Characters are more interesting together than individually. How they interact and view each other has a large impact on how readers view them. A protagonist with bland supporting characters turns bland themselves. Which brings us to one question: How to build a character relationship?
Creating meaningful and realistic character relationships is easier said than done. Some of you might have realized that while staring at a blank page. In this guide, we will explore how to build a character relationship.
Why Character Relationships Matter
First and foremost, who your character surrounds themselves with is a reflection of who they are. It can reveal a part of your character’s identity. If they only befriend mean people, then they are most likely mean themselves. It can also mean that they have weak boundaries or are empathetic to everyone regardless of who they are.
Secondly, it can be used to raise stakes. A character may want to impress a lover or protect their child. You can use that as a way to show what is at risk if they fail their mission.
Thirdly, the characters’ relationships with each other can significantly impact the plot. They can form allies and rivals that redirect the plot. They can get advice from a mentor or a friend who helps them make a decision.
Lastly, you can create a character-focused subplot to explore the theme. You have a smaller storyline that focuses on another character than the protagonist.
How to Build a Character Relationship That Affects the Plot
As I mentioned earlier, relationships can be used to shape the plot. We will explore how allies and antagonists can do that.
Allies: Supportive Characters Who Shape the Story
Allies are the characters who stand by the protagonist. They can be family, friends, or a mentor. Allies are not just cheerleaders. They are characters who are integral to the protagonist’s journey. They should have their own goals and ambitions. A common misconception is that allies always have to agree with the protagonist. Which is not true. They can challenge them in some way and be able to affect their beliefs. In addition, they should grow either with or apart from the hero.
Allies can offer or withhold help during critical moments. That also means affecting the plot and redirecting it. They can influence the decisions the protagonist makes. Yet again, for the better or worse. You, as the author, can even use them as a source of conflict if they challenge or disagree with the main goal.
For example, if your protagonist’s best friend refuses to go along on a risky mission. It can delay the climax or cause the protagonist to resort to an alternative solution.
Antagonists: Challengers Who Push the Plot Forward
Not all antagonists are evil. Sometimes your protagonist’s largest challenge is someone with good intentions, but who has conflicting goals.
You can ask: Why is this character opposed to my protagonist? Maybe they have a motive, or the protagonist is just in the way of their goals.
What do they believe that turns them against the protagonist? Do they have a misbelief about the world? Did the protagonist do wrong in some way? More importantly. Can the readers sympathize with them?
These are all important questions to answer. Be creative and keep asking until you come up with something satisfying.
Antagonists create conflict in many stories. They tend to be problematic. Which is why they are interesting. They can set the stake. If the antagonist is someone trying to sell the protagonist’s childhood home against their will. Then the protagonist has a goal to fix and a sort of punishment if they fail.
Since they can be problematic, they can disrupt the protagonist’s plans. Let us return to the earlier example. The antagonist, who is trying to sell the house, has a buyer arriving tomorrow. This prompts the protagonist to make a difficult decision.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to building character relationships. You just have to find your angle.
Creating Complicated Character Dynamics
The most interesting relationships are rarely black and white. Think of friends who are secretly jealous, enemies who do you a favor, and siblings with unresolved resentment.
Sometimes characters have unwanted feelings. They can be loyal, but have doubts. Siblings they love, but are competing against. Oftentimes, the characters do not want the situation to be like that, but can do very little about it.
If you want to build complexity:
- Give each relationship an arc.
- Let characters argue, even when they love each other.
- Bring up unresolved conflicts.
How Complicated Character Relationships Impact the Story
An important aspect of learning how to build a character relationship is learning how to create complicated relationships. Complicated relationships often become unpredictable and tense. They are a moment away from making a character do or say something reckless. They can even change how things unfold. Here are some ideas if you are stuck:
A character makes a mistake, betrayal, or sacrifice. Then again, if it is not a huge part of the central conflict. You can add it to a subplot. Perhaps a close friend of the protagonist betrays them, or the protagonist must sacrifice a relationship to achieve their goal. Regardless, it would be interesting to read about.
Shift allies mid-story. It can be the protagonist, the antagonist, or a supporting character. What if the protagonist decides to work together with the antagonist for a common goal? What if an ally suddenly changes sides?
You raise the stake by layering relationship-related conflict. Imagine a son has to win a tournament to make his father proud of him, or a mother has to win back her children in a divorce so they do not hate her. It can help if you ask a “what if?” question.
Let Relationships Shape the Story
In conclusion, the relationships between the characters matter. It can tell the audience who they are. It can affect the plot. Either by raising the stakes by putting the relationship at risk, or by forming new alliances.
There is no rule book when it comes to writing. Learning how to build a character relationship is no different. It is only advice that you should be mindful of. It will take a few tries, if not more, before mastering relationship creation. Therefore, do not be hard on yourself.
