Side Character Ideas

Press the button for one side character: role, visible trait, secret, running bit and a want of their own.

Side Character Ideas: 30 characters

A roommate who covers every one of the lead's absences. In every scene: taps the table twice before speaking. Knows which promise the lead has forgotten making. Running bit: claims to have once met a duke about this very thing. For themselves, they want the paymaster to get their surname right.

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  • Place beside the leadroommate who covers every one of the lead's absences
  • In every scenetaps the table twice before speaking
  • What they knowwhich promise the lead has forgotten making
  • Running bitclaims to have once met a duke about this very thing
  • Their own wantthe paymaster to get their surname right
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    Character of the day

     

    1. A roommate who covers every one of the lead's absences. In every scene: taps the table twice before speaking. Knows which promise the lead has forgotten making. Running bit: claims to have once met a duke about this very thing. For themselves, they want the paymaster to get their surname right.
    2. A neighbor keeping a tally of the lead's noise. In every scene: is halfway through a thick novel. Knows when the bank's clock stopped, and what that means. Running bit: pays the lead in compliments that are slightly off. For themselves, they want to be in front, for once, when the picture is taken.
    3. An innkeeper's child who shows the lead to the room. In every scene: agrees out loud while shaking their head. Knows that the lead talks in their sleep, and what about. Running bit: says I will wait in the cart. For themselves, they want one afternoon of fishing with no one talking.
    4. A pawnbroker holding something of the lead's. In every scene: holds the door for the lead, then goes the other way. Knows which bell is rung for what, and by whom. Running bit: translates the lead's silences for other people. For themselves, they want the paymaster to get their surname right.
    5. A lab partner who does the measuring. In every scene: is eating a different fruit. Knows that the lead cannot read the old script and pretends. Running bit: asks is this the part where we run. For themselves, they want a room of their own above the print shop.
    6. A younger brother who tells the truth at the worst times. In every scene: exits by the window, out of habit. Knows who has been feeding the lead's dog. Running bit: says I was told there would be soup. For themselves, they want passage for two, the second ticket unexplained.
    7. A mentor's other student, the favorite. In every scene: wears one glove, on alternating hands. Knows that the post was offered to another before the lead. Running bit: corrects the lead's count of days on the road. For themselves, they want their old teacher to hear how it turned out.
    8. A roommate who covers every one of the lead's absences. In every scene: enters through the wrong door. Knows which guest will leave the dinner early. Running bit: asks for the short version and then interrupts it. For themselves, they want to see the capital before they are thirty.
    9. A pawnbroker holding something of the lead's. In every scene: wears a scarf in the lead's color, by coincidence. Knows that the ferry skips the third stop in fog. Running bit: ends advice with but what do I know. For themselves, they want the paymaster to get their surname right.
    10. A blacksmith two doors from the lead's lodging. In every scene: defers to the dog. Knows what stood in the square before the fountain. Running bit: holds the lead's coat and goes through the pockets. For themselves, they want passage for two, the second ticket unexplained.
    11. A stable hand who names the lead's horse differently. In every scene: appears at the lead's elbow without a sound. Knows who paid the lead's fine and asked for silence. Running bit: begins every plan with step one, snacks. For themselves, they want a portrait in the guild hall, however small.
    12. An inspector assigned to audit the lead's every move. In every scene: exits by the window, out of habit. Knows that the choir has rehearsed the wrong anthem. Running bit: begins every plan with step one, snacks. For themselves, they want to return a borrowed boat to its harbor.
    13. A pawnbroker holding something of the lead's. In every scene: enters through the wrong door. Knows where the spare lantern oil is kept. Running bit: responds to the lead's name out of reflex. For themselves, they want a winter coat that closes all the way up.
