Chapter arrangement - character setup

David Poellot · Mar 27, 2010

Firstly, yes, I have a MC, and the story is about him. I am writing a fantasy, and it's about a group of six that go on a quest. Originally, I had set it up that the first chapter showed the MC receiving his summons and the days leading up to that. Then, the next four chapters were the same about the other members of the group (two members are covered in one chapter, because they are brother and sister). Then, I thought that it looked awkward starting out like that with basically five separate stories that brought these six together.

So, then I changed to the first chapter about the MC, the second chapter about one of the other members, then the third chapter was them all coming together. The problem there is that the other members' stories of how they are summoned to the group become flashbacks, and it makes it look even more awkward.

So, I'm looking for some guidance. Is it ok to go back to the original with the first five chapters dedicated to showing the members receiving their summons? Or, should I try to find a better way to work their summons into flashbacks throughout the rest of the story? The stories surrounding the summons are integral to building up the character to understand their actions throughout the rest of the novel.

Any help is appreciated.

Woolly · Mar 27, 2010

If each character has information that enlightens their motivations and actions, but isn't vital for the reader to understand their short-term objectives (e.g. cross river without dying), it could work quite elegantly to space out the information and keep some characters more opaque than others. As long as the reader trusts that you know the motivation and it's all consistent, and the characters' motivations aren't fueling the plot points that occur directly after the existing glut of flashbacks, I think that would work nicely. It would be challenging to keep a character's past quiet without making him irritatingly mysterious or withdrawn, but worthwhile.

third person · Mar 27, 2010

The sci-fi/fantasy section might be a better place for this. Some of the regulars in that part might not come to this section as much. And they're a very helpful lot too.

Kateness · Mar 27, 2010

The question I would ask is,

Is it vital that we know every character's backstory prior to Stuff Happening?

I have cool backstories for most of my characters, but they're not where the story begins. The story begins as close as possible to when Stuff Starts Happening.

If, and I'm making this off the top of my head, one of your characters is forced to leave his dying mother to join this quest, that's information that you can work in later - you can have him worrying that she'll die before he ever sees her again.

Unless your writing is *very* compelling, I don't know that I'd stick with you for five or six chapters of backstory.

JayG · Mar 27, 2010

• The problem there is that the other members' stories of how they are summoned to the group become flashbacks,

Who cares how they came to be summoned? It's what's happening, and what's to worry about that the reader wants to know. History has no uncertainty, and the reader feeds on uncertainty, because it allows them to participate in the story. Get the reader busy with story, not history.

Caitlin Black · Mar 27, 2010

I agree with JayG.

2 cents.

knight_tour · Mar 27, 2010

I have a similar situation, but with a bit larger group. I decided to make one person the primary main character and two others main characters while leaving the rest as major characters who don't need to be POV characters. This allowed me to cut back the number of POV chapters to a manageable number. I would have loved to flesh out each character fully, but I don't think it was necessary to telling a great story and would even have bogged it down.

shaldna · Mar 28, 2010

okay, maybe i'm missing something here, but do you have to have all your characters introduced at the start? This is just my preference as a reader, but I feel that in quest books a gradual introduction of secondary characters works best because they become natural additions to the story as and when they are needed. It also give the reader a chance to learn your characters before a new one comes along.

For instance, Touchstone didn't get introduced until well over half way through Sabriel. The council of Elrond scene was about a third of the way though the FOTH.

I wouldn't be in a hurry to set it all up at the start unless you absolutely had to

Lady Ice · Mar 28, 2010

Introducing the characters and their stories counts as Exposition. We don't want Exposition to last too long; Exposition basically sets up the conflict.

I'd say sprinkle stories throughout.

Stunted · Mar 28, 2010

How about they meet up, and the MC says, "Hey, how did you guys get summoned?" And they all answer him in 2 sentences. If you do that, you'll probably get the feel of the summonings, but not really any literal plot details. Would that work for your story?

David Poellot · Mar 28, 2010

Thanks for the help, everyone! I'm glad I found this place, as I try to finish up this project. I've been helped in so many areas. It shortens up the book to take these character buildups out, but I think I can sprinkle some of it throughout. Also, it gives me more of an opportunity to expand on the main story.

I think I'll stick with the first chapter introducing the MC, then the next chapter is one of the others, and then they all meet. The rest of their buildup will have to come out in sprinkles or other ways, but definitely not as flashbacks - that is to say long flashbacks, which is how they are.

The thing that happens here is - in my mind - this is the first book in a four book series. So, the character development works for the future. Of course, if the first book doesn't get published, then there really is no point in the next three. Also, I can move some of the backstories to later books, when certain parts focus more on that character.

Thanks again for all your help!

maestrowork · Mar 28, 2010

What JayG said. Give me interesting stuff, and if you must fill in the blanks, do it interestingly. Don't dump character backgrounds on me, especially via exposition while stopping the plot.

It's part of the "telleverythingitis" that writers tend to do. Why, really, must we know about your childhood before meeting you at the party?

job · Mar 28, 2010

This is maybe idiosyncratic -- but I think I'd want to follow one, or at most two, character's stories for a good long time. I'd get all distracted skipping from one character and then off to look at another and then to another and then to another, and then back to the first again.

Might be just me.

Lady Ice · Mar 29, 2010

If they're important, I'd use them as interludes, if you like- something to change the rhythm so it doesn't get repetitive.

RemusShepherd · Mar 30, 2010

Let me vote for flashbacks, or for just cutting the backstory portions completely.

You need to determine the best point for your story to begin. In an ensemble piece, that's often when the ensemble just meets or at an action point sometime after they're together. Anything that comes before that point should be cut or, if it's necessary to the plot, inserted in some other way. Flashbacks are usually not the best way to do this, but they serve.

BoldSpice · Mar 30, 2010

David Poellot said:
I am writing a fantasy, and it's about a group of six that go on a quest. Originally, I had set it up that the first chapter showed the MC receiving his summons and the days leading up to that. Then, the next four chapters were the same about the other members of the group (two members are covered in one chapter, because they are brother and sister). Then, I thought that it looked awkward starting out like that with basically five separate stories that brought these six together

That's how The Many-Colored Land by Julian May starts.

BoldSpice · Mar 31, 2010

I was checking out reviews of that book on Amazon, and some people do mention being put off by the slow-moving beginning. I remember being engrossed in the book, but that was many years ago as a 15 year old.

Chapter arrangement - character setup

David Poellot

Woolly

Rambler

third person

She blinded me--with magic!

Kateness

JayG

Caitlin Black

Wild one

knight_tour

Fantasy Tourist

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

Stunted

Ich heiße Superphantastisch!

David Poellot

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

RemusShepherd

BoldSpice

All writing is telling

BoldSpice

All writing is telling