Backup plan

[Artanis]

Originally posted by Sister Golden Hair
Well, even Tolkien who (in reality) wrote the books, gives the writing credit to his characters.

Many great authors do so.
In letter #66 Tolkien said about Faramir:

A new character has come on the scene (I am sure I did not invent him, I did not even want him, though I like him, but there he came walking into the woods of Ithilien): Faramir, the brother of Boromir – and he is holding up the 'catastrophe' by a lot of stuff about the history of Gondor and Rohan (with some very sound reflections no doubt on martial glory and true glory): but if he goes on much more a lot of him will have to be removed to the appendices ...

As we know, he wasn't removed.