Introducing characters

Lyra Jean · Feb 1, 2012

I have 3 POVs in my story. They all play an important part. I'm still writing the rough draft and about 1300 words in so, not that far along.

These characters do not know each other but rather meet later on in the story. Can I each give them their own chapter to introduce them or do I need to introduce them all in chapter one?

GFanthome · Feb 1, 2012

Not knowing what your story is about and what would work best, it's hard for me to determine that. I think though, that an effective method would be to introduce them one chapter at a time - not necessarily chapters 1, 2 & 3 respectively. Whatever works best for the story. This way you a) don't confuse the reader by jumping back and forth in Chapter One (which is doable, but just rather tricky to pull off effectively) and b) you can use as many chapters as needed to present each character's POV before embarking on the story.

Lyra Jean · Feb 1, 2012

The basic plot:

These three people move to Mars for their own reasons. While their a movement begins to win independence from Earth. These people are at the hub because they are the cultural founders of Mars. These people, not on purpose at first, help create a culture that is Martian for people to rally around. So the people there no longer see themselves as colonists but Martians.

Yeah, it's a bit rough and I know it sounds cliched but I suck at outlining so that is what I have so far. They each have their own followers who rally around them and in the end they work together to free themselves from Earth influence.

Ray Veen · Feb 1, 2012

A good rule of thumb when using multiple perspectives is to have a section or chapter break before each perspective change. Incidentally, we're really talking about 'perspective', not 'POV', correct?

Having said that: in a section written from Bill's perspective, you can still introduce Jane, you just can't use her voice yet. That's kind of a fun thing to do anyway, because you start building Jane's character based on Bill's perception of her, and then when you switch to her perspective, the reader gets a feel for how she sees herself.

Hope this helps.

Michael Davis · Feb 2, 2012

There are different groups, books, and gurus that will debate rules, but what works depends on each story and you, the voice of your muse and your ability to envelope the reader. For example, you're never suppose to use And or But to start a sentence (yet, I've heard that one too). Yet, sometimes it works perfectly.

I've authored 14 stories and done it both ways (multiples in a chapter and single), never heard complains nor suffered reviews because of it. My personal take, each character (if not minor) deserves their own chapter so the reader can focus on who and what they are. Exploring too many in one spot could overwhelm a reader, like sampling a taste of salt, pepper and lemon at one sitting could be overpowering. But like I said, rules are meant to be broken.

Lyra Jean · Feb 2, 2012

@RayVeen No definitely talking about POV. Although, I will be using different perspectives when they meet and begin to interact with each other.

lbender · Feb 2, 2012

One of my novels has 3 MC's. The story is told partly through different POV's. The third MC and POV doesn't enter until about 25000 words in. Betas have had no problem with it at all.

Ray Veen · Feb 2, 2012

Now I'm confused. So you're not switching who your narrative character is, you're switching between 1st person and 3rd person?

backslashbaby · Feb 2, 2012

Ray Veen, you'll see that a 'character's POV' is used as shorthand for their perspective, unless I'm mistaken about folks' general meanings.

POV is still 1st or 3rd, etc, too. I hope we aren't too confusing

I think the OP is talking about introducing characters' perspectives and hasn't said yet whether they are done in 3rd, a mix of 3rd and 1st, etc.

lbender · Feb 2, 2012

backslashbaby said:
Ray Veen, you'll see that a 'character's POV' is used as shorthand for their perspective, unless I'm mistaken about folks' general meanings.

POV is still 1st or 3rd, etc, too. I hope we aren't too confusing I think the OP is talking about introducing characters' perspectives and hasn't said yet whether they are done in 3rd, a mix of 3rd and 1st, etc.

For me, this.

LindsayM · Feb 2, 2012

GFanthome said:
I think though, that an effective method would be to introduce them one chapter at a time - not necessarily chapters 1, 2 & 3 respectively. Whatever works best for the story. This way you a) don't confuse the reader by jumping back and forth in Chapter One (which is doable, but just rather tricky to pull off effectively) and b) you can use as many chapters as needed to present each character's POV before embarking on the story.

Just jumping in to agree with GFanthome here.

I do think it's helpful if you aren't going to give one of those main characters his POV chapter until later in the novel that you give him a cameo in one of the earlier chapters just so he doesn't appear out of the blue a third of the way into the novel.

Good luck!

Ray Veen · Feb 2, 2012

backslashbaby said:
Ray Veen, you'll see that a 'character's POV' is used as shorthand for their perspective, unless I'm mistaken about folks' general meanings.

Thanks, got it now. The semantics were confusing me. I'll stop hijacking the thread.

Lyra Jean · Feb 3, 2012

I'm using 3rd.

@Ray Veen when you said perspective I thought you meant introducing a new character only through the lens of a previously introduced character.

The Seanchai · Feb 6, 2012

I would give them each their own chapter. This would help the reader know there was a change in POV as well.

