The Writer’s vocabulary — Main Characters

What is the role of main characters in a story?

The hard job of carrying the story

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Main characters are the movers of the story.

There are many different types of characters in a story. Each type helps with a different aspect of the narration.

Some characters are only there for colour. They help create the context and enliven the setting, and though they may be very remarkable, they don’t impact the story in any way.

Some other characters are there to help other characters make their journey. Their actions are important, but not impactful in a direct way. The story would exist anyway, even without them.

Characters Are the Lifeblood of Storytelling, But Not All Characters Are Equal

Then, there are characters whose existence is so essential that the story wouldn’t exist without them.

These characters have a strong stage presence because they actually cause events to happen. The plot moves from a stable situation to different crises because of these characters’ decisions and desires…