Rush Hour

Outside of buddy comedies, you don’t see a lot of dual protagonists that are truly even.  A lot of times, you see one fall to the background at some point in the adventure.  This is because it’s really hard to juggle two characters on the same level, especially if you aren’t working with a long series.  An author might be able to redirect at some point, but lasting damage can be made.  So, what are some ways to make sure you don’t have the adventure slip to a single protagonist?

1. Make it clear from the beginning or even the blurb that this is a story with two protagonists.  If you don’t, readers will immediately latch onto one and think that’s the main character.  They might get annoyed when the other hero gets attention because they won’t realize the situation.  It becomes really tough when you have to introduce your protagonists separately.  The first one introduced tends to be seen as the main hero if you aren’t clear about your intentions.
2. Each of your protagonists needs their own goal. They might share a common goal that unites them, but they have another plot that is all their own.  These goals also won’t immediatley trip over each other.  For example, they might be going after the same enemy for different reasons.  One wants to reclaim a stolen item while the other wants revenge.  Both goals are unique to each hero and they don’t have a high risk of interfering with each other.
3. In terms of pacing and page time, try to give the protagonists as close to equal as possible without harming the story.  It might not be a constant back-and-forth, but keep an eye out for when you have spent too much time with one.  Then, jump back to the other for a time.  By the end of the adventure, the audience must feel like the dual protagonists shared the spotlight instead of one getting more attention than the other, so hopping might be necessary.
4. If you find that one hero is taking up most of the adventure, you might have to resort to tension and jealousy.  While protagonists don’t realize they are main characters in a story, they can note when they are being left behind.  Part of this is becuase dual protagonists tend to have an agreement to help each other in their individual goals.  It might not be said, but it is there.  So, one seeing that the other is making headway while they are not can allow you to use jealousy to redirect the story for a bit.
5. When you feel like they are stepping on each others toes, you can have the protagonists split up for a time.  Maybe they need time apart to pursue leads.  It can also be a forced separation by the villain.  This allows you to jump between them and have them grow as individuals.  Otherwise, you might have them turn into the same type of character because they are always doing stuff together.
6. Dual protagonists of opposite genders don’t have to become lovers . . . That’s it.
7. Always try to keep the core of the characters’ skill sets unique.  They might both be great warriors, but maybe one is an archer and the other uses a spear.  If they are matched in combat, one could be stealthy and the other intimidating.  Both of them need to bring something unique to the table and keep that as their own to retain their individuality.