    14. A quartermaster who signs out the lead's equipment. In every scene: carries too many keys. Knows that a coal hatch joins this basement to the neighbor's. Running bit: finishes the lead's sandwich while the lead is talking. For themselves, they want to beat the cook at checkers, a single time.
    15. A telegraph clerk who reads the lead's messages first. In every scene: is announced by a bicycle bell. Knows that the shortcut will be closed by morning. Running bit: claims to have once met a duke about this very thing. For themselves, they want their recipe credited at the harvest fair.
    16. A stable hand who names the lead's horse differently. In every scene: leaves their hat behind and returns for it. Knows that the post was offered to another before the lead. Running bit: trades the lead a button for every wrong guess. For themselves, they want one afternoon of fishing with no one talking.
    17. A telegraph clerk who reads the lead's messages first. In every scene: comes in backward, still talking to someone outside. Knows that the prize has been spent already. Running bit: says I will wait in the cart. For themselves, they want a proper cup of coffee before noon.
    18. A quartermaster who signs out the lead's equipment. In every scene: shows up moments too late, holding the right tool. Knows that the lead's rival sends a card every year. Running bit: claims to have once met a duke about this very thing. For themselves, they want a proper cup of coffee before noon.
    19. A blacksmith two doors from the lead's lodging. In every scene: agrees out loud while shaking their head. Knows which of the lead's stories is borrowed. Running bit: they are handed the bill. For themselves, they want their old teacher to hear how it turned out.
    20. A stage manager for whatever the lead is attempting. In every scene: stands wherever the light is worst. Knows which guest will leave the dinner early. Running bit: corrects the lead's count of days on the road. For themselves, they want a sill planter of thyme that outlasts the frost.
    21. A blacksmith two doors from the lead's lodging. In every scene: wears a scarf in the lead's color, by coincidence. Knows what the lead will be asked at the border. Running bit: greets bad news with well, that is one way. For themselves, they want to beat the cook at checkers, a single time.
    22. A vendor of maps that are mostly accurate. In every scene: is repotting a plant. Knows that the lead's lucky charm is a replacement. Running bit: says that reminds me, and it never does. For themselves, they want to be asked what they think, before the decision.
    23. A street sweeper outside the lead's window. In every scene: holds the door for the lead, then goes the other way. Knows who paid the lead's fine and asked for silence. Running bit: begins every plan with step one, snacks. For themselves, they want their old teacher to hear how it turned out.
    24. A librarian who sets books aside before the lead asks. In every scene: agrees out loud while shaking their head. Knows that the east road floods by noon on spring tides. Running bit: animals take to them and ignore the lead. For themselves, they want a hot bath that nobody interrupts.
    25. A street sweeper outside the lead's window. In every scene: appears at the lead's elbow without a sound. Knows that the weather will turn by the third day. Running bit: every map they unfold is upside down. For themselves, they want to reclaim the produce stand their parents sold.
    26. A pawnbroker holding something of the lead's. In every scene: wears a scarf in the lead's color, by coincidence. Knows that the choir has rehearsed the wrong anthem. Running bit: walks on the lead's left, whatever the road does. For themselves, they want to be thanked by name in the lead's speech.
    27. An old teammate who remembers the lead's nickname. In every scene: drains whatever cup the others abandon. Knows why nobody takes the seat by the stove. Running bit: asks is this the part where we run. For themselves, they want to be mistaken, just once, for the hero.
    28. An inspector assigned to audit the lead's every move. In every scene: leaves their hat behind and returns for it. Knows who has been feeding the lead's dog. Running bit: every map they unfold is upside down. For themselves, they want to reach their own doorstep ahead of winter.
    29. A neighbor keeping a tally of the lead's noise. In every scene: whistles two notes and breaks off. Knows that the post was offered to another before the lead. Running bit: every map they unfold is upside down. For themselves, they want to see the capital before they are thirty.
    30. A former best friend, now scrupulously polite. In every scene: looks at the door when anyone says later. Knows the hour the patrol changes, to the minute. Running bit: showers quit the instant their parasol goes up. For themselves, they want the closing stanza of a ballad they keep humming.

