Secondary Characters: Populating Your Story with Figures Who Entice & Intrigue

One of the worst reading experiences is when we can feel the author's hand pushing the story along in a predetermined direction. No matter how complex the protagonist nor how colorful the world, the story will feel empty without a cast of other characters who operate like a moving field of magnets, attracting and repelling, provoking feelings and curiosity in both the protagonist and the reader. A reader is more fully engaged when they're compelled to guess which of these other characters will most impact the plot, who deserves trust and who deserves suspicion; to wonder where they come from and why they act the way they do. Ideally, such characters can entirely break the shackles of their secondary status by changing how the reader feels about the protagonist and the entire direction of the plot. This craft talk will help us look at some of our favorite secondary characters in speculative fiction and what makes them work so well, and also offer reflections on how to avoid clichés and stock characters.

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‍Details: Secondary Characters: Populating Your Story with Figures Who Entice & Intrigue with Peter Gelderloos takes place Tuesday, March 18 from 6:30-8:30pm in person at the Literary Cleveland office (13002 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland OH 44120).

‍Prerequisite: None

‍Genre: Fiction

‍Level: All levels

‍Format: Craft Talk

‍Location: This class takes place in person at the Literary Cleveland office (13002 Larchmere Blvd, Cleveland OH 44120).

‍Size: Limited to 25 participants.

‍Scholarships: Two scholarship spots are available for this class for writers in Northeast Ohio. Apply by December 16.

‍Cancellations & Refunds: Cancel at least 48 hours in advance of the first class meeting to receive a full refund. Email info@litcleveland.org.