Anweshamishraaa the first season was the set up of the world, from refugees to colonies as well as an episode dedicated to the backstory of Aang and Zuko, without the context, the rest of the seasons wouldn’t have made sense
The Weasley twins, they are an awesome example for powerful side characters. And I love them! 💛
Right on so true!
Love them
They’re my favorite Harry Potter characters
@@aftoncrain2042 same
Me2! They are my 2nd favorite characters in the weasley family :) my favorite is Ron bc I could really relate to him
Something I learnt in acting is that everyone has a goal. The way I like to think of it is when there is a busy market in the theatre show, you can't just walk around in random directions. Everyone has a goal, they go to buy some bread, then meet up with their friend and walk to the library. It makes everything more realistic
Nicely said, Minty! Hey :)
You should watch One Piece.
For me the best example of this is Avatar the Last Airbender.
ATLA will always have best examples when it comes to...well everything!!
@@yessica5231 how to burn your son's face guide 101
Abbie is the best writing instructor of all time.
Anyone else binge-watching her videos just to write a good fanfiction?
yes
yes and no. I'm planning on writing a novel as well.
I'm currently turning an old fanfic idea into a original novel, but I found her videos years ago for precisely writing better fanfiction 😉
@@LottePea I'm also watching this to turn a fanfic into a novel, though I just found her today been binge watching just to make sure I'm not making any horrible mistakes, and fixing them while I'm watching...
I am feeling like writing a novel that is also a fanfic.
Someone pointed out about the Warner Brothers cartoon characters: "Every character wants something."
Hu huh huh... I'm hunting WABBITS. Dere's one now! BWAM! Rats. Missed.
@@cosmic-fortytwo *Wats.... not Rats 😂
One of my favorite side characters of all time is Finnick in the Hunger Games. I am a big reader and have read tons of the big thick literary classics, but in all those famous, eloquent, world-changing books, I have rarely found a side character as powerful as Finnick (as portrayed in the books). The way Katniss learns through her (platonic) relationship with him that you have to look past other peoples’ manipulation to see a person’s true personality, how anyone-even grown men who many people see as invulnerable-can be taken advantage of and sexually abused, how who someone loves is not defined by who they have loved before or who everyone thinks they should love, and how someone’s true personality can still be reawoken even after many years of manipulation and abuse. He was a phenomenal side character, both in his own right and because of what he taught Katniss.
Side note, I think the Hunger Games is some quality ass literature and should be recognized as such. The love triangle and the classic mid teen “strong female lead” throw people off, but after reading a great many of what are considered “classics” and “great literature,” the Hunger Games still stands as one of the most transformative reads of my life🤷🏻♀️
An agenda:
Why is it important for sidey to come in life of mainey? What's his role?
An Impact: does and how my side character impact and engage my mainey?
Theme: what lesson I want to my side character to teach my main character?
His or her deciding vote for the end?
I took notes for this one. :D I love this so much! I can't wait to apply this to my writing.
Same
Wow I hadn't thought of how impactful all those Emma characters are! Now you make me want to reread it again. Just recently saw the mini series for it that you showed on here! One of my favorite side characters is Samwise in Lord of the Rings. And Roger Hamley in Wives and Daughters!
My GOSH this channel is gold.
Alright... My notebook is filling up each week with all of your awesome videos!!! Thanks for another awesome topic this week!
omg awesome!! this comment brightened my day 💛
Well-rounded guidance on the roles of secondary or side characters and how to best fit them in your story adding new depth and dimensions. Practical examples from "Emma of Jane Austen" is and excellent bonus ! Thank you Abbie Emmons
1. Agenda - why do THEY NEED to enter story?
2. Impact - Do they do directly engage the MC (the yardstick of measuring others' importance to story)?
3. Theme - What lesson can they teach?
4. Deciding Vote - Can they vote on what the ending is?
I love this video! So, many side characters feel flat and pointless, but these are some great tips to strengthen them.
