7 Other Characters To Consider When You Write A Book

Here are a few kinds of characters I consider flexible and interchangeable. If you are going to use them, think of why you have added them to the story. What function do they perform?

7 Other Characters To Consider When You Write A Book

1. Mentor: He is also called the protector. He can be a guide or a teacher. He often gives the protagonist gifts. He does not always have a good or polite relationship with the protagonist, think of Haymitch and Yoda. In a female form she is often called the Mother, and can be a fairy godmother or a surrogate mother, like Mrs Weasley, giving Harry maternal love or emotional support.
2. Healer: This can be a real medical professional or someone who fixes your protagonist when they’ve gotten into trouble. Be it the sealing of a sword wound near the fire or a session on the therapist’s couch. This character allows/strengthens the protagonist to go out there and try again.
3. Herald: This character calls the protagonist to action and starts them on their journey. Like Cousin Vinny or Connie in the Stephanie Plum series or M in James Bond. They give the hero his instructions in the beginning, it is not uncommon for the hero to disobey or ignore the initial call to action.
4. Wise One: This character is similar to the Mentor, but not as hands-on. They aren’t involved in the hero’s training as directly, but offer advice and safety to the hero. They are knowledgeable, often knowing more about the hero’s past than he does. The Wise one chooses to divulge this knowledge as he sees fit and this causes conflict between them. Think Dumbledore and Gandalf.
5. The Shape Shifter: Ok, this can be a literal or figurative shape shifter. In fantasy we have potions and spells that alter the appearance of characters or we have characters like werewolves who morph or physically change into something or someone else. Think of psychopaths, they present one image to the world, but are something else. Snape in Harry Potter is a good example. We never really know where we stand with Snape, right until the end. The purpose of this character is to do exactly that, create mistrust for the character and the reader.
6. The Bully:  This character does exactly what the name implies. They are bullies and add to the conflict. They are not the main antagonist, but make the protagonist’s life miserable. Bullies rarely travel alone. They need a pack.
7. The Gatekeeper: Just when your hero’s goal is within reach he’ll encounter this character. They are literally the last obstacle before the protagonist can confront the antagonist. They add to the dark night of the soul when all is seemingly lost for your character.

If you do research into archetypes you’ll find more. Some are similar and some definitions vary. You can call them influence characters or obstacle characters, there are even doppelgangers (two people who look alike – think Hitchcock, Poe, and Vampire Diaries), and Tempters and Sceptics.

Some say there are 16 archetypes. DISC breaks it down into four personality types; the hero’s journey includes several of the characters listed above. I want you to notice how these characters are interchangeable. Their functions can be shared to keep the character count down.

I want to remind you that additional characters will make your job as a writer harder, because those characters have to be as well-rounded as your main characters. If they are not, they will weaken your plot and come across as flat. If your talent however, is creating characters, let rip.

Just remember, before you add a character make sure what their function in the story is and if there is not a way that you can use an existing character to do that job.

Happy writing.

[Use our Character Creation Kit to create great characters for your stories.]

 by Mia Botha

If you enjoyed this post, you will love:

1. The Role Of The Love Interest In Fiction
2. All My Friends Are Fictional
3. The Portrait Of The Antagonist As A Human Being
4. The Importance Of Being The Protagonist

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