    Next step Give this character a pastGet to know the lead beside them

    Place beside the lead: all 42 roles

    Allies and helpers 14

    • apprentice who idolizes the lead a little too loudly Half a step behind, copying the lead's stance.
    • bookkeeper who quietly fixes the lead's sums An eraser worn round, and a column of figures in two different hands.
    • childhood neighbor who still has the lead's house key Stage them letting themselves in, mid-sentence, as if resuming a talk from years ago.
    • cousin hired as the lead's driver, reluctantly Frame them in the rearview mirror, eyes only.
    • former tutor who grades the lead's plans out loud A red pencil behind the ear, and a letter grade for everything.
    • grandmother funding the venture from her knitting bag Bills rolled inside a ball of yarn.
    • lab partner who does the measuring Goggles on the forehead, and a notebook of the lead's errors.
    • mechanic who keeps the lead's wreck of a vehicle alive Flat on a creeper, with only boots showing.
    • older sister who taught the lead every trick but one Arms folded, watching the lead use her move.
    • porter who carries the lead's bags and opinions Two cases and a hatbox, and a mouth already open to comment.
    • quartermaster who signs out the lead's equipment A counter, a ledger, and an eyebrow at every request.
    • retired champion who trains the lead by complaining A folding chair at ringside, and a flask of tea.
    • roommate who covers every one of the lead's absences Seen at a doorway, blocking the view of an empty room.
    • stage manager for whatever the lead is attempting A headset, a clipboard and a hand already cueing.

    Thorns and rivals 14

    • bureaucrat who needs one more form from the lead A window grille between them in every scene.
    • critic who reviews the lead's life in a weekly column A folded newspaper tapped against one palm.
    • former best friend, now scrupulously polite A handshake held at arm's length.
    • gossip columnist's intern trailing the lead A notebook hidden badly behind a menu.
    • inspector assigned to audit the lead's every move A stopwatch, and a form with too many boxes.
    • landlord who appears whenever rent is mentioned A head round the doorframe, on cue.
    • mentor's other student, the favorite Standing a little closer to the mentor in every group shot.
    • neighbor keeping a tally of the lead's noise A notepad on the fence post.
    • old teammate who remembers the lead's nickname A grin, and the nickname arriving before they do.
    • rival who shares the lead's birthday and resents it Two cakes, one table, and a glare across the candles.
    • second-place finisher in everything the lead has won A shelf of silver beside a doorway.
    • stand-in who outperformed the lead for seven days Returning the keys with unnecessary grace.
    • understudy waiting for the lead to catch a cold In the wings, in full costume, sipping tea.
    • younger brother who tells the truth at the worst times At elbow height, looking up, about to speak.

    People at the edges 14

    • blacksmith two doors from the lead's lodging Sparks at the edge of the frame in every street scene.
    • ferry operator on the lead's daily crossing A rope, a bell, and a nod that is their whole greeting.
    • gate guard who waves the lead through unsearched A stool tilted back on two legs.
    • innkeeper's child who shows the lead to the room A candle carried with both hands up a narrow stair.
    • late tram conductor on the lead's usual line Eyes in the wide mirror, saying nothing.
    • librarian who sets books aside before the lead asks A stack on the counter with a slip in it.
    • noodle cart owner who knows the lead's order A ladle paused over the pot when the lead looks troubled.
    • pawnbroker holding something of the lead's A ticket stub pushed across glass.
    • relief keeper who trades shifts with the lead monthly A lamp, a logbook, and thirty days of saved-up talk.
    • stable hand who names the lead's horse differently A carrot behind the back.
    • street sweeper outside the lead's window A broom's rhythm that the lead wakes to.
    • telegraph clerk who reads the lead's messages first Lips moving as the tape runs through.
    • town clock winder who sees the lead from above A small figure on a ladder inside a clock face.
    • vendor of maps that are mostly accurate A rack of charts, and a shrug.
    How this list was compiled

    Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-03. Made up for this list: allies and helpers, thorns and rivals, and people at the edges of a story, each defined by what they are to the main character. None is a named character from a book, a film, a show or a game. The notes are our own staging and drawing advice. Licence: own work

    In every scene: all 42 traits

    Something seen 14

    • carries a ladder for no stated reason It appears in the background of group scenes, propped.
    • carries too many keys Draw the ring first. It is the outline at the hip.
    • has a bird somewhere on their person Shoulder, hat brim or pocket. Never the same place twice.
    • has chalk tucked above both ears Two short white lines at the temples.
    • has flour, sawdust or chalk on the sleeves Pick one dust for the character and keep to it.
    • has ink on the same two fingers A small dark smudge that transfers to cups and doorframes.
    • is eating a different fruit Change the fruit each time and never mention it.
    • is halfway through a thick novel Move the bookmark a little further along in each scene.
    • is mending something small A different object in the hands each time: a strap, a hinge, a toy.
    • is repotting a plant Soil on a newspaper, wherever the scene is set.
    • is winding a ball of string a little bigger The ball grows from a walnut to a grapefruit across the story.
    • sits on things that are not chairs Crates, railings, stacked books, a low wall.
    • wears a scarf in the lead's color, by coincidence Use it to link the two figures across a crowded panel.
    • wears one glove, on alternating hands Keep a note of which hand, scene by scene. Readers will.

    A manner 14

    • agrees out loud while shaking their head Draw the yes in the balloon and the no in the neck.
    • defers to the dog A glance down before every decision.
    • drains whatever cup the others abandon A cup lifted from someone else's saucer, casually.
    • looks at the door when anyone says later Eyes sliding sideways, the head still.
    • offers everyone a seat and stays standing One hand on a chair back, in every panel that has chairs.
    • pauses a full beat before saying no One silent panel, every time.
    • rounds every number up A hand tilting from side to side: more or less.
    • shows empty palms whenever strangers approach An old habit, drawn as a quiet repeated gesture.
    • sides with whoever talked most recently A nod aimed at a different face in each panel.
    • stands wherever the light is worst Useful for staging: they are the darkest shape in any group.
    • taps the table twice before speaking Two small impact marks under the knuckles, then the balloon.
    • uses the lead's entire formal name, honorifics included A long speech balloon for a short greeting.
    • whistles two notes and breaks off Two notes and a rest, floating.
    • writes everything down, including this A notebook that opens as the scene does.

    Entrances and exits 14

    • appears at the lead's elbow without a sound No approach drawn. Simply there in the next frame.
    • arrives carrying food for one more than is present A count of bowls that the lead notices late.
    • comes in backward, still talking to someone outside The back of a coat, a raised hand, then the turn.
    • enters through the wrong door Kitchen, cellar or coat room. Never the front.
    • exits by the window, out of habit One leg over a sill.
    • holds the door for the lead, then goes the other way Two figures splitting at a threshold.
    • is already in the room when the scene begins Found in a chair that faces away, turning.
    • is announced by a bicycle bell A small ring-ring lettered off panel.
    • is last out and switches off the light A hand on a switch, and a dark final panel.
    • is seen first as a shadow on glass A silhouette on a frosted pane, then the knock.
    • leaves a sentence unfinished on the way out A balloon cut off by the doorframe.
    • leaves their hat behind and returns for it A hat on a table, alone, for one panel.
    • shows up moments too late, holding the right tool Out of breath in a doorway.
    • signals hello from the far sidewalk and stays there A small figure in the far background, arm up.
    How this list was compiled

    Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-03. Made up for this list: something seen, a manner, or a way of arriving and leaving, each one visible in a single panel. None is a body shape, an illness or a disability. The notes are our own staging and drawing advice. Licence: own work

