Episode 16 – Secondary Characters

A secondary character should help reveal the details of the plot and progress the story in some way. They can either inspire the protagonist or oppose the protagonist.

Do:

  • Attach them to a place so that the reader can remember who they are.
  • Go shallow, go deep to make a rounded character. As an author know something superficial as well as a character’s greatest fear.
  • Use a character to illustrate the world you’ve created.
  • There ensure that there is a reason the character is in the scene.

Don’t

  • Have too many characters
  • Make them into caricatures or too black and white.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs:

All human beings have to have their lower levels needs, such as food and water met, before the character can pursue self-actualisation.

  • Food, water and shelter are the most basic needs.
  • Safety and security.
  • Love and belonging, inner wellbeing.
  • Accomplishments and self-esteem.
  • Self-actualisation.

Episode 15 – Six Senses

Anna and I talk about incorporating six senses into writing and give some tips on how to achieve this.

Anna talks about her experience of NPL (Neuro Linguistic Programming) to determine how people learn in different ways, and with a primary sense.

Anna reads an extract from Philip Pullman’s novel, The Golden Compass, where the author cleverly invokes three senses to good effect. I chose Sarah J Maas, Queen of Shadows, as a way of demonstrating how to the author brings emotion into a scene.