I'm almost done writing this coming of age, comedy, fantasy, romance novel where I have this side character that I actually think I did a good job with writing! I wrote down how she checks out the 4 boxes you mentioned so you can see for yourself to see if she is good. :)
Agenda: At the beginning of the book my side character is actually friends with the antagonist who is a narcissistic, manipulative, mean girl (this is a high school setting). They have been "friends" since 6th grade so my side character doesn't believe that her "best friend" would do anything bad to her. My side characters agenda is pretty simple, she wants to help my antagonist with her plots to keep my main character inferior to her, but deep down to prove herself to the antagonist even if what she helps my antagonist with are things that she knows are morally wrong.
Impact: My side character starts making her impact in the 2nd act of the story. She agrees to helping my antagonist try to win prom queen so my antagonist can win a bet against the main character. However my antagonist knows that if my main character (especially my main characters best friend and love interest) finds out about her cheating my antagonist would lose the bet automatically. She explains this to my side character but assures her my mc won't find out. However close to prom my antagonist decides that she no longer needs my main characters help and sabotages her. This shatters my side character when she finds out my antagonist never really thought she was her friend. Needless to say, my side character is angered by this and goes to tell my mc that the antagonist has been cheating the whole time. A lot goes down after that, but in summary after this my main characters and my side character go confront my antagonist she gets my antagonist expelled from school and actually ends up winning prom queen but ends up passing it down to my mc after seeing how my mc treats her friends in the way they should be treated and by extension her. In the end she ends up becoming friends with my mc.
Theme: The theme that my side character learns is one of the two major themes of my story actually. My side character learns that friends are people who are always there for you and stick by you no matter what.
Deciding vote: My side character has a deciding vote because without her my mc wouldn't have found out about my antagonist cheating and because of that would have never been expelled. She also helps my mc realize the theme of the meaning of true friendship that my mc has already been doing subconsciously all along.
simply superb!!! congratulations!
I am so happy when i say that i made these character and i could clearly answer each of the answers and have a clearer story thanks to you and im so happyyyyy Thank you!!!!
Imagine if the Erins had watched this video before writing Warriors
Harry Potter has the best side characters!! ❤️💛
This was clear precise advice.thank you 🙏🏾
Powerful side characters literally help shape the story. The tale would not be the same without them. One of my favorites is M-O from WALL E. I friggin love that little guy.
I'm very glad you used _Emma_ as an example, as it's one of my favorite books, and definitely has nothing but great characters in it!
You are so knowledgeable, well-spoken, talented and beautiful! Your UA-cam channel is one of the most helpful and entertaining ones I've subscribed to this year.
Every single member of the Straw Hats. Each one is a masterpiece of character motivations.
I am in love with Lysandra, Aedion, Rowan pretty much every freaking character in The throne of glass series.
I think I just unclogged my issue with my side characters thanks to you, thank you 😭
Thanks this was so helpful. I didn't want my side characters to be bland lol. I love your videos ❤
Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Robin, Alfred, Mary Jane, Marion Ravenwood, Q, Sturm Brightblade, Tasselhoff Burrfoot
Literally every character in the movie Troy (2004) have amazing subplots and finally end up making a big impact on the overall progress of the story. I love how its a series of mistakes made by all these characters and their consequences as faced by everyone.
My question for each character is, "What's their story?"
I don't need a big answer; just what they want and what function that serves in the story.
When Hide barely have any screen time but he's one of the most important pillars to Tokyo Ghoul
I haven't commented on your videos lately, but I've been watching them all. Your videos are so helpful! Last week I used your plotting videos to finally use the 3 act story structure in conjunction with my outline, and wow! It was so eyeopening. Thank you for sharing all of these tips. I definitely took notes for this one.
I'm so glad my videos have been helping you, Chase!! 😊 and I'm stoked that you're using the 3-act story structure! it's a game changer. ✨
Ahh this was PERFECT for where I am in my book right now!!! Thank you 😊
What if your side character becomes one of the main characters in the sequels? How do you make that transition work?
this is exactly my question too!!
