All writers understand how important characters are to a story, but we sometimes struggle with ways to introduce new ones into a storyline. This week we'll cover a few ideas for welcoming a new character to your tale.
Someone needs saving
Just like us, characters can find themselves in perilous situations; a mugging, mindlessly walking into traffic, a bicycle accident, a medical emergency, etc.
An established character meets them by mistake/accidentally
I'm thinking of mistaken identity. From the back, this person looks just like the person your character is supposed to meet up with, and poof, ugh, not the right person. A conversation ensues, maybe sparks fly, etc.
At an event or special occasion (funeral, wedding, gallery opening, etc.)
Special occasions are a great way to meet new people, so why not take advantage of that in your story to introduce a new character? A conversation can strike up just about anywhere!
Have an established character introduce them to another
Things like this happen all the time in real life. Perhaps at a special occasion listed right before this one, the character 'brings a friend' to introduce to the established friend group.
Randomly chosen as partners for a task, group, etc.
At work, a new hire gets paired up with your character for a project or to be given a tour. In class, a teacher/professor may randomly pair up students for a special project.
As an innocent bystander or witness to something
This new character may witness a crime that your character is a victim of and comes to their aid. Maybe a character bumps into someone, spills something on their clothes, etc.
Through an average, day-to-day activity
A trip to the market, bookstore, doctor's appointment, the library, work, new mailman, etc. Any day-to-day activity that your characters experience offers ways to introduce new characters.
Think about your own life and how you meet new people. Each of those incidents are ways to incorporate into the lives of your characters!
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