    What they know: all 42 secrets

    About the lead 14

    • how the lead's nickname really started A grin suppressed whenever it is used.
    • how the lead's penmanship changed after that summer An old envelope, compared.
    • that the lead cannot read the old script and pretends Offering to read aloud, as if for pleasure.
    • that the lead talks in their sleep, and what about Dark circles, and a careful blankness at breakfast.
    • that the lead's famous shortcut adds a mile A map traced with a fingernail.
    • that the lead's lucky charm is a replacement The original, kept in a drawer.
    • that the lead's rival sends a card every year A stack tied with string, intercepted kindly.
    • that the post was offered to another before the lead A list with a name crossed out above the lead's.
    • what the lead's mentor said about them in private Stage a scene where they nearly repeat it, and bite it back.
    • where the lead goes on Thursday afternoons A glance at the clock at ten to three.
    • which of the lead's stories is borrowed A raised eyebrow during the retelling.
    • which promise the lead has forgotten making A knot in a handkerchief, on the lead's behalf.
    • who paid the lead's fine and asked for silence A receipt folded very small.
    • who taught the lead that song Humming the harmony underneath.

    About the place 14

    • the hour the patrol changes, to the minute A watch checked, then a slow count to twenty.
    • that a coal hatch joins this basement to the neighbor's A draft noted, and a rug adjusted.
    • that the bridge takes one wagon at a time An arm out to stop the lead's horse.
    • that the east road floods by noon on spring tides Boots already on.
    • that the ferry skips the third stop in fog Getting off one stop early, without comment.
    • that the map in the square is a century out of date Walking confidently where the map shows a wall.
    • what stood in the square before the fountain A coin not thrown.
    • where the spare lantern oil is kept A hand going straight to a high shelf in the dark.
    • which bell is rung for what, and by whom Head tilting at a distant note.
    • which floorboard in the meeting hall carries sound Standing on it, or carefully beside it.
    • which stall weighs with a thumb on the scale Steering the lead's elbow past it.
    • which window has a view of both gates A chair set there, innocently.
    • who really owns the building everyone meets in A deed glimpsed in a ledger.
    • why nobody takes the seat by the stove Choosing a colder chair.

    About what is coming 14

    • that the celebration cake is the wrong flavor A deep breath before the unveiling.
    • that the choir has rehearsed the wrong anthem A sheet of music held upside down in the back row.
    • that the expected ship changed its name in port Reading a hull through a spyglass, twice.
    • that the letter everyone awaits has already come An envelope shape in an inside pocket.
    • that the prize has been spent already An empty case, polished anyway.
    • that the shortcut will be closed by morning A lantern and a sawhorse, seen being unloaded.
    • that the weather will turn by the third day Packing a coat on a cloudless morning.
    • what the lead will be asked at the border Rehearsing the answer with them, as a game.
    • when the bank's clock stopped, and what that means Comparing two timepieces with a frown.
    • which candidate has withdrawn in secret A poster quietly taken down.
    • which guest will leave the dinner early Setting one place nearer the door.
    • which of two roads the messenger took Mud of a certain color on a boot scraper.
    • who has been feeding the lead's dog Crumbs on a different coat.
    • who is going to volunteer, and why they should not A hand ready to catch a sleeve.
    How this list was compiled

    Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-03. Made up for this list: things about the lead, about the place and about what is coming. None is a crime or a cruelty. The notes are our own staging and drawing advice. Licence: own work

    Running bit: all 43 bits

    A line they repeat 14

    • asks for the short version and then interrupts it A raised finger in the second panel.
    • asks is this the part where we run Already in a half crouch.
    • begins every plan with step one, snacks A basket produced from nowhere.
    • calls every town charming, in its way Said while stepping over something.
    • claims to have once met a duke about this very thing The duke changes rank every telling.
    • ends advice with but what do I know A shrug that gets smaller as they turn out to be right.
    • greets bad news with well, that is one way A slow nod.
    • introduces the lead with a new wrong title each time Admiral, professor, chef. Keep a list.
    • rates each crisis out of ten A number held up on fingers behind the lead's back.
    • reports the time when nobody asked A glance at the sky first.
    • says I was told there would be soup Deliver it flat, on arrival, wherever they arrive.
    • says I will wait in the cart They never do.
    • says noted and writes nothing A pencil hovering above a blank page.
    • says that reminds me, and it never does A finger raised, and a story about something else entirely.

