Have you ever added a character

Shadow_Ferret · Mar 10, 2006

and found that he fit perfectly and suddenly livened everything up and then wondered why you didn't add him earlier?

I mentioned this character early in the novel, more or less as a dig to another character. "You sound like so-and-so!" I never really intended it to be anything except a throw out line.

The story is a supernatural thriller, more or less, with humor. So this character is an imp, a small demon.

As I said, I mentioned the character early as a dig toward another character.

A few chapters later I reached this point where it just seemed natural to finally insert the imp. I did so and OMG, he's perfect. The MC's daughter (who was just sort of there before to show that the MC was an adequate father) has suddenly come to life. The imp is like her friend, her enemy, someone to insult, someone to confide with, get in trouble with.

He's this mischivous little character who gets into everyone's hair and he just fits in. I've been working on this novel for months and was struggling at 35000 words. I added this character and suddenly this week alone I've written 10000 words and the ending has taken shape, I know where I'm going.

Has this ever happened to any one else? Adding a character suddenly sparked the whole story?

Bebbet · Mar 11, 2006

I wouldn't say I've added a charcter and it's got the whole story moving, but I know where you're coming from. One of the charcters in my first novel went from being an unnamed police dispatcher at the other end of the radio, to a central charcter that becomes a major motivation for another central charcter.

It wasn't so much that I was stuck and needed a charcter to move things on, as her part started out insignificant, and grew and grew as the story developed.

Saundra Julian · Mar 11, 2006

I added an entire group of gypsies to my story...I needed them for one reason only and planned for them to appear in one chapter only...

End of the book, they're still there! Talk about being pushy!

dante-x · Mar 11, 2006

In my current WIP, the first time through an intriguing character just appeared on the sidelines. When I was doing my edits I found the character too compelling to not explore the possibilities his position and personality could offer. Now I am working on a rewrite, and I think that giving this character are more dominant role will make the story richer.

Ken Schneider · Mar 11, 2006

See here:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6710&page=195&pp=25
and page before.

Ken.

emeraldcite · Mar 11, 2006

good link ken.

When you read, track the characters. What seems like a minor character early on often shows up later with a key "kick in the pants" plot mover.

Every named character is a strand in the web you're weaving. Make sure all those strands are important, otherwise you look like a spider who can't build a web.

ChaosTitan · Mar 11, 2006

ShadowFerret, I had a similiar experience while outlining my current WIP. I knew the major plot points, and I knew where the story would end. But I was missing something in the character dynamics that I had created between the MC and the supporting cast.

Turned out I was missing a character. He added the third side to the triangle that created the shape I needed. A potential love interest for the MC, an antagonist for one of the other supporters, and a mysterious past subplot that the MC helps him unravel.

Anya Smith · Mar 11, 2006

Have you ever added characters

I always end up adding supportive characters. Just recently I added a clone of one of my main characters. I needed him to perform a bad deed. He fits perfectly into the story, but of course, I had to work out a background for him.

Vuligora · Mar 11, 2006

The MC's daughter (who was just sort of there before to show that the MC was an adequate father) has suddenly come to life. The imp is like her friend, her enemy, someone to insult, someone to confide with, get in trouble with.

That has got to be, like, one of the coolest characters I have ever heard of!

As for me, my supporting characters usually strat to try and take over the plot and I have to make my main characters stronger or else they fade out. I recently was working on a novel where I had the plot worked out well, and I knew the ending. Then a supporting character decided he wanted more page scenes...and killed my ending, rearranged my plot, made my antagonists more three dimensional and all this other col stuff. It's become really cool and some what confusing. I miss my ending but don't regret giving this character more room! Then there are other characters that appear and if I'm not careful I'll end up having too many characters...but who said their ever had to be a limit!

banjo · Mar 11, 2006

Yes I have added characters into the story that I didn't originally envision. One in particular comes to mind. In my curring WIP I added a gentle giant who adds a potent new dimention to the story.

Actually I add characters frequently in my writing. Because I often start with a general concept of the story and interesting main characters to tell it, I often need minor characters to flesh the story out. Sometimes one of these "minor" characters developes a very important role in my book. And discovering these characters as I go makes the writing very exciting and entertaining to me.

Pike · Mar 12, 2006

Shadow_Ferret said:
He's this mischivous little character who gets into everyone's hair and he just fits in. I've been working on this novel for months and was struggling at 35000 words. I added this character and suddenly this week alone I've written 10000 words and the ending has taken shape, I know where I'm going.

