Characters, characters, and more characters... - Writers Forum

Phantom Rose · 11-27-2005, 11:41 PM

When I write stories, I have a tendancy to create too many characters, to the extent where they sort of clog up the plot. There's too much dialogue, and nothing happens. Plus, I get stuck describing everything they do, which takes a long time when you have this many characters...

Any advice on how to get rid of the extras...?

CZ · 11-28-2005, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phantom Rose

When I write stories, I have a tendancy to create too many characters, to the extent where they sort of clog up the plot. There's too much dialogue, and nothing happens. Plus, I get stuck describing everything they do, which takes a long time when you have this many characters...

Any advice on how to get rid of the extras...?

I am pretty much the opposite of you. I keep things streamlined by creating both a long-term and a short-term purpose for the character. If I spend time naming a character, they need to a) advance the plot or b) help deepen or broaden my main characters.

If they don't do a) or b), I will simply cut their passage out of the book and store it in a "graveyard" document.

Also, when I write, I keep a Word document open and record each character I create in there with a few sparse details to help me remember who they are. On occasion I'll review it and see if I have any people I've only used for a one-time appearance, and consider either cutting them down or out, or re-introducing them later in the plot to save myself thinking up another character.

richie · 11-28-2005, 01:34 AM

This one always helps: try imagining your story in a screen. If it gets too messy, try to simplify things. That applies to characters too.
You see, like in movies, you hardly have too much people talking or many characters focused on screen. Mostly there's one action focused only.
You can have lots of characters in the scene, but focus only one at a time.
Hope I helped.

Mike C · 11-28-2005, 07:37 AM

Start the story with a huge battle. Kill almost everyone. Work with whoever's left.

Ralizah · 11-28-2005, 09:33 AM

If that's what you want, then go for it. Very little happens in the first 500 pages of The Brothers Karamazov, and some of the book's best moments are in that chunk (hell, arguably two of the greatest chapters in all of Russian literature that reside within this chunk merely record the conversation between two brothers in a cafe).
Otherwise, you'll have to chop off unneccesary side plots. My advice: focus on your main storyline from here on out. Put it away for a month or so. Then, drag it out and tear your first part of it to shreds to extricate the main struggle. A good manuscript needs that editting initially by the author.