Keeping track of minor character! How much is too much?

[Hettie]

What has worked for YOU with keeping minor characters clear and unmuddled?

I am writing a mystery where the MC interviews several witnesses over the period of a few weeks... how in the world to make them different people and keep them organized? Or, should I limit the number of minor characters?

How many is too many?

EEK!!!

I need a family tree or something - A character tree of sorts I suppose!

Thanks for your advice and patience with me!

[Matera the Mad]

Any kind of list would do; name, brief description, what chapter/scene they're in.

[Greenify13]

When you look at life, in actuality: there are never too many, if they are needed in the story.
I don't keep track of characters, it's all up here *knocks on head*. I do understand where you are going with this though!
What you need is a character database for the book!

[Mumut]

Write short biographies for the main *minor* characters, as you would for the main characters. Give them differences in speach or actions. One young derelict could always be wiping his nose on his sleeve and the MC rousing on him in disgust. Then one think he's smart and MC has to be careful when dealing with him. Another could have a foreign accent etc.

[HelloKiddo]

If you can't keep track of all your characters how in the world do you think your readers will be able to? You know more than they do, it's your world.

Shave characters down if you must. If you feel you can't, try to make a point of making sure they are clearly distinct. When you hand this off to a beta make sure you mention that to the beta and ask them if it's hard to follow.

[Nakhlasmoke]

Have you thought about combining characters?

Say you have one character that is interviewed, and another character that maybe is a tour guide or something that takes you MC somewhere - could you make them one and the same?

Little things like that.

[dgiharris]

IMHO, minor characters that are needed are o.k. My only vice is a minor character that is tasked to do something important but yet the author really hasn't distinguished said character and I get him confused with another underling.

As i'm reading, I regard most minor characters as backgorund noise. In fact, I hardly even have mental pictures of them really. Just sorta a generic template I use. THink of Star Trek and the Ensigns in the Red Uniforms. Doesn't really matter who they are, you just know they are fodder so it doesn't matter.

But, if the minor characters ARE going to do something that matters, be sure to give them their brief moment in the sun so the Reader knows who the F they are. And as has been suggested up thread, giving them a distinctive 'thing' helps to keep them all straight in the reader's head.


lastly, I'm a big fan of limiting extraneous characters. If they are needed, fine. But if you can combine them and keep the integrity of the story, all the better IMHO

Mel...

[Nivarion]

I just make little quick notes. Since my writing mood only comes late at night or early in the morning I need them. My form is.

Bob McBobbington
Age: 45
Height 5' 4" Weight 200 lbs
Eyes: blue hair: brown
Species: Human Race: White
As a child bob wanted to be the first man to walk upside down on the ceiling. His first attempt at his dream left him with a damaged spine and mentally retarded. He saw the crime of X killing X. The detectives had a hard time getting past all the Derrrs that he spaced every word with but his input has proven valuable.

(note. Bob's family questions weather his retardation was a result of the accident or a cause. I think I'll have a piano dropped on him in chapter x for comic relief.)

None of that was serious information, just some BS I chucked out but it is better than a blank form. I have a second document of these. When I need a new character I create their profile so that I'll get everything correct this time. No more eye and hair color changes for me!

[Linda Adams]

How many is too many is when the reader feels like they need a scorecard to keep track. Or when the writer starts feeling confused or overwhelmed.

I always tend to have a high number of characters when I write. It's currently holding at 21 named characters, though it's possible a few more could pop up. I keep a list of all the characters in a style sheet for a quick reference. The names all fit nicely onto one page, so it's great for a quick look.

Other things worth noting:


Don't introduce too many characters at once. If you put eleven characters in one chapter and expect the reader to remember all the names, it's not going to happen.
Don't introduce characters in the middle of an action scene. It's going to be hard for the reader to remember, and besides, it gets in the way of action.
If a character appears in only one scene in the entire book, it may be worth rewriting the scene so he can come out.
If the character hasn't been in the story a while, reassociate the reader with him again. I've had mysteries where they've unveiled the bad guy, and I don't have a clue who he is!

[Hettie]

Wow, thanks for the comments!

This is a mystery, and the characters in question are all women who have 'disappeared' for a few days and reappeared. Each had a slightly different experience as the Antag. was evolving... So, I was thinking 9 women. Three a year for 3 years.

I have notes on each, but worried that they would all seem to meld together to the reader since some of the characteristics are the same... some, not all. I guess that is ok. As long as the reader 'gets' the evolution part. Right?

THANKS AGAIN!

[Hettie]

If you can't keep track of all your characters how in the world do you think your readers will be able to? You know more than they do, it's your world.

Shave characters down if you must. If you feel you can't, try to make a point of making sure they are clearly distinct. When you hand this off to a beta make sure you mention that to the beta and ask them if it's hard to follow.


I am trying to get advice on that... 'tis why I started the thread... thanks for the 2nd comment though!

[Clifton Hill]

My advice: Don't think that you have to create every character from scratch. Go get some inspiration for them. Talk to a co-worker who is a ditz, and think about how you could use their personality as a character. Think about that arrogant news reporter on your news station, a character from a movie, a policeman/woman who gives you a rough time for a simple moving violation, the old lady at the grocery store that is so exceedingly nice that you can't help but smile at her, the old man at the restaurant that is so very grumpy while he waits on his coffee, etc. Use real life for your characters if nothing readily pops to mind, then make sure to make them beleivable and give them life and a history where necessary.

Good luck!:)