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Q&A How Much Focus to Give a Supporting Character?

From the sound of it, you are creating what I call a catalyst character. The dictionary definitions for this term are: 1. Chemistry. a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction...

posted 6y ago by Tom Au‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T08:19:34Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34370
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar Tom Au‭ · 2019-12-08T08:19:34Z (almost 5 years ago)
From the sound of it, you are creating what I call a [catalyst](http://www.dictionary.com/browse/catalyst) character. The dictionary definitions for this term are:

> 1. Chemistry. a substance that causes or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected.  
> 2. something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected.  
> 3. a person or thing that precipitates an event or change:

Unlike the other characters, he doesn't end up being "transformed," but your story couldn't begin without him. So give him the importance he deserves (but not more).

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-03-17T19:49:57Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 1