About those Minor/Supporting/Secondary Characters...

Rich characters to interact with the H/H (hero/heroine) or lack of them can make or break a story. Finding the right balance is key, but how is that done?

The answer is study. And that's where knowing what publishing company and line you're targeting comes in handy.

For instance, in shorter books--category/series of 50,000-55,000 words--it's imperative to keep the H/H together as much as possible. Focus on them, and have the supporting characters there to support them--or play a little matchmaking, as sometimes happens. You'll be glad you did and won't end up like I did with my first book, going back to rewrite scenes where the heroine spent time talking to the hero's step-brother, instead of interacting with the hero!

There is a little addendum to this. In category romance, each line (i.e. Desire, Intrigue, Superromance), there are certain things that set them apart. A good example is Harlequin American Romance, which centers a lot around small towns. A few quirky and memorable characters, thrown in for balance can be a good thing. Just don't let those minors take over the story or the action/dialogue between the H/H.

In longer books, especially single title (80,000 words and up), there's a lot more room to add deeper and more interseting secondary characters. So much so that these characters often have subplots of their own in which their conflict is introduced and solved by the end. Just remember to solve theirs first, before solving the big conflict between the main H/H of the story.

So who makes good secondary characters? Family members, including parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Best friends of both sexes can add a lot, especially when needing to show that the heroine doesn't hate men, just that particular hero. (grin) Co-workers and roommates can work well. A short discussion or even a few lines from a secondary character can give a hero or heroine a new slant on the relationship he or she is dealing with...or battling.

If you're not sure how to find the balance, read. Read the types of books you want your story to be and pay attention to what's going on. Using a highlighter to mark where secondary characters are involved is one idea of how to single out those sections.

Last, but not least, be careful that secondary characters don't take over the book, outshining the hero and heroine. Give them quirks to make them stand out, but don't leave the H/H lingering in the wings. It's them readers want to know and follow through the trials and tribulations of love.