Character question

Coco82 · Jan 1, 2012

Since this genre tends to have large casts of characters, how do you keep track of your characters? Do you make lists as they are created, make detailed info on them beforehand, or what? I'm just interested to know how others do it or what some may consider the best way.

Sea Witch · Jan 1, 2012

I'm interested to read the answers to this question myself. I'm running into this problem already, as in "what year was he born?" or "what was his mother's name?" I can see I'm going to have a major of job of making sure of the internal integrity of all of the characters. I guess it helps if you outline everything beforehand. Unfortunately, that's not how I write...I'm kind of outlining as I go along.....

thepicpic · Jan 1, 2012

I make notes of the various characters as I go along with any interesting tidbits/plot points I think of, but that is invariably my excuse for not finding the willpower to sit down and write. Basically, I think if you spend enough time thinking about each character they'll become more and more distinct. That's my experience of it, at any rate.

Mr Flibble · Jan 1, 2012

There is no one best way - there is what works for you (man, I need a macro for that answer lol)

Some people keep huge character files, family trees, bios etc. Others keep it in our heads. I only need to know the mother's name if she's important - if she's important I'll remember her.

iulialesley · Jan 1, 2012

Well, I'm new to all this, but my idea started out with two characters and then I discovered the characters around them. First thing I do is describe them largely...thinking of how they look like, their personalities etc.
What I always do is give my characters a special something that makes them unique and different from the other characters. That way, each character is important and while I write, I discover more about them. Sometimes, I even want to write their stories because they fascinate me.
Good characters always keep me going

bearilou · Jan 1, 2012

When I start off with a character, she's pretty bare bones. I don't create huge backstory, characteristic lists of height/weight/eye/hair/build or favorite color/music/clothing/hobbies. I just have a vague idea and write.

In the process of writing, if something comes up that is pretty obvious I'll need to start keeping track of, I start a spreadsheet. And all my characters get added to it as they enter the story and this information comes to light.

excel ftw

Veroontjexx · Jan 1, 2012

When I start writing, I have a pretty good idea about my main character. I usually got an image about some of the others too, but I'd rather let them grown throughout the process. Whenever I come up with something about a character, I put it in a file , because otherwise I would forget a lot of it.

Saint09 · Jan 1, 2012

I use NewNovelist (found here) for all my database needs (3rd screenshot down you can see the "Character List" feature). Definitely worth the little investment imo. Before that I would use a locked blog that worked brilliantly. Was searchable, could add tags, etc. Of course you need webspace for that and it wasn't nearly as easy to use/maintain as NewNovelist.

NewNovelist is worth a look if you can afford $49.00. There are also other writing management programs out there, but I've never used them.

Anjasa · Jan 1, 2012

I typically track physical traits and quirks/careers/brief backstories, but I don't bother with minutae. Unless it's going to come up, or was important to the character, knowing her mother's maiden name just isn't going to be something I'm going to touch on.

I try to focus on broad strokes over what affected them and what made them the way they are - the expectations placed on them when they're young, or because of their race or gender, where they grew up, what they want from life - and then flesh them out from there.

I also tend to sketch out drawings of the characters so I can keep it all straight.

JSDR · Jan 1, 2012

I keep track of them in my head - I know the "important" things about them, but only relevant stuff gets put in the story.

They have to come to me pretty much fully formed or they get cut. If they don't do or say anything interesting enough to change the scene or story, they get cut. If I can't remember how they look after a few scenes, that means they didn't make enough of an impact on me, which might affect how I've written them into the scene, so they get cut.

Psychomacologist · Jan 1, 2012

I find OneNote really useful for keeping characters in order. Everyone gets their own 'tab' and I jot down all the details either before I start (in the planning stage) or as and when they crop up in the story. I've a poor memory for facts and names ("What did I call her dog again? Where was he born?") so I have to write them down.

More central features of the character exist mainly in my head. I don't need to write down their personality - I actually find that quite hard to do.

J.L. Calder · Jan 1, 2012

I have about 8 different POVS in my current WiP. I usually just have a document where I jot down the character name, then write a few facts about their personality, what they look like, what they can do, and what they're goal in the story is.

CrastersBabies · Jan 1, 2012

Coco82 said:
Since this genre tends to have large casts of characters, how do you keep track of your characters? Do you make lists as they are created, make detailed info on them beforehand, or what? I'm just interested to know how others do it or what some may consider the best way.

Great question, imho.

For me, I have my 6 rotating POV characters: 3 main and 3 supporting. Not hard to keep track of those. They're my "babies" and I know them like I know myself. I do tend to let the minor cast members slip through: notable servants, political players (noble lords and the like). I introduced this really loathesome guardsman in my prologue (and in chapter 1) and wouldn't you know it, I realized by the end of the book that he'd fallen out of orbit completely.

So, when I notice those, I'll make notes in a word document. Usually, I can go back and look at my outline (that I do before I write, then totally revise afterwards too in order to see where I hit/missed some important elements). I'll be able to see in the outline where I can insert the character(s) that might have been forgotten.

It's not perfect. I'm still revising my method on this particular thing, so I'm looking forward to seeing where this thread goes.

