Writer Wednesday: Why These Other People?

I've already laid bare my strong feelings about the need for realistic characters. Properly developed, even the smallest of walk-on parts add quality and realism to the narrative, just as they would in real life.Taking The Gardener has quite a cast list supporting the main characters of Eric and Tom. Taking strategic supporting roles are Tom's girlfriend Megan and Eric's best friend Scott. These were easy characters to write, although from the outset Megan seems to fit a stereotype, but in order to avoid declaring a spoiler-alert I will just say read on!In this second tier of characters I need to include my most surprising character, Mrs Perkins. I say 'surprising' because she was not planned at all. I had not even conceived of the character or her place in the story, yet just at the moment she was needed, she appeared. This came as quite a shock, because I hadn't even allocated a housekeeper to Eric. It was as if, when he travelled back to London, she was there waiting to pounce on me. Mrs P. appears in the doorway as a fully formed character. 'P' has a long history with Eric and I suspect will have a long future too.I have thoroughly enjoyed writing all of the characters in this story. As I write this, I am working on the final chapter of the book dealing with another new character. Now, however I need to draw the story to a close, and that will only work when each character has had their say, staked their claim, or said their goodbyes.