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Episode 162: Literary Sins: Random Character to the Rescue

Updated: Jan 23



Description:


Struggling with being a productive writer? We all fall into distraction traps and periods of low productivity. All productivity tips are like tools in a toolbox, and having multiple is a great way to break out of writer's block. This episode covers the last 5 of 10 productivity tips for writers to keep in mind as we start 2025!




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You are listening to The Novel Writing Podcast, Episode 162.


I'm your host, Colleen Mitchell. Grab a cup, cozy up, and let's get to writing!

Today's episode is the next in our Literary Sins series, a series of episodes focused on addressing those things that writers do (or don't do) that infuriate readers, and how to avoid them.

Today's Topic: Random Character to the Rescue

Today we're discussing the literary sin of "random character to the rescue," which happens when a random, unexpected, or previously unmentioned character is the one who steps in to save the day.

What Does It Mean?

When we're talking about "random character to the rescue," it's in reference to events toward the end of the book. When characters step in to help in earlier scenes, that's usually the author introducing said character for a purpose.

Spoilers Ahead!

Spoilers ahead for Harry Potter and Star Wars! Skip forward by 15 seconds if you want to avoid these.

This is like if, during the final battle in Harry Potter, a squib with a gun showed up and shot Voldemort rather than Harry triumphing over him. Or it would be like a random member of the Rebel Alliance in Star Wars showing up and saving Luke from Palpatine rather than Darth Vader doing it.

Okay, spoilers over.

Why It's a Problem

Random character to the rescue robs the main character of a completed arc, and it robs the reader of a satisfying ending. I once read a book where, in the climax, the main character's love interest battled the antagonist rather than giving the main character the chance to complete her arc. As a reader, I absolutely hated it, because it totally undermined all the character development the MC went through.

How to Avoid It

Fortunately, it's really easy to avoid random character to the rescue by vowing never to have a random character do the work that your main and already established supporting characters are there to do.

Side Characters and Setup for Future Books

If you're planning to have a side character intervene at the last minute as a setup for a future book, then they really have to earn it, and it should be hinted at early on and developed throughout the book so that it's not out of left field when fully executed. Whenever a character comes to the rescue, whether random or not, their motivations and capabilities need to be established beforehand in logical, consistent ways so that it makes sense when you get to the point of them intervening.

OR, more simply, leave the setup for a future book to that future book. One thing Halie drilled into me was that if it's going to be important in a future book, it doesn't need unnecessary attention in the current book. You can absolutely have foreshadowing in prior books, but there's a fine line between foreshadowing for a later book and making something seem more important than it is for the current book.

When you have long-lasting arcs for a series, it's easier to keep track of them all with a series outline and knowing where things need to show up in each book. It can take a lot of outlining time to tie up all the loose ends when writing a series finale, so do yourself a favor by keeping track of those things along the way.

If It's a Plot Twist...

If you're intending the "random character to the rescue" to be a plot twist, then you absolutely have to make sure you're writing the entire story in such a way that looking back, a reader can pick up on all the clues. This will require beta readers, professional editing, and a willingness to axe the idea if you're getting feedback that it's not working.

Some of my least favorite stories are the ones with endings that don't fit with the rest of the story. Like, the buildup to the climax pointed one direction, and the climax went in another.

Final Thoughts

Again, it's easy to avoid this literary sin by just not having random characters come to the rescue.

And if you want more specific feedback on your storyline, consider coming into our Coaching & Critique Group. The link to more details is in the description.

Outro

That's it for today's episode! Thanks for joining me, and remember, the first draft is supposed to be garbage.

 

Show Notes


Dive into the first episode of the Novel Writing Podcast with your host Colleen and her sometimes-guest Halie Fewkes Damewood! Here, we give you the gist of who we are, what we do, and what you can expect from this podcast.



What to do next…


Halie & Colleen are both authors! Find their books below:

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