Lately, as I trudge through my second novel, I’ve found that my secondary characters are trying to hijack the story. As my little brother once discovered, one day you can be pedaling along in your brand new car, and next thing you know, big sis jumps onboard!
So what do you do? How do you put the wheel back into the hands of the main character?
First off, recognize that those minor characters need to have a voice. Why else would they be hammering so loudly in your head? Second, give them that voice by devoting some space to their back stories and motivations. Will you be able to use it all? Maybe not yet. Putting it down on paper might just satisfy those pesky little voices. And hold on to what you write, because one day, those supporting characters could become the “stars” of another book. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time!
Ashley Memory 