How many "main characters" should a story have? - Writers Forum

Creative Writer · 11-11-2007, 04:05 PM

Or perhaps the question should be how many characters should you go "in-depth" with when creating?

I haven't started actually writing yet, but I'm going to do a novel about a veterinarian. I've actually started working on my main-most character (a vet) and will be going very in-depth with her, obviously.

But there will probably be lots of people who will play a fairly key role. This vet will be the owner of a fairly good sized, multi-doctor animal hospital, which will require a fair number of staff. There's also the pet owners they'll have to deal with.

Obviously, some characters won't be important to go in-depth with...like if the vet goes out to lunch, the waitress won't require much detail. But I'm thinking the vets, techs/assistants, receptionists, even the clients will need some good detail about them.

So...how many should I have of "in-depth" characters? Is any amount too many to have in a story?

Joe Moore · 11-11-2007, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Creative Writer

So...how many should I have of "in-depth" characters? Is any amount too many to have in a story?

In most contemporary fiction, there is usually only one protagonist and one antagonist in a story. First, ask yourself “whose story is it?’ The answer will determine your protag. Then ask “what does your protag want?” Once you know the answer, ask the question, “who or what stands in their way of obtaining what they want?” That determines the antagonist. Those are the two characters that you must spend the most time developing with in-depth background and motivation. Remember that the antagonist does not have to be a person.

Now you must address the supporting cast, both good guys and bad. For instance, who is the most important person in the protag’s life? Same with the antag. Who is the second, etc. With each cast member, ask the same question: What do they want? Their wants will determine how in-depth you should go in developing their character. Your antag's need to save the world requires a lot more development than a one-scene taxi driver who only wants to finish his shift.

Always remember that every character in the story from the protag down to the single-scene walk-on must be motivated. So whether you reveal their motivation to the reader or not, YOU must know it. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Wallmaker · 11-11-2007, 05:49 PM

I make a little bio about everyone who has a name in my story...
I use this mainly for screenplays, so there are usually less people, but I think it works. Some of the in-depth stuff isn't really indepth. EX:

HERBERT: Herbert is middle age, he's on his lunchbreak and he wants a hotdog without onions. Is that too much to ask?

How many characters should you have or think in this in depth way? I'd really worry mostly about key characters. Antag, protags, love interests, mentors... the characters that will move your protag along in the story. And if more characters pop up along the way like buddy sidekicks... yeah, they're important too.

ClancyBoy · 11-11-2007, 10:34 PM

Stephen King's The Stand has several main characters.

So does The Lord of the Rings. The story follows Bilbo for one chapter, then centers on Frodo after Bilbo leaves. After the fellowship breaks it has two POV's, Frodo's and Aragorn's, (with a few Gandalf-centered chapters thrown in,) and after the battle at Isengard there are four-- Merry, Pippin, Aragorn, and Frodo. About when the hobbits get to Shelob's lair, the narrative stops centering on Frodo and shifts to Sam.

HarryG · 11-12-2007, 08:37 AM

An epic fantasy like the Lord of the Rings, and similar epics will have many main characters, and an epic is many books rolled into one.

Most tales are based on the old puppet theatres for children – the good guy, the bad guy and the fairy godmother to administer justice and keep the kids happy (and teach them right from wrong).

I would say, therefore, two main characters and a referee; and not too many side-characters so that the reader doesn’t get confused.

WriterDude · 11-12-2007, 11:26 AM

I think it depends on what kind of story you are writing. If it is a traditional good guy vs bad guy, the good guy are the "main" main character and the bad guy the main villain. But that said, both good guy and bad guy can in some examples be multipe people, like in Lord of the Rings. (in LotR, the Fellowship is the good guy).

In the vet story, I think the vet should be the main character. His family secondary main characters, his staff third main characters and everyone else side-characters with a small in-depth bio if needed. Just keep in mind the more characters you focus on, the less you get to focus on each one. You can try to counter it by making the story longer (Lord of the Rings is a good example; although excellent, it's a bit too long for it's own good). A longer story have more space to develop your characters, but remember to develop them simultaniously as best you can. I don't want to read half the book and suddenly meet a new "main" character and suddenly focus on him or her. Everyone who's important to the story should be introduced within the first 25% of the story, and preferably even before. (depends a bit on what story you are writing and number of characters.) This include the villain, even if we don't know he or she is the villain yet. You could even reveal that part in the ending (epilogue, even), but the character itself should be introduced early on. And again, the "villain" can be several people like a brotherhood, an evil corporation, unhappy clients etc. If the vet isn't doing so well lately financiall, even a bank can be the villain as they threaten to close the hospital if the vet can't raise the funds quickly to pay the bills. In this case, even the name of the bank isn't important. It was just an example. A villain isn't always a guy in a dark robe and evil smile, no matter what fantasy want you to believe.

