tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post391685081150280683..comments2023-11-02T02:40:48.410-07:00Comments on Crime Fiction Collective: Minor Characters...A Major Issue?L.J. Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-37010561636033557112013-10-23T06:29:07.021-07:002013-10-23T06:29:07.021-07:00"Like" button pushed."Like" button pushed.Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-87120685816909418122013-10-23T00:04:17.523-07:002013-10-23T00:04:17.523-07:00I cringe at the words cliche and stereotype. I thi...I cringe at the words cliche and stereotype. I think we can still have bit players in our stories who are moderately interesting and don't come across as having just stepped off the secondary character assembly line. I agree we shouldn't go overboard in their creation, but I think even the bum on the street corner with a thing for flashy neckties and the nail biting waitress with the pet rat deserve to be memorable to some degree. It's what makes fiction so much fun to read. And to write. :)Karen Duvallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01839711547501582977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-54598289666413890972013-10-22T17:38:46.831-07:002013-10-22T17:38:46.831-07:00Ditto. Sometimes in order to get them to sit back ...Ditto. Sometimes in order to get them to sit back and shut up, you have to promise them a book (or series) of their own. Peg Brantleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04906858123466177508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-68979151598860466742013-10-22T17:31:09.666-07:002013-10-22T17:31:09.666-07:00Henry James called them 'ficiles'. I call ...Henry James called them 'ficiles'. I call them fickle. Rosencratz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Then there are the minor characters who walk in and take over. Fonzie on TV. And how many in our books? I've got one now, and she just won't go away.David Y.B. Kaufmannhttp://www.davidybkaufmann.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4954486699810607306.post-83777682698908169622013-10-22T16:22:27.409-07:002013-10-22T16:22:27.409-07:00I agree. Minor characters have a function. But som...I agree. Minor characters have a function. But sometimes they become so interesting that as authors, we give them their own stories. And we have cliches for a reason—they're based on common traits. L.J. Sellershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10213491074676394406noreply@blogger.com