Coco82 · Jan 1, 2012

Yea, thanks. I know there are characters in my WIP that are vital and others that are maybe one time characters, characters whose purpose it is to get another character to a certain point. For those I may not go into detail at all. I don't outline either though, so I get that. When I started I had a few characrers in mind and as I've written the creative process has made characters I had no idea would come up, but have been due to circumstances in the story.

lbender · Jan 1, 2012

I write in Word. I keep a separate Word file with a list of characters and important characteristics. As new characters appear, I add them to the list. That way I make sure I don't have 12 Freds and 18 Angelas. I also don't forget that Geraldine has blue eyes and brown hair if it comes up later in the narrative.

Dagrami · Jan 1, 2012

I love to plan out my characters! I make a basic character spreadsheet, and then, everytime a new one comes along I fill it out for them. Depending on how important they are to the plot I may fill them out in depth or sparingly. This helps me make sure I know what each character individually wants or is aiming for at any given time. I then make a cumulative list of all characters that links to the individual character files!

thothguard51 · Jan 1, 2012

From my experience, since I tend to write series more so than single stories...

I wrote the first book of a series and moved on to the second book. Before long, I realized I needed a way to keep track of characters and I am not just talking about the main, or even secondary characters, but all characters who are given a name.

Sometimes a character is shown in one scene in one book and he or she makes an appearance in a second book, or other follow up books. I needed to make sure I got their names right, hair color or any other information so as not to confuse the reader, or an editor...

So I created a Excel spread sheet that list character name, books they appear in and chapters. The spread sheet also allows me to list appearance information or traits I need to remember.

If you have MS office, you already have the ability to make a spread sheet that fits your needs and it cost nothing but your time.

For my single works and short stories, I don't worry about it because I can page back and forth pretty easily...

Ian Isaro · Jan 2, 2012

For most stories I don't find it necessary to record many details. But if you're writing something over a long period of time or have a large number of characters, creating a database can be useful. You might want to consider looking up the following programs:
yWriter
WikidPad
Wiki on a Stick

The first has a built in character database feature, and the virtue of being free. The latter two are for full wiki creation (useful if your story needs more worldbuilding than normal) but can easily be used to record characters. WikidPad seems most popular among authors but I prefer the functionality of WoaS.

ironmikezero · Jan 2, 2012

Since I, too, am prone to write series, I generally agree with Nick in using some sort of spreadsheet to track the characters. I also use a timeline along which I can delineate the point of a given character's initial appearance, participation in significant points of plot, and disposition or demise. Peripheral or supporting characters of less relevancy (no speaking lines or pertinent actions) generally will not merit such tracking. One can actually track a cast of hundreds rather easily without too much effort.

Silver-Midnight · Jan 2, 2012

Most of my characters are pretty bare bones. If a character's mom/dad/etc. is introduced, then I treat them as just another character. Most of my stories, in my opinion, don't have huge cast of characters. So, I think it is easier to remember. Then, again, I typically write only short pieces anyway. Haha. So, maybe that's why. A lot of times I'll just introduce the character as another character's relation, like (enter character's name)'s mother, and I use that a lot too, especially if I can't find a suitable name for them and they only make a short appearance.

toogrey2 · Jan 2, 2012

I am writing a series so i use a spreadsheet like thothguard51. I jot down notes about charaters while I write 1st draft. When I finish i write bios and do sketches on each character along with a time line to keep track of which book or event they are in.

Coco82 · Jan 3, 2012

I have another WIP that I've gone to and from over the years that was a multi-generational family drama and I used some of the advice used. I did make a list of the characters and their relation & then a timeline as well to help keep track of the characters' progression. I like the ideas here though, some I wouldn't have thought about w/o this thread. My current WIP needs this due to the fact that it is the beginng of a series and there are various groups and factions withing groups that need to be kept track of.

Saint09 · Jan 3, 2012

Ian Isaro said:
For most stories I don't find it necessary to record many details. But if you're writing something over a long period of time or have a large number of characters, creating a database can be useful. You might want to consider looking up the following programs:
yWriter
WikidPad
Wiki on a Stick

The first has a built in character database feature, and the virtue of being free. The latter two are for full wiki creation (useful if your story needs more worldbuilding than normal) but can easily be used to record characters. WikidPad seems most popular among authors but I prefer the functionality of WoaS.

I'll have to give those a check and see how they compare to NewNovelist. Always good to have a freeware recommendation. I have some projects that don't have a lot of worldbuilding, but do have a lot of characters. yWriter seems like the way to go for that. I'll check it out.

Silver-Midnight · Jan 3, 2012

Ian Isaro said:
For most stories I don't find it necessary to record many details. But if you're writing something over a long period of time or have a large number of characters, creating a database can be useful. You might want to consider looking up the following programs:
yWriter
WikidPad
Wiki on a Stick

The first has a built in character database feature, and the virtue of being free. The latter two are for full wiki creation (useful if your story needs more worldbuilding than normal) but can easily be used to record characters. WikidPad seems most popular among authors but I prefer the functionality of WoaS.

yWriter is a very good program, and I think it really would be useful in keeping track of characters and character creation.

Canotila · Jan 3, 2012

I have composition books with full sections on the characters, mostly free writing from their perspectives which really helps when I need to come up with subplots to layer in.

Character question

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is a very hoopy frood.

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wants moar baddassery.

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practical experience, FTW

toogrey2

is a very hoopy frood.

Sever your leg please.