    A thing that keeps happening 14

    • animals take to them and ignore the lead A horse leaning past the lead to nuzzle them.
    • doors that stick for the lead open for them A casual push, and a look of apology.
    • every bench they choose has wet paint A stripe across the back of the coat, changing color by town.
    • every map they unfold is upside down Turned without comment, each time.
    • messages meant for the lead reach them first An envelope readdressed three times.
    • shopkeepers give them the old price Coins counted back with a wink.
    • showers quit the instant their parasol goes up Looking up, annoyed, in sunshine.
    • their bootlace breaks at each departure A pocketful of knotted spares.
    • their hat is returned by a different stranger each time A tap on the shoulder, a hat held out, a thank-you.
    • they are handed the bill It finds them, however they sit.
    • they are mistaken for the one in charge A salute aimed at the wrong person.
    • they nod off exactly when the stakes peak A soft snore lettered small.
    • toddlers entrust them with sticky treasures Arms slowly filling with toys through a scene.
    • unwanted prizes keep landing in their lap A cabbage, a goose, a commemorative plate.

    A bit with the lead 15

    • carries the thing the lead forgot, and waits to be asked A handle visible over one shoulder.
    • claps once when the lead finishes a speech One clap. Then a silence that they enjoy.
    • corrects the lead's count of days on the road Three, says one balloon. Four, says the other.
    • finishes the lead's sandwich while the lead is talking The plate is empty by the last panel of the speech.
    • holds the lead's coat and goes through the pockets Finding something useful there every time.
    • is told the plan last and guesses it first A mouthed word across the room.
    • keeps score of who has rescued whom Chalk marks inside a coat lapel.
    • pays the lead in compliments that are slightly off You fight like a very determined clerk.
    • responds to the lead's name out of reflex Both heads turn. Theirs first.
    • shares an umbrella that covers only them The lead's shoulder drawn wet in every rain scene.
    • starts the lead's stories at the wrong end So the ending comes first, and the lead gives in.
    • trades hats with the lead at each border Neither hat suits either head.
    • trades the lead a button for every wrong guess A pocket that rattles more as the story goes on.
    • translates the lead's silences for other people What they mean is, followed by a guess.
    • walks on the lead's left, whatever the road does Swap sides and they drift back.
    How this list was compiled

    Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-03. Made up for this list: a line they repeat, a thing that keeps happening and a bit shared with the lead. Nobody is hurt in any of them. The notes are our own staging and drawing advice. Licence: own work

    Their own want: all 42 wants

    Something small 14

    • a hot bath that nobody interrupts A towel over the shoulder and a door that keeps opening.
    • a pair of boots bought new Soles shown worn through whenever they sit.
    • a proper cup of coffee before noon An empty mug held out like a begging bowl.
    • a sill planter of thyme that outlasts the frost A pot carried from lodging to lodging.
    • a winter coat that closes all the way up A row of mismatches, one gap.
    • the closing stanza of a ballad they keep humming Trailing off at the same line, scene after scene.
    • eight unbroken hours under a real quilt Yawns in the background of three scenes before anyone asks.
    • one afternoon of fishing with no one talking A rod carried through the whole story, unused.
    • one potted fern that makes it to the last chapter Leaves counted anxiously.
    • the paymaster to get their surname right A pay slip examined and sighed over.
    • to beat the cook at checkers, a single time A board set up on a barrel between scenes.
    • to finish a letter begun in the first chapter The same sheet, a line longer each time it appears.
    • to read the ending of a serial they missed Asking strangers how it came out.
    • to taste the pastry in the bakery window, once A pause outside the glass that the story does not explain at first.

