I’m what is called a pantser like Stephen King. I don’t outline the story ahead of time. But I do take time to stop and think or journal on where I’d like my characters to end up. Anyhow, my two characters, a woman and a man, are growing in separate places right now. The guy’s growth is far more interesting than the woman’s. In real life this normal since women mature at a younger age than men, but in writing is this ok? Should I find more balance? Should I be more deliberate about her growth? My only concern is that she will be unrealistic if I am too deliberate. Or am I over thinking and this is how characters grow in fiction.
Fiction writers, do you find this or do this intentionally. Like, give another character more spotlight? Maybe it’s her slow growth that makes him more interesting and vibrant? I’d love to hear your strategies.
Jayne.press 
I think naturally we’re going to be interested in one character’s growth more than the other. I think the more important questions are, 1.) Can the story exist/move forward without here? 2.) Does the character still have an arch that the reader can identify? If she doesn’t move the story forward then she doesn’t need to be in there. But additionally, she shouldn’t only serve to move other people’s stories forward, she should also have a character arch.
When I have a character like that I try to question what their motivations and what their goals are, and then it’s easier to how they would be affected by the story around them. I also try to make sure that *I* find their growth interesting, because if I don’t find it interesting, as the author, why would anyone else? I’m much less concerned about whether others would find it as interesting as another character.
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So much great advice here. I will definitely work on making her more interesting. Lol
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