Peace be with you 💐💐 I am no expert, but I think one of the ways to make that happen is if you give enough internal conflict for the side character in the first book. Or depending on your book, you could even leave the character's internal conflict not entirely solved at the end of the first book. Internal conflict is key!! Check out her videos on that topic (internal conflict). Another way you could do that is make the character important to the main character. Maybe the choices this side character makes is important, or has some sort of impact (as she discussed in this video) on the main character. Another important thing could be point of view. Feel free to ask further questions!!
@@harikasribooktalks peace be with you 💐💐 I replied to the person answering the question with my own thoughts
I love Jane Austen too. And this is a great video. After writing 9 novels your videos have still taught me so much to put into my writing.
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 🌟 Side characters should have their own agenda or motive, not just exist for the plot's convenience.
02:12 🌟 Side characters must directly engage with or impact the main character to matter.
03:45 🌟 Side characters can carry an additional theme, teaching the main character a powerful lesson.
04:55 🌟 Side characters should have a deciding vote in how the story ends, influencing the main character's realization.
06:28 🌟 Use Jane Austen's novel "Emma" as a story example to illustrate the four must-haves of powerful side characters.
09:43 🌟 In "Emma," various side characters impact the main character's growth and lead to her ultimate realization.
Made with HARPA AI
Thank you, Abbie! I really needed this! I'm writing a story that has expanded into so many more characters than I originally planned. But now, you've help me already begin figuring out which ones will pay major contribution to the plot!
This video changed my thinking about how I’m going to write my side characters profoundly. Thank you
Thank you very much dear Abbie for your savvy insight.
Omg I learn so much from you 😍
I love this! Writing my first book and these videos have helped me so much! Thank you.
Hobie Brown woke me up to the power of making a side character compelling
Favourite side character for me is Guido Mista from Jojos Bizarre Adventure Part 5: hilarious and kinda wack when he has to be but also serious when it’s time to get to business
I had no idea how badly I needed this before I watched it. Thank you!
That Bookshelf is Life Goals 😍 I hope my collection expands to allow me to walk through that many worlds someday. 🤗
Wallace's lieutenants and the Bruce in Braveheart really nail this each bringing perspective wisdom advice and big freaking swords to the story
Thanks, Abbie I've just finished watching this video and WOW you are amazing as always. I have created some side characters in my story but except for a few I haven't done sufficient to give them the respect they do deserve. In fact, the antagonists ( They are a diabolical bunch) have more detailed personas than the outer fringe of the Protagonist's team. These team members-some very close to the protagonist and as you mention-advise the protagonist and have a say but their influence seems to have a very subtle display of weightage that could go unnoticed by a quick reader. I'm going to set that right in the next few days. Thank you again and Rock On!!!
I'll admit some of these points had me lost at one point. I could not for the life of me figure out if two of my characters were side characters or not, I mean they're pretty important as they are my MC's parents and yes they teach her important lessons. But did they make an impact/directly engage in my MC's life/story? What is their theme? Huh? What? Theme? What do you mean theme? I was already extremely frustrated, stressed, and angry with other things that are going on in my life at the moment, plus with Autism topping that like a cherry on an ice cream sundae...yeah not a good mix. But after I rested for a bit while listening to relaxing music, I came back to this video with a fresh mind and everything began to click, finally it all made so much sense. After I wrote some points down I can finally concluded that yes my MC's parents are side characters, thank you for taking the time to make these videos for us writers, especially writers that are autistic or have any other mental challenges as it can sometimes be a real struggle to understand on how to make our stories amazing.
Love this one Abbie and thank you for the quality videos - I can see how much effort you put into them! It gave me an idea to expand the novel duet I am working on.
In a story I'm working on (I haven't decided whether it'll be a book or comic), when the mc and her brother start working at this agency, one of their first missions are to find the killers of a young boy's parents, a few years later as they are bleeding out, failing to beat the villian. The black ops (from the agency) drop in through the doors and windows, standing at the top of the warehouse, is the boy, now a teenager and wearing a mask styled like an octopus, the aroua of a tentacle grapples the villian, breaking his hawk mask. (You have to read the comic/book to understand the power system)
That's really cool 😎
@@SnowyDeer wow I completely forgot about this concept
@@Buterballer Aw man lol
this video might be 2 years old but it's still VERY helpful.