JohnN · 11-13-2007, 08:39 AM

One of my fav books "A secret history" Donna Tartt has about 4 or 5 main characters and it works perfectly. You don't have to have one main person, though its probably easier that way.

It depends what you are writing. Horror stories tend to have 1 main character. "Who dont it?" Crime Thrillers have many, Romance usually has two.

WriterDude · 11-13-2007, 09:48 AM

One of my favourite all-time horror books is Shaman Woods, by Morgal Fields. Here the "main character" is the entire family who moves to a new house in a dark forest. The story doesn't focun any one of them, but all of them. The father is perhaps slightly more important than the rest, but all in all, they are all main characters. Same with The Shining. Although they are only three people, they are equally important. Same with Spectre (Stephen Laws) as well, and IT. Those two evolve around several friends, and all of them are equally important. (except in Spectre, as the story starts with one of them vanishing from a picture and turns out dead. Another follows soon after in the same way, but the rest are all main characters). The same goes for Darkness Comes by Dean Koontz, come to think of it. Then there's Langoliers (Stephen King). Um... are we reading the same horror stories?

Rabid Euphoria · 11-19-2007, 04:10 AM

To me, length of book = quanity of characters of quality of characters. If you're having a big cast of characters (say, ocean's eleven) you need the main character or two plus other characters who's personalities are shone through with dialogue and actions to avoid deep proding.

To anyone who has read 'The Dark Tower' series by Stephen King, the series (totalling 3400 plus pages) focuses on 4 main characters (5 if you include a bumbler) and a large range of supporting characters. What makes this series so amazing the depth of those 4 characters and their consequential development segment to segment.

When I started writing my book I knew I had a trio of characters (no clue on names, backgrounds etc) just that there was a drunk, a heroin junkie and a binger. I originally intended for the heroin junkie to be the main character but it didn't happen. I think, in terms of MAIN characters a novel should have no more than five. Of those five characters there will be the main character, the villain (possibly), love interest, best friend, catalyst. The catalyst character is a favourite element of characterization for me. A character created for the sole purpose of initiating a key event or shift in story or character. Of course, you may find need for more (say, LotR which has close to a dozen) or even less. Really it all depends on what is needed for the story and that is on a touch and feel basis.

Alex Kostin · 11-19-2007, 07:43 AM

A book can have a few main characters and a few evil characters. You can choose the "evil genius" way of writing a book. In Star Wars (not a book, but it's the only example I can think of right now) for example.

SPOILER!!

When people see A New Hope , they think that Darth Vader is the main villain. But they soon find out that he has a master, wich is shown in Return of the Jedi and The Empire Strikes Back. The final battle is in fact with Darth Vader's master, the Emperor.

WriterDude · 11-19-2007, 08:37 AM

Good example. The "main" character in Star Wars Episode 4-6 is of course Luke, but Leia, Han, the droids, Chewie, even Lando and the Millenium Falcon are very important characters. And yes, I know the Falcon is a ship, but it's really important anyway. Just proves a character doesn't always have to be a living creature. Or a robot, or.. uh, you know what I mean.

Kinda like Ghost Rider woulndn't be Ghost Rider without his bike, even if it's not essential to the character. He do stuff without it as well. Kinda like the Silver Surfer doesn't require the surf board, no matter what the FF2 movie want you to believe.

Amara-J · 11-19-2007, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryG

An epic fantasy like the Lord of the Rings, and similar epics will have many main characters, and an epic is many books rolled into one.

Just got started on my first George R. R. Martin book (4th in the Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series, which is a bad place to begin - but it was a cheap sale, after all). The guy has so many characters - main ones, secondary ones, etc etc - that it's no wonder he has several pages at the back devoted to explaining relationships and brief backgrounds for them. Amazingly, his cast is well-developed, even if a little confusing to follow.

I do suppose it depends on the genre of writing, the length and complexity of your planned story, and also projected audience.

The screenplay-to-novel transition isn't always smooth or applicable, but I'm just wondering if you, Creative Writer, have seen TV shows based somewhat on the topic you're writing about? Stuff to do with hospitals / vets / business environments, for example. Say Grey's Anatomy. Such shows usually have a central cast of five to seven. Stories revolving around pet owners and their pets would probably be (to borrow a term) episodic content; they provide the side conflicts and interactions, but don't steal the show from the main cast unless necessary.

Good luck writing!

~Amara-J

Loulou · 11-20-2007, 04:45 AM

I hate 'should.' How many characters should a story have, should I start a sentence with a verb, should I type in large or small font. Have as many characters as you want. Start with five verbs if you want. Type in size 200 font if you want. Will it work? Who knows, but you'll have fun trying and you may come up with something completely new.

WriterDude · 11-20-2007, 05:05 AM

I scrap at least nine out of ten stories I write.

No idea what the point is, though. Probably that if it doesn't work, just try again. Same story, new story, doesn't matter.

huyzee · 11-21-2007, 02:03 PM

yahs around like 5-10.. too many and the readers end up not remembering any