    To leave or to stay 14

    • a berth on the spring boat going south A calendar with a day ringed.
    • a post at the school where they learned to read A slate kept from childhood.
    • a room of their own above the print shop A key not yet theirs, looked at through a window.
    • a transfer to the quiet outpost by the lake A form filled in, carried, unsent.
    • passage for two, the second ticket unexplained Two stubs in a wallet.
    • to open a bakery two towns over Flour samples in twists of paper.
    • to plant an orchard and wait for it A pocket of pips.
    • to reach their own doorstep ahead of winter An eye on the geese.
    • to reclaim the produce stand their parents sold Counting coins into a sock.
    • to retire the day the lead no longer needs them A fishing hat kept on a nail.
    • to return a borrowed boat to its harbor A rope end carried as a reminder.
    • to see the capital before they are thirty A guidebook dog-eared at one page.
    • to see their sister's new house before the thaw A letter with a sketch of a doorway, unfolded often.
    • to stay put for a full year, for once A trunk that they finally unpack to the bottom.

    To be seen 14

    • a cheer at the end that includes them An arm going up at the edge of the frame, a beat after the others.
    • a portrait in the guild hall, however small Measuring a gap between two frames with a thumb.
    • an apology from the mayor, in writing A blank sheet and a pen set out, pointedly.
    • the lead to learn their middle name Initials on a trunk, never asked about.
    • their name remembered by the baker A pause at the counter, hoping, as the baker looks up.
    • their old teacher to hear how it turned out A postcard chosen with care.
    • their recipe credited at the harvest fair A ribbon imagined on an empty hook.
    • their sketch of the route used on the real map A corner of paper with their initials.
    • to be asked what they think, before the decision Mouth opening as the meeting ends.
    • to be in front, for once, when the picture is taken Edging forward as the photographer counts.
    • to be mistaken, just once, for the hero Trying on the lead's coat in an empty room.
    • to be thanked by name in the lead's speech Standing at the back, straightening a collar.
    • to be the one who tells the story afterward Rehearsing the opening line under their breath.
    • to have their warning remembered as a warning I did say, drawn very small.
    How this list was compiled

    Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-03. Made up for this list: something small, to leave or to stay, and to be seen. Each has nothing to do with the lead's goal, which is the point. The notes are our own staging and drawing advice. Licence: own work

    How it works

    These side character ideas come in five parts: their place beside the lead, one trait that shows in every scene, what they know that the lead does not, a running bit and what they want for themselves.

    Read the full guide

    One trait, shown every time

    A side character gets little room, so one visible trait does the work of a chapter: one glove on alternating hands, a different fruit in each scene, always arriving through the wrong door. Choose it once and never explain it.

    Minor character ideas with a life of their own

    The last part is a want that has nothing to do with the plot: a berth on the spring boat going south, or for the paymaster to get their surname right. It is what makes a reader wonder about them after the scene ends.

    • Let the side character know one thing first. It gives them a reason to be in the room.

    Questions and answers

    What makes a side character memorable?

    One trait a reader can see and one want of their own. On this page a gate guard who waves the lead through unsearched may offer everyone a seat and stay standing, and want to reach their own doorstep ahead of winter.

    Can I use these as NPC character ideas for a game?

    Yes. The group People at the edges is written for that: a ferry operator, a pawnbroker, a town clock winder. Each comes with something they know, which is a reason for players to talk to them.

    How is a side character different from a sidekick?

    On this page a sidekick is one kind: the allies and helpers. The first list also has thorns and rivals, and people at the edges who meet the lead only in passing.

    Do the ideas fit any genre?

    Most do. The roles avoid magic, and most avoid machines, so a quartermaster or a landlord can stand in a fantasy, a western or a city story. Change a ferry to a shuttle and the rest still reads.

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