I'm making a point and click game and was scared that the 'side characters' are too plain. this helped a lot!
I love all of the Jane Austen references. Bring them on!
My 7 year old daughter likes listening to your videos. I might have a little writer in the future 😀
Javier da le Ventura's siblings from 'three wishes'. the author nailed the family connections and made the sidde characters lovable and human.
In the Lord of the Rings I really like how Sam influences Frodo throughout his journey. He is not truly the main character but he has main character symptoms. Tolkien even said he was the true hero but the story was about Frodo destroying the ring.
I agree, but I'm the type of guy who likes to make the side characters shine at some moments, doing things the MC wouldn't ever be able to.
Would family members be considered side characters?
Mostly likely considering the Weasleys in Harry Potter most of them were side characters
No, not unless you want them to be important
Family members could offer important lessons and/or obstacles for the main character, so they are something to consider. They don't HAVE to be focused on if otherwise.
Depends on if you want them to be. They certainly don't have to be.
If you make them side characters, yes.
My main character has a big family and even though I try to make everyone important, I can’t find a way for the mom to add anything. Should I remove her?
If you think she won't be relevant to the story then remove her. It's all up to you. If you want the mom to be important, then make her important.
Ask yourself, how would the mc be affected without her? Does it matter to the mc if you remove her?
Your channel is so helpful! I love your stuff
What if the main character develops a family relationship with the side character (Like a child). I am still figuring out what is their purpose in the story since it's a post-apocalyptic-medieval-fantasy-story. Pretty much a make-believe end of the world, post-apocalyptic medieval fantasy world, that takes place after the impact. Sort like on those earth stories. When the earth ends and heals over time, and things change.
So I am still world-building it how I make it interesting usually post-apocalyptic genre is all about character surviving but the fantasy genre is magic and monsters I like that idea.
How I put side character into a genre like that? (:
I was really hoping you would talk about Sam from The Lord of the Rings.
I smashed the like button, my device broke. This is great, my teacher loved it!!!!!!!!! Tysmmmmm!!!!!!!
So helpful, thank you
Thanks for the advice! I’d say Morgan Freeman’s character from Million Dollar Baby is a good example!
Your videos are so helpful! Thank you 💛
This video was so helpful ( like all your videos are). Thank you
This episode made me so happy!!!!! I legit saw this this morning when you posted it and screamed with delight... but sadly had to wait till now to watch it cuz of VBS this morning...
This was actually exactly what I needed right now because I’ve been working on my side characters and am trying to develop them more. I have kind of been treating them as miniature main characters needing to flesh them out fully since they’re her three best friends.
My story every major character that impacts the story a lot have their own theme that's tells US about our lives
I am in love with your channel and videos.They help me to became a writer in the future
I'm rereading "Emma" right now! I'm literally about to pick it up after I finish watching some of your videos 😃
However it was jarring to see the new film and not the Gwyneth Paltrow one. Tell me you've seen that one!
this all seems to fit in perfectly in drama. but too a lesser degree to other catorgary's?
I would love to see you do a study on side characters in Wuthering Heights, since it’s really them who have complete character arcs and in the case of the next generation, happy endings. Cathy and Heathcliff both have their tragic endings, never really resolving.
Dam. After watching this I thought of how I can create an entire novella on almost each side carecter in the work I am currwntly working on.
Silena Bouregard is one of the best side characters i've seen. And the fact that she didn't get much screen time as well. She had a full arc, a goal, a failure, a misbelief. Just Perfection
Thank you so much for the tips I’m writing a Draco malfoy fanfic and I needed help on creating the characters Jacob Jenkins and Courtney Bennett best friends of my main character Davina rose
I love that you exemplify with Austen
Love, love, love.
This is was so helpful thank you! Also your room is fucking stunning I can't stop staring a etheral and beautiful and aesthetically pleasing
How do I apply all this if I have multiple main characters?
