I loved Luna Lovegood and Fred Weasley more than Harry, Hermonie, and Ron.
Finnick more than Katniss and Peeta.
Candor better than Tris and the Dauntless.
These authors have something in common: they took the time to flesh out every character by making them think they’re the main character.
They Think They’re The Most Important
Just like in real life, each character thinks they are the most important. Outside of mothers and immediate family, who else spends most of their time worrying about someone else’s problems and not their own?
Just like in real life, each character thinks they are the most important. Outside of mothers and immediate family, who else spends most of their time worrying about someone else’s problems and not their own?
Side characters have their own life and back story which influences their decisions away from the main story. When you hang out with friends each person is the main character in their perspective. What you do are MC actions in your mind. But they are also side character actions to everyone else sitting and talking.
They Are Mysterious
Especially in first person narratives, readers don’t get a chance to be inside side characters’ heads. We can analyze their decisions and dialogue for clues, but we aren’t run through their thoughts and feelings like the main character.
This intrigues us because they remain mysterious.
They Are Amplified
Most classic protagonists are rather boring- they usually take the moral stance, represent what is good, and the side character is the reader’s voice, asking the questions the reader ponders while reading.
The side character act as the catalyst and questions strict moral decisions of the protagonist in a world that isn’t black or white (Gale from the Hunger Games).
While your protagonist should always be front and center in the conflict, your side characters will more often than not jump first to stir the pot.
Above are signs of a good author. When you can empathize with even the smallest character, the author has done her job in fleshing them out, giving them mystery, and making them amplify the conflict by testing the beliefs of the protagonist.