Jaligard · Feb 6, 2012

One chapter for all each of them, or introduce them in the first chapter. Doesn't really matter that much. Just make sure there is a clear break between each one.

What does matter is that the first chapter have the inciting incident of the novel in it.

Paige Lollie · Feb 6, 2012

I agree with what most everyone is saying, making the breaks clear is what will be key.

It sounds futuristic, sci-fi-ish, would there be "Logs" or the electronic diaries? Perhaps sort of introducing each new character by mean of an new log-in. This might be able to introduce the new characters and their situations. Though the idea might really be far off what you are looking for, but just thought maybe giving you some ideas like that as a way to think of different introduction types.

Rooke · Feb 6, 2012

Can I each give them their own chapter to introduce them or do I need to introduce them all in chapter one?

Inserting three different POV's into your opening chapter might be a stretch, unless it's done well. You could quite easily distract and confuse the reader - or just give away the fact that you are introducing the characters for introduction's sake.

My general position about developing your opening, is that it is something you should only perfect when you have nailed down the entire story - that way you can see more appropriately how it should best begin based on the rest of the content.

BethS · Feb 7, 2012

Start with one. Get his or her story going. Weave in the others as needed. Don't think I'd recommend trying to do all that in the first chapter.

Lyra Jean · Feb 7, 2012

BethS said:
Start with one. Get his or her story going. Weave in the others as needed. Don't think I'd recommend trying to do all that in the first chapter.

I was planning to do just that. I think I'm going to give each POV their own chapter.

randi.lee · Feb 7, 2012

BethS said:
Start with one. Get his or her story going. Weave in the others as needed. Don't think I'd recommend trying to do all that in the first chapter.

I agree.

Personally, if the only thing that's happening for the first one-two-three chapters of the book is introductions and there is no real action going on I'm going to put the book aside and read something else.

As said above, weave in the readers as needed so that you have an equal balance of introductions and rising action.

Bufty · Feb 7, 2012

It's your story, but is it really necessary for the reader to have to know the story from three principal POV's whom, from what you say above, I presume will be constantly interacting with each other?

Just mentionin'.

Lyra Jean · Feb 8, 2012

That's what a rough draft is for. To see if it works. I can't really think about the negatives right now or else the story will never get written.

amschilling · Feb 8, 2012

One of the best examples I've seen of this being done was in Stephen King's "The Stand." He had a ton of characters in the book (most of whom didn't meet each other until later in the story), and he introduced them following a distinct pattern. In chapter one we met MC1. Chapter two was MC2, then we went back to MC1 in the next. After that he introduced MC3, then went to MC1 and MC2 again. So he introduced folks in distinct scenes, but he came back to the ones we'd already met in between each new person so they would solidify/stick in our heads. It was pretty elegantly done and honestly? If he hadn't done it that way it might have been a lot more difficult to keep track of who everyone was.

Not sure if this would work for your book, but it was such a smooth way to do it I figured I'd mention it.

Toothpaste · Feb 8, 2012

My latest has three POVs as well, all main characters. I agree that the chapter per POV works. I actually did three chapters each at the beginning by way of introduction (character 1: CH1, CH2, CH3 - Character 2: CH4, CH5, CH6 - Character 3: CH7, CH8, CH9). I did this because I wanted the reader to feel like she'd gotten to know the character well enough before skipping over to another POV. I didn't want the reader to just start to get interested only to tell her, "And now for something completely different."

Basically I wanted them to feel satisfied that they had a handle on the character and her basic goals for the beginning of the story, before moving on to the next. Once I did this, then I felt more comfortable switching between POVs more frequently during the rest of the book.

So yeah, them's my thoughts

.

Lyra Jean · Feb 8, 2012

I have them leaving for Mars at different times.

Char 1 leaves for Mars during Earth year 2109 to begin a Martian museum.

Char 2 leaves for Mars 2111 on the 200 year anniversary of Russia winning the Space Race against the United States. She is American but an open invitation from Russia to any Americans who want to join them in their Martian colony.

Char 3 leaves about 3-4 later after their restaurant is shut down. They had an organic food restaurant and their garden had been cross-pollinated with some GM seeds without their knowledge and were shut down for theft. Plus they are adrenaline junkies and looking for something new to do. These characters start off pretty shallow.

Char 1 meets his financial backers in Char 3's restaurant. Char 2 also frequents Char 3's restaurant. So there is a loose connection there that will come up later in the book and how they all initially meet on Mars.

Introducing characters

Two years old now.

At the computer, opening a vein

Two years old now.

MECHANIZED

Two years old now.

MECHANIZED

~~~~*~~~~

MECHANIZED

Two years old now.

tastes more like regular Dr. Pepper

No compromises, except...

Two years old now.

Certified Non-Genius

Where have the last ten years gone?

Two years old now.

THE RECKLESS RESCUE is out now!

Two years old now.

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