Refreshing the Reader's Memory

TheIT · Aug 9, 2007

Any suggestions on how to gracefully refresh the reader's memory when bringing back characters or events from early in the story?

My current WIP has two POV characters. The female POV character interacts with a couple of minor characters very early in the story, then lots of stuff happens without them. The male POV character meets these minor characters for the first time much later in the story. How do I make sure the reader understands that these are the same characters who have been seen before?

When I re-introduce the minor characters, I'm making sure to refer to them by name and I'm trying to use the same physical description for each. Any other suggestions?

Elektra · Aug 9, 2007

They could wear distinctive clothing (maybe the woman wear a bright red scarf, for instance), or have an unusual habit (maybe the man twitches his nose a lot, or the woman uses one of those really old-fashioned cigarette holders).

reenkam · Aug 9, 2007

If it's first person you can have the POV character notice something about them or mention something like "Alice, the waitress, blah blah blah"

Actually, you could do that even if it's not first person. With a name and a physical characteristic potentially paired with another small fact, people should remember. If they don't, they'll figure it out.

RRK · Aug 9, 2007

You can also briefly mention them occasionally over the course of the time when they aren't actually present. I'm doing that in my own WIP--introducing a minor character at the beginning who isn't seen again until much later in the novel. In the meantime, every once in a while my MC makes reference to her. It also helps that I don't have too many characters, so it shouldn't be taxing on the reader to remember them all--have some faith in your audience to recognize characters again if you give them a little boost.

NeuroFizz · Aug 9, 2007

Make those characters unforgettable when they are first introduced into the story. Then, trust the reader. Beginning writers tend to underestimate their readers. Everything doesn't have to be spelled out and then brought back up in a "let me help you remember" way. A typical reader should be able to keep track of minor characters as long as you don't have too many of them, even if you give them a break for much of the book. Unless, of course, they were forgettable in the first place.

Carmy · Aug 9, 2007

As NeuroFizz says -- make them memorable AND trust your readers.

A WIP I'm editing for another writer has a character speak in a distinctive way. He refers to everybody as pal. The minute that turns up in the text, I remember who he is.

Ziljon · Aug 9, 2007

Do things like: "He had the same stale breath Joe had noticed before, only this time there were actually bits of worm meat still hanging to his beard."

Elektra · Aug 9, 2007

Ziljon said:
Do things like: "He had the same stale breath Joe had noticed before, only this time there were actually bits of worm meat still hanging to his beard."

I think the author's problem is that a different POV character is meeting the minor characters, so he can't reference their first introduction to the reader.

Sassee · Aug 10, 2007

Carmy said:
As NeuroFizz says -- make them memorable AND trust your readers.

A WIP I'm editing for another writer has a character speak in a distinctive way. He refers to everybody as pal. The minute that turns up in the text, I remember who he is.

I do the same thing with one of my shadier characters. He calls my MC "love" all the time. (Which annoys the hell out of her, because they're not exactly friends.)

If you don't use appearance, use some other little tell. Smell, speech pattern, something that will jog the reader's memory, but it doesn't have to be obvious or explained in great detail. Unless you are Robert Jordan with a cast the size of the Titanic, and then you might need the detail.

Refreshing the Reader's Memory

TheIT

Infuriatingly Theoretical

Elektra

Don't Call Me Sweetheart

reenkam

aka cupcake

RRK

I named the dog Indiana

NeuroFizz

The grad students did it

Carmy

Ziljon

Tortilla di Patate

Elektra

Don't Call Me Sweetheart

Sassee

Momma Wolf