Secondary Characters in New Story

[Bebop3]

Hi,

Have you ever used secondary characters from one story as main characters in another?

I'm not trying to build some huge shared world or anything and the story is complete and doesn't need and shouldn't have a sequel, but I thought of a storyline that would overlap the original that involves two sort of background characters.

It feels a little self indulgent to reuse the same characters, so I'm not sure if I'm going to explore it or not.

 

[Handley_Page]

Hi,

Have you ever used secondary characters from one story as main characters in another?

I'm not trying to build some huge shared world or anything and the story is complete and doesn't need and shouldn't have a sequel, but I thought of a storyline that would overlap the original that involves two sort of background characters.

It feels a little self indulgent to reuse the same characters, so I'm not sure if I'm going to explore it or not.

They are your characters; use them as you will.

A lot of authors do it.

 

[rae121452]

i've done it several times as new chapters in a serial. i think it adds depth.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Hi,

Have you ever used secondary characters from one story as main characters in another?

I'm not trying to build some huge shared world or anything and the story is complete and doesn't need and shouldn't have a sequel, but I thought of a storyline that would overlap the original that involves two sort of background characters.

It feels a little self indulgent to reuse the same characters, so I'm not sure if I'm going to explore it or not.

It can be fun. I've written Hayley from my Hayley's Party series into my Chinese Takeout series where they're cousins. And Sammi Woo has Jay-Lin and Roundout and the bikers from Chinese Takeout worked in. That was fun.

 

[KindofHere]

.............

 

[oggbashan]

Yes. I have done that in an extended way with my Silverbridge stories and then my four part Harold in India based on a couple of the characters from Silverbridge.

Whether I would do it again? I'm not sure. In my more recent stories I tend to concentrate on a couple of major characters and don't have any memorable secondary characters to use in other stories.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Yes. I have done that in an extended way with my Silverbridge stories and then my four part Harold in India based on a couple of the characters from Silverbridge.

Whether I would do it again? I'm not sure. In my more recent stories I tend to concentrate on a couple of major characters and don't have any memorable secondary characters to use in other stories.

Now I try and give my secondary characters little quirks of their own, likable or unlikeable depending. That's as much fun as the main characters coz it needs to be subtle and just slipped in so the reader doesn't get thrown out but still remembers.

 

[Voboy]

It’s all I do.

I’m an Irvine Welsh fan, and the “shared universe” concept appeals to me; all my characters appear in each other’s stories. But I do find there are one or two who, for whatever reason, always have mere bit parts. Maybe my muse will give them their own story someday, but until then, they just wait...

 

[RejectReality]

If the story is grabbing you, write it.

I've pulled out minor characters and made them stars. I've pulled out characters who were 1 line history and given them stories. I've written stories that don't appear to be connected whatsoever, and then all of the sudden, the stars of another story show up in an epilogue at the end, revealing that they were the root of the story all along.

If it's exciting you, then write it. So long as it's a complete story, you'll be fine. The readers may ask for more, but so long as you've given them a satisfying ending, they aren't going to punish you if you never return to that setting.

 

[JennaMonroe]

I do it all the time, usually because I fall in love with them in thier original appearance.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Hi,

Have you ever used secondary characters from one story as main characters in another?

I'm not trying to build some huge shared world or anything and the story is complete and doesn't need and shouldn't have a sequel, but I thought of a storyline that would overlap the original that involves two sort of background characters.

It feels a little self indulgent to reuse the same characters, so I'm not sure if I'm going to explore it or not.

Always. My various worlds all join up.

My male leads are always versions of me, so I simplify my writing life by having younger Alex show up whenever I need a 20 - 35 year old; and older Adam whenever I need a fifty plus year old. For some reason there's a fifteen year gap in the middle that I've never populated, I suspect coz irl young family.

 

[Soma99]

Do this!

It's super fun to get feedback form a reader who notices it, makes me feel like people really are reading the stories for the story, not just the dirty words!

 

[beachbum1958]

I've used walk-on characters in one story as main characters in another story, I've used the main characters from one story series as supporting characters in another, and I've even used the main characters from another author's worlds (with his permission and collaboration) as important and recurring secondary characters in another of my series'.

I feel no qualms about referencing one story series in another, it's fun to get the surprised reader feedback when they've seen those characters crop-up, and I have a habit of hiding easter-eggs that connect two or more apparently unrelated story series', with characters or locations from all of them mentioned briefly in passing, just to see if anyone spots them.

 

[Kojak01]

Have you ever used secondary characters from one story as main characters in another?

I plan on doing so but have not yet come around to it.

 

[HisArpy]

I have. I wrote a 6-book series that started with one set of characters. The second book introduced another character who had 3 sisters. Each of the sisters took the lead role as protagonist in subsequent books and one other walk-on character in book 4 became the protag in book 6.

There's a book 7 in the series that will never be written because the new "censorship rules" in the industry won't accept the content. However, if it were to be written, the youngest sister grows up and meets a hunky guy and they swap bodily fluids and life goals to achieve nirvana. Or so I've heard it said in the deepest recesses of my fantasies...

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I have introduced a new character at the end of one story. The plan is to not only write a series about the new character but to include the characters in the first story also. The first and the first of the second are up already...

Orchard Fall Mystery: 2 part series
OFM 01 - Orchard Falls
OFM 02 - Jack O'Hara - One for a Kill

Working on the third in the series currently...

OFM 03 - Jack O'Hara - Two for Murder

 

[Hypoxia]

Many of my players are based on people I know somehow, so it's no surprise they cross-infest some tales over time. They'll pop up at various points in their lives. But just for fun and confusion, I sometimes give totally different characters the same name.