Sounds like you've unleashed a little piece of yourself on the page.

Like everyone else, I've inserted characters where I felt the need. In my one and only novel (doesn't make me the definitive voice does it?) I introduced a character who was sent to kill my antagonist. He came from villain's background and operated outside of my hero's realm. He didn't liven up the story as brightly as your imp but added more flavor as I saw the city through his eyes. He came from a different region and detests the northwest. So, every time he walked on stage he bitched about the weather and people, adding a different insight and perspective to the story I enjoyed writing.

Stew21 · Mar 12, 2006

I did it as well. I did a re-write half way through my first draft because it just didn't feel right, and ended up nixing a couple of meaningless characters, decided they weren't strong enough, and really served no purpose. I did find though that the one or two lines they dispensed were meaningful to the plot, so I assigned them to other characters sometimes, but needed one more character, one that would carry all of that, as a good secondary character. I created this eccentric, nutty older woman who never married, gave her a huge back story, a huge opinion, and something she could offer to move my plot through a slow point. she ended up being one of my very favorites in the ms. She relays a story from her life that changes my main character's perception to a degree, and is a sort of sideline catalyst for what happens next. Other things were the reasons for these plot points to happen, she was the one who got to vocalize it and make my character realize it. She is a fantastic "old broad" of a late addition to the party. I wonder how I ever thought I could write it without her!

Jaycinth · Mar 13, 2006

Gee, and when you are done, I'd like a readie-read please!

Shadow_Ferret said:
and found that he fit perfectly and suddenly livened everything up and then wondered why you didn't add him earlier?

I mentioned this character early in the novel, more or less as a dig to another character. "You sound like so-and-so!" I never really intended it to be anything except a throw out line.

The story is a supernatural thriller, more or less, with humor. So this character is an imp, a small demon.

Has this ever happened to any one else? Adding a character suddenly sparked the whole story?

Don't ja just hate characters that lurk around and then as soon as you mention them come in and take over the entire freaking story?????!!! (then you have to re-write and change and it is a mess.....)

Yes. It happened to me. I'd been mentioning this guy as a bad guy and I needed someone to kill. So I talked him up and set out to kill him, but the B***** kept getting more personable and likeable evry time I tried to off him. ( Come on... I'm serious, I dragged this guy off of a plane and into the Cuban rain forest where severl big mean men with guns were waiting for him and he manages to 'make friends' and get onto a spacecraft and off Earth....I corner him in a warehouse and then several other big guys drag him into the remote icy mountains of another planet, and his mother in law rescues him.)

So I gave up, made him into a 'best supporting character in a male lead seeking redemption for past sins' and let him live. Since he and his sister were evil together, it was easy to attribute all of his attrocities to her.

She likes it. She scares me. So I give her little dialogue. I do not want her taking over the next book. She is proving difficult to kill as well. . .

IggytheDestroyer · Mar 13, 2006

I had a character that was originally supposed to die in the first chapter as a prelude to all the real action. The more I wrote about him the more I liked him. I decided not to kill him off and now he's half of the whole novel.

triceretops · Mar 13, 2006

As an anniversary gift my male lead gives his wife a DNA "Animules" kit, which copies DNA nonobots and fabricates small animals. The wife whips up her first creation into the form of a cat, "that wasn't quite cooked enough." She says that this cat is their new mascott for their ship and she's totally proud of what she's made. But kitty walks in a stiff-legged stupor, falls down a lot, is missing all toes on one paw, and has part of its brain showing through a diaphonous film on its skullcap. It's a wretched creature, which follows the wife around, making coughing noises--Harrgk, harrgk, harrk. This thing frightens the crew, and they refer to it as "Frankenkitty."

I created this character in chapter three and think that I'm going to keep it for comic relief.

Tri

Nexusman · Mar 13, 2006

I created a character to function simply as an auxiliary(sp?) to a main. The character took on a life of her own and I wound up writing a whole new book -- and restructuring my entire saga -- to explain her origins and fit her in better.

-Nick

Have you ever added a character

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Bebbet

Mackem Scribe

Saundra Julian

A work in progress

dante-x

Ken Schneider

Absolute sagebrush

emeraldcite

Art is Resistance

ChaosTitan

Around

Anya Smith

House Dragon

Vuligora

Bring it on...

banjo

Pike

Chivalry ain't dead

Stew21

Jaycinth

Your Cuddly Sociopathic

IggytheDestroyer

triceretops

Nexusman

Chaos Warrior