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So you have things planned out to the last detail - or if you're a pantser then you have an idea in your brain. It might be a bit fuzzy, but it's there. Either way you now know your MC and you're moving forward when all of a sudden one of your supporting characters decides to steal the show. Chances are this character is lots of fun with a dazzling personality. It's very tempting... but you have a story to tell and it's meant for your MC!
What do you do?
There are a couple of things that might be going on here. The first possibility is that your MC is falling flat and your subconscious is reaching for something easier. AKA the shiny, fun character that feels natural to write. If this is the case (and only you know if it is), you should stop and reassess your character building. Do whatever it is you need to do to get inside your MC's head. Try to find out what's preventing her from coming fully to life.
BUT if the reason is that the supporting character is just one of those show-stealers, I recommend sitting down and having a heart-to-heart with him. What? Is my insanity showing again? Seriously! I've done this. And what I said was, "Listen, this is X's story, not yours, no matter how much I love you. So if you behave and anything ever comes of this, I will make you the star of the next book."
In other words, give yourself permission to explore this character that's so grabbed you, but in such a way that it doesn't overshadow the wonderful work you're currently pursuing.
Good. That sounds far more sane. Um, I mean reasonable.
photo credit
Another thing to consider is whether or not you've chosen the correct MC. Sometimes the story is better told by a different character. Maybe the this character who is stealing the show is trying to tell you it's really his/her story to tell.
ReplyDeleteI've had this happen and you're absolutely right. The problem was, I just wasn't well connected to my main character. They got a complete overhaul once I realized that was the problem. BTW, I put a link to Playthings Of The Gods on my sidebar. ;)
ReplyDeleteLove Donkey! Definitely a show stealer. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had a critique partner comment that a secondary was stronger than my MC once. And it was for the reason you suggest - I'd allowed the secondary more free reign. And I'm still trying to work it out!
I've had a heart to heart with several of my characters. They weren't as supportive as they should have been, but we've talked about it and they're better now. They know I love them and I'd never short change them.
ReplyDeleteIs my craziness showing now, too?
I do that too! I had to let one of my side characters know that I cut his background story out of my final version because it didn't fit tightly enough with the main plot. But I told him that I'd make him the star next time, if he was okay with being the scary guy you never know the motivation of in this one. He begrudgingly agreed. ;)
ReplyDeleteLOL!
ReplyDeleteKelly - YES, that is another possibility!
Heather - THANK YOU SO MUCH!! :D
Susan - Be strong! Have a heart to heart.
Emily - You're in good company.
I don't know if I've ever had this exact thing happen to me. But I also rarely have one MC, so I guess that's a big part of it. :) I loved the picture, though, donkey's a great example of a fun, shiny character. :) If this ever happens, now I know what to do!
ReplyDeleteThis has happened to me, too. In my current WIP, one of my supporting characters was awesome and my MC was just meh. In the end, it really was that my MC needed more development. And now she's AWESOME. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis, as always. I've had this, when a supporting character outshone the MC. It's good cause to think about what's going on with the story.
ReplyDeleteNascentnovelist - So you know what I mean! LOL
ReplyDeleteBethany - Aww, I've had two MCs before, and still had some upstaging going on. Maybe it's me. :D
Shallee - Yay!! That's the best! When the MC is awesome and so are the supporting characters.
Sarah - Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. And that you were able to fix your MS.
I tend to have secondaries that all flat, making me sometimes wonder why they're there at all. I'm rewriting now and took out 2 characters who were fun to come up with, but really unnecessary. :(
ReplyDeleteerica
Had this happen with the book I just finished. It turned out I needed to up my main character a notch or two-- to give him more strength, more credit-- and the result was a quirky chemistry between the main character and the supporting character that added a LOT to the novel.
ReplyDeleteHi lisa!
ReplyDeleteI've given you a BLOG AWARD. Feel free to drop by anytime to pick it up. Just a little something to brighten up your day. :)
warm regards,
nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Sounds like it's time for a series to me! I'd be jotting down notes for my next book.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of your characters in mind that might have been strong arming you during the story! Yes, if the MC isn't as interesting as other characters...ugh oh!
ReplyDeleteI have those conversations while I'm driving all the time (I think best when I'm in a car). My kids know I'm wacky, though, so they ignore it. We only have a problem when we are driving their friends around. "Why do we have to be THE WEIRD FAMILY?" says a desperate voice from the back seat.
ReplyDeleteI've had this happen, too, and had to reign in the secondary character. I like how you have a talk with him/her and promise to feature them in the next book. That'll work!
ReplyDeleteI love this post!
ReplyDeleteMy current WIP has an oxygen thief in it, and that's exactly what he's there to do. He doesn't steal the show, but he wants to. He's angry with me that he's not the star of the show as well, but this is Morgan and George's novel, not his.
