How many characters do you tend to introduce in Chapter 1?

SwallowFeather · Nov 7, 2019

angeliz2k said:
Not entirely on topic, but in my latest WIP, I, too, have my characters telling their story to someone else, and it can be a very useful device in getting across info to the reader that the narrator knows and wouldn't really think twice about if by themselves. I didn't do it with names, but with explaining certain terms and places.

Eh, I kind of like off-topic, within reason.

I've developed an itch to write something with a frame story eventually myself--I always thought it was cool, and I keep seeing more possibilities.

angeliz2k said:
Yeah, there seems to be a relatively wide-spread notion that you have to start in the middle of action, with Stuff Happening, and keep explanation and description to a minimum, and I frankly think that's hogwash, for most genres at least (I think it actually does make sense for thrillers and other action-oriented stories). While it's important to hook your reader, I think you can do that by involving them in your world. Now, just sitting there describing the clouds for two pages isn't gonna do it. There has to be some point to the things you describe. But you don't want your reader to feel like everything is happening within a blank box, and you don't want to confuse them (which can happen if you jump in too fast, without orienting your reader).

Right?? I think I've managed the hook (for once!!) now I need to not stress out the reader.

angeliz2k said:
They vary, but most my first chapters (most my chapters in general) are around 2-3k words. The WIP I mentioned above, with the woman introducing her family, has a different structure with more, shorter chapters. That first chapter is only about 850 words.

Thanks for answering the question, that's helpful. This is definitely less long than my chapters--first, second or third. Now I gotta think about what that means.

maggiee19 said:
I only introduce three characters in chapter 1.
I recently betad a book with so many characters, it was impossible for me to keep up with all of them. Most of the characters would appear in one chapter, serve a certain purpose for one scene, and then they were never seen again. It remind me of when I started writing novels back in 2000. I would have way too many characters in one chapter.

So interesting to hear from someone who does have a definite principle on how to do it! I can well imagine reading the in-and-out-again characters in your example. I wonder if they were necessary--and if they were, whether the problem would have been solved by leaving them unnamed.

How many characters do you tend to introduce in Chapter 1?

SwallowFeather

Oops I just swallowed a feather