The Trouble With Adding an Edna

[LeeFlower]

Anyone remember Edna from The Incredibles? Everyone remembers Edna. She was probably only on screen for about ten minutes-- just long enough to make a bit of plot-necessary information funny and engaging-- but they were really her ten minutes.

I used a similar tactic in my current WiP (...WiE? It's finished and in front of the betas). I spiced up a dull-but-necessary scene by adding a world-class b***. The same plot development happens, but now it happens in the context of a conflict instead of just a boring conversation. It almost comes to blows, in fact. And hey, fistfights are always fun.

The trouble is that, as with Edna, this WCB is memorable. She says some really nasty things to the MC, and my betas report hating her quite thoroughly. Some of them have asked me if she dies/ if the MC can kill her. I'm afraid that readers will be quite disappointed when she finishes the book alive, well, and unreprimanded/repentant. She's not the villian (she's actually one of the good guys. Her sense of duty and civic pride compel her to play a small but vital role in helping the MCs achieve their goal), and my MC can't exactly just off someone without consequence.

Has anyone else had issues with a minor character stealing the show? On the one hand, the betas really enjoy hating her, and if it makes them want to turn to the next page, that's a win. On the other, she's not supposed to be a major character at all. She doesn't show up except at the very beginning (to argue with the mc) and the very end (to help her). Should I try to turn her conflict with the MC into more of a subplot, or should I be trying to dial it back?

[Kate Thornton]

Edna Mode, the character in the Incredibles, was not unlikeable. In fact, she is the favorite character of many, provided very useful services to the MCs, was a hoot and a fab sendup of at least 2 well-known designers and the fact that the director -did her voice is even funnier - he was so right on with the accent and inflections.

A secondary character can support with panache and be memorable and a fabulous character on their own. I think a subplot (remember how Edna's admonition about capes turned out to be hilarious *and* spot-on in the villain's death?) can be wonderful. Your Edna doesn't have to be completely unlikeable - show the traits that make her human and of use to your MC.

And as for a minor character stealing the show, I think it's great. I wouldn't dial it back.

[icerose]

A minor character stealing the show is when they become the focal of the entire story and the audience has no idea who the story is about and it detracts from the story.

If it adds to the story, keep it, if it detracts from the story, change it to where it doesn't.

[JeanneTGC]

I believe that your minor characters should be engaging. They also get more leeway to be quirky, bitchy, funny, etc., than your MC, because in many cases, the MC is supposed to be relatable or someone the reader aspires to be.

In all my novels, my beta readers have favorite supporting characters. I know I've done them well when the favorites are both spread around, and/or the betas start quoting a supporting character's lines back to me.

Frankly, every character in your work should have a reason to be there and manage to inform, perferably while being entertaining. I'm not saying that every character needs to scream, "Look at ME!", but every character, particularly a named character, should be distinct enough to have the reader remember who they are, versus just "one of those guys going with the hero to that place the hero was headed".

[James D. Macdonald]

So you have her for the sequel, and you have her for the spinoff. What's not to like?

[Etola]

A secondary character can support with panache and be memorable and a fabulous character on their own. I think a subplot (remember how Edna's admonition about capes turned out to be hilarious *and* spot-on in the villain's death?) can be wonderful. Your Edna doesn't have to be completely unlikeable - show the traits that make her human and of use to your MC.

And as for a minor character stealing the show, I think it's great. I wouldn't dial it back.

I agree. I do have a habit of creating 'spearholder characters' who take on lives of their own. Sometimes it can be difficult if I'm suddenly more intrigued by that secondary character than I am of the main character--which might be a sign that the main character needs work, or it could just be that the secondary character is worth his or her own story at a later time. Giving them some more screentime in your novel isn't always a bad idea. I know what really helped me to develop my MC was to surround her with more secondary characters that she could bounce off of. Just use your judgement and decide if it's helpful to the overall story and the character development of the MC.

As for Edna, she talks over people and tends to get in their faces, but ultimately she is very kind and helpful and has their best interests at heart. That's the key to making interesting secondary characters who are maybe more flawed or abrasive or peppery than the MC, but who are still likeable. Allow your readers to see that your Edna is still on the 'good' (or at least 'neutral') side. Bring out that sense of duty and civic pride, and show it.

To take another example from my WIC, I added a seemingly-random secondary character into a scene to interact with my MC and to give her a little information. He's a skirt-chaser with a reputation for having an itchy trigger finger. He spends most of his screen time making snarky comments and trying to hit on the MC even though she is clearly not interested. But despite his rather loose morals and his looser definition of heroism, he was an interesting enough character to warrant having him pop up in a few more scenes, to make even more snarky comments. So I let him. Quite frankly, his scene-stealing formed an interesting contrast to my MC, who became more and more low-key as the novel progressed. Ultimately he does become helpful and encouraging to the MC at a critical point in her journey, and I wouldn't take him out or 'dial him back' for anything.

Same thing with Edna. And same thing with your Edna, LeeFlower. If she is that interesting, it never hurts to bring that out, because annoying people who are moved by a spark of good inside them are always great characters who can help liven up a scene or create an interesting parallel to the MC.

[BruceJ]

I rather enjoy hyping a minor character in spots. It gives me a break from the MC, especially when I'm getting frustrated with him/her, and allows me to have some fun. The ten minutes of glory--if it's humorous or even just light--can be a good tension relief for a reader, too, as long as the show isn't stolen (ref icerose's comment - good point) and it advances the plot.