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Every star needs a supporting cast! The Magic Violinist has a list of extra characters you might need to support your hero.  Find it all at The Write Practice.

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6 Characters Your Protagonist Needs to Have Around

by The Magic Violinist

Your protagonist may be the star of the show, but they can’t do everything alone. Just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire cast of characters to help your hero along on their journey.

Do you think Harry Potter could’ve accomplished all that he did if it were just him on his own out there against Voldemort? Of course not. He had friends who stuck by him, teachers who came and went, and a whole assortment of villains that drove the plot forward. Your main character needs those people, too.

6 Types of Supporting Characters

Let’s take a look at the people who surrounded Harry and the roles they played in his life. Which of these character types appear in your story?

1. Mentor

This would be the Dumbledore of the story. Usually an elder, but not necessarily, they’re the one who always has some sort of nugget of wisdom right when the protagonist needs it. They teach and steer the main character away from stupid decisions (though they may not always succeed at that).

If your hero ran off without anyone to guide them, they’d probably end up in heaps of trouble.