Erica - I did a post on that too at some point... Yes, the opposite can happen. Make sure they have a purpose and are rounded out as well. :D
ReplyDeleteJenn - Isn't it awesome when things work out like that?? That's what makes revision so worthwhile.
Nutschell - Thanks!! I will stop by. That's really sweet of you.
Shelli- Having a series in mind isn't necessarily a bad thing. Just don't write twelve novels before you sell the first! LOL
Julie - I can't wait to hear who you think I'm referring to!
Kristen - My kids love that I'm wacky because they think it gives them free license. :D
Lyn - Glad you value my insanity - er, I mean my ideas.
Ebony - I can't wait to read that!
Yes! I have had this problem both because I wasn't deep enough in the MC's thoughts and because the character was a scene stealer. The scene stealer once hijacked my brain and wouldn't let me think of anything else until I agreed to listen to his story. I had to admit it was pretty interesting, so I told him he could be a recurring character. :)
ReplyDeleteJami - I feel better knowing others have these "sit downs" with their characters as well. :D I'm glad you liked the post!
ReplyDeleteYep, I have a supporting character trying to overshadow my MC but I tell him he'll get his turn later and he calms down ;)
ReplyDeleteRobert McKee (Story) (yeah, I quote him a lot) had a great explanation for these little show stealers. It was all about dimensionality, and which character had more. If your secondary character has more dimensions (internal conflicts) than your MC, you've got a problem. But you can have a fascinatingly (ack!) dimensional secondary character...as long as your MC has more conflict than a tormented vampire boyfriend. Or something like that. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
Good post and advice. I've got one or two scene-stealing supporting characters, but they're just not proactive enough to pose a threat to my MC.
ReplyDeleteIn the young adult urban fantasy I just released, the MMC was originally supposed to be a sideline character. I showed the first scene to a few friends (which I do, sometimes, to check how interesting it is, because they'll be forthright with me).
ReplyDeleteThat "sideline character" caught everyone's interest, and kept popping up. I thought about it, realized that using him wouldn't change the core story I wanted to tell, and accepted him.
It was later, as I was doing final edits, that I realized I had to have him in there to tell the core story that I'd wanted to tell. I'd started the story with a conflicting core goal (which I'd kept) and surface goal (which I'd ditched with the decision to make the vampire a major character).
I'm learning to just trust my subconscious. It makes the logical connections far more quickly than I do.
Lynda - Yay! See? We can talk to the people in our head and be totally fine.
ReplyDeleteSusan - Is THAT what happened to Twilight? Oops - did I say that in my outside voice?
Paul - then they are doing a GREAT job! Thanks for the comment.
Carradee - I love that!! Trust your subconscious. Excellent!
Love your example of Donkey. Dorie in FINDING NEMO stole the show for me. I agree it's time to peel away the layers, like an onion,(Shrek on the brain) of your MC, if an ally is pulling too much focus.
ReplyDeleteIf we're inventing characters anyway, why stop there? Why not talk to them too? The key is to remember who is in control.
ReplyDeleteA few days ago, one of my critique partners said she didn't have a vivid picture of my MC, while she could see some of the other characters clearly. She suggested I go back in and concentrate more on what the MC smells, feels, hears, etc. She was right. I love the idea of having a chat with this character and learning more about her.
Chatting with characters? Of course. How else do we get to know them. One of my supporters really came on during my second re-write of the start came out and is now a much bigger piece of the first part of the book, but he still knows he going away later on! But for now, he gets a girl and more print.
ReplyDeleteBut shouldn't the MC speak up sooner, or on their own if they see themselves fading?
Great point! I've had that happen before, and had to develop my MC some more. But I did end up giving the secondary character a bigger role, too, which made things so much more juicy!
ReplyDeleteLeslie - I love Dori too!!
ReplyDeleteMegan - you definitely should have a heart to heart with her!
Dean - that's a good point. Maybe sometimes we're just too focused on other things to hear the MC calling for help.
Alexia - Love it when that happens!
I don't think I've ever had that problem, possibly because of less writing experience in general, but also because I usually have multiple main characters. In my most recent novel, I did have trouble figuring out which of my main characters was the primary main character. I did figure it out eventually.
ReplyDeleteI read some of the comments. I'm just glad that I'm not the only one that feels almost as if my MC talks to me. My husband sometimes asks when I'm going to be writing. I tell him when "Erin" talks to me. Nice not to be the only nut in the fruit basket!
ReplyDeleteLighting - Not having a problem is always a good thing. :D But knowing your MC is very important. I'm glad you figured that out.
ReplyDeleteSherri - We prefer the term "writer". He he he. I love this community!!