Thank you so much for posting this and everything you post! Very useful!
Callum Treadwell from the Renegades!
Best side character ever:
Millard freaking Nullings from Ransom Riggs "peculiar children " series
The thing that matters to me the most is the main and side characters in a story. If they're not colorful or likeable, then I always abandon the book because plot is nothing to me if the character's aren't interesting. It's also why I love making all of my characters have either colorful personalities or personalities that hold depth based on their background or backstory. I also have a thing for friendship because it's so wholesome so I always have my side characters have a big impact on my main character's growth while also developing on their own, impacted by the main character in the same way.
One Punch Man have good arc for side character that convey the impact of the main character and Rezero has great side character that learn from the main character that happen to teach the main character. ^_^
I love your videos about writing I have been going to your videos a lot your should teach a course 🙂
I still remember how, on my 15th birthday, in English class, instead of doing whatever the rest of the class was doing, I got to summarize my favorite movie. However, there was a catch: I had to summarize the entire movie on an index card. It was far easier said than done. It took several tries, and, in the end, I couldn’t even mention my favorite character because he wasn’t important to the plot. I initially saw him as a side character, especially since he appeared in some of the promotional material, but I learned the hard way that he was actually a minor character/comic relief who had no impact on the movie’s plot. I started out excited and ended up disappointed.
Mathew Cuthbert, Marilla Cuthbert's brother, and stand-in father figure for Anne in Anne of Green Gables. Mrs. Rachel Lynd (Marilla's busybody neighbor) and of course, Gilbert Blythe also figure prominently. That is the joy of well-written side characters. The ensemble is much greater than the impact of any one character.
Michael Carpenter from Jim Butcher’s The Dresden files. He makes the main character take a hard look at some of the choices that he makes and pushes him to make the more honorable ones
lol i literally just watched this version of emma. your analysis helped so much!
Yay!! All four of my side characters have all 4 of your must-haves!
I have a question ;
You said that one of the points that makes a side character powerful is whether or not they have an impact on the mc, and the reason for that is that us, as readers/viewers care the most about the mc.
But it seemed to me like it would make everything revolve around them. However, I want a story where the mc is just as important as any other character, since the only thing that makes them different is an external factor : them being the main character of the story.
So I was thinking, can't we make the audience care about the side characters themselves without their concern being linked to the mc?
The fact that I almost never love or even like main characters just makes me think everything I’ve ever watched or read has horrible main character creation and development 😂 98% of the time, my favorite characters end up being the side characters. Either the best friends, the villains, the antagonists or even just the love interests. It’s so rare for a main character to be my favorite that whenever it happens I call it a miracle 😂 I can’t think of everything I’ve ever seen or read on the spot but I’m pretty sure out of the thousands, I’ve only ever had like 5 mains that are my favorites, and probably 10 or less mains that I love or at the very least like.
Edit - proof that Abbie knows what she’s talking about: 100 Days of Sunlight is one of those rare miracle works where the main character Tessa is my favorite. And Weston is right up there in the number 1 spot too! He’s a precious bean that must be protected XD
good video. What about side characters that impact other side characters that impact the protagonist? Or is that too messy?
I can think of too many good stories with that happening. I think it has to be okay because side characters don't exist in a vacuum. They have others in their lives. But the balance of how much each type of side character appears and how much each interacts directly with the protagonist (if at all) probably should be kept in mind and only the side character with a direct impact on the protagonist and a subplot like that should probably have much "screen" time.
I love your videos! I just found you because I also give writerly tips and YT suggested your channel, I love it and will definitely promote it on my videos. BTW I just preordered your new novel!! Can't wait. (I also write YA)
Thank you so much, Stephanie!! 💛✨ I'm so glad you've been enjoying my videos! :D
Olaf and swen, best side characters ever!
Question: how can we make sure that the side character doesn't become a main character? Sometimes I think that of I work too much on the side characters, they'll draw the focus of the story.
What is I don't want powerful side characters? I just want supporting characters. How do you think that effects readers and the story?
Great summary. Thanks Abbie :)