Send your main character on a business trip. While he's gone, give the side character his role. When your MC gets back, have the former side character make the MC his lackey.
My MC who’s actually the side character is basically this super OP dragon lord that can accomplish anything, but the reason the side character will be the true mc is because what this world needs is not a hero, but a really flat underdeveloped side character.
Sounds like you've copied my OC self insert, but I'll give some advice to the writing peasants as a treat.
Make the MC carry the series for two books, then kill him off. That's where your side character comes in as the Main Side Character, and saves the day and gets the hero statue and legends written about them. Then immediately resurrect the dead MC using a deus ex machina device and carry on like nothing happened for the next seven books.
If readers ask about it during one of your many speaking engagements or world building courses you will teach at Brigham Young Mormon University for mormons who want to read good and do other stuff good too just gaslight them and deny it ever happened. After all, they're the side character (main character)
Well, while your"Frodo" is off conquering the known world, Sam can be back home, squatting in Frodo's house and running drug deals and prostitutes out of his Hobbit Hole with his friend, Gandalf the Grey.
Well since you can never change your plans, just hint at all the cool adventures and skills the side character has and have the Mc remind the audience how cool they are.
Try keeping your side/MC on the outs and say, have the real main characters go off on a drug-fueled orgy in the woods without him where they meet god and tear a hobo apart with their teeth
Easy.
Make mc and side character thickest friends
Whenever mc has screen presence ensure side character is with them too.
Give side character max stats like good dialogue, humor, presence of mind. This will make mc look like a tag along character than mc.
Maybe side character is helping mc achieve what he wants (impossible to fail with this one if done right)
How people don't think the side character is mc?
Show mc family/stakes the most and how he's just a show doll still all while side character helps them get through everything, never show side character's family, display minimal of their stakes etc..
Now people will know and hate mc for being side character in his own story while they be surprised to see side character shine more.
Only let them talk when their buddy Rick speaks. Give Rick a sad backstory, a facial scar, a family curse, all the qualities of an MC. Now you have successfully created your ultra meta mind boggling story where the side character is the main character and the side character is the main character.
/uj I've actually seen a lot of stories where the main character gets isekai'd as a side character in a novel and some where the 'original main character' becomes a side character
But here’s my problem. I want my MC to remain the MC whilst also being a side character. And make the side character, who should be treated as a side character throughout the novel, be the MC.
This is a really high level concept
Send your main character on a business trip. While he's gone, give the side character his role. When your MC gets back, have the former side character make the MC his lackey.
My MC who’s actually the side character is basically this super OP dragon lord that can accomplish anything, but the reason the side character will be the true mc is because what this world needs is not a hero, but a really flat underdeveloped side character.
Sounds like you've copied my OC self insert, but I'll give some advice to the writing peasants as a treat. Make the MC carry the series for two books, then kill him off. That's where your side character comes in as the Main Side Character, and saves the day and gets the hero statue and legends written about them. Then immediately resurrect the dead MC using a deus ex machina device and carry on like nothing happened for the next seven books. If readers ask about it during one of your many speaking engagements or world building courses you will teach at Brigham Young Mormon University for mormons who want to read good and do other stuff good too just gaslight them and deny it ever happened. After all, they're the side character (main character)
I’ve never tried to pull off gaslighting on that scale before. There’s a first time for everything I guess
Well, while your"Frodo" is off conquering the known world, Sam can be back home, squatting in Frodo's house and running drug deals and prostitutes out of his Hobbit Hole with his friend, Gandalf the Grey.
tsk, when the side piece catches feelings
Well since you can never change your plans, just hint at all the cool adventures and skills the side character has and have the Mc remind the audience how cool they are.
Try keeping your side/MC on the outs and say, have the real main characters go off on a drug-fueled orgy in the woods without him where they meet god and tear a hobo apart with their teeth
make another the main
No you don’t get it. My side character IS the main character, but I want him to remain a side character whilst making the ACTUAL mc my side character…
Easy. Make mc and side character thickest friends Whenever mc has screen presence ensure side character is with them too. Give side character max stats like good dialogue, humor, presence of mind. This will make mc look like a tag along character than mc. Maybe side character is helping mc achieve what he wants (impossible to fail with this one if done right) How people don't think the side character is mc? Show mc family/stakes the most and how he's just a show doll still all while side character helps them get through everything, never show side character's family, display minimal of their stakes etc.. Now people will know and hate mc for being side character in his own story while they be surprised to see side character shine more.
Only let them talk when their buddy Rick speaks. Give Rick a sad backstory, a facial scar, a family curse, all the qualities of an MC. Now you have successfully created your ultra meta mind boggling story where the side character is the main character and the side character is the main character.
/uj I've actually seen a lot of stories where the main character gets isekai'd as a side character in a novel and some where the 'original main character' becomes a side character
But here’s my problem. I want my MC to remain the MC whilst also being a side character. And make the side character, who should be treated as a side character throughout the novel, be the MC. This is a really high level concept