tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post4121445928430173755..comments2024-03-28T01:44:27.279-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Crowd ControlDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-66540377360249568022012-12-07T12:01:45.170-07:002012-12-07T12:01:45.170-07:00I know how hard it is to keep track of names and p...I know how hard it is to keep track of names and people in real life, and that's a good reason why not to make it hard on a reader to do so in a book!<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53337152655893826552012-12-06T13:52:04.262-07:002012-12-06T13:52:04.262-07:00This is especially tricky in the case of an advent...This is especially tricky in the case of an adventure story featuring a group of kids, a la Stand By Me. It can get so rhythmically clunky reporting in on every single person's actions and reactions. In such instance, I say subdivide and conquer!Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-43600098826325012802012-12-06T12:46:01.704-07:002012-12-06T12:46:01.704-07:00Great reminder about the hazards of introducing to...Great reminder about the hazards of introducing too many characters in the beginning of your story. Crowd control is, indeed, essential. Excellent post and well worth this second read.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-59511477974391085562012-12-06T06:51:48.970-07:002012-12-06T06:51:48.970-07:00I always issue a program with my books ... you can...I always issue a program with my books ... you can't recognize your protagonist without a program (number 24 in Headwind).Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-11678166683311488692008-09-11T14:25:00.000-06:002008-09-11T14:25:00.000-06:00Great advice, Morgan. I wish writers like Clancy w...Great advice, Morgan. I wish writers like Clancy would heed this advice. One of the best at handling lots of characters is Harlan Coben. I'm reading Promise Me right now and as the story has progressed I have met the central character, Myron, his friend Win, his girlfriend, his parents, his business partner, and a host of other characters, but they were all introduced slowly, with no great pause for backstory or physical description. Dennis Lahane is also great at just letting the characters "step on stage."Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-89734138404783448082008-09-11T14:12:00.000-06:002008-09-11T14:12:00.000-06:00Hi, Morgan,When I'm coaching children's writers I ...Hi, Morgan,<BR/><BR/>When I'm coaching children's writers I tell them they need to let the reader know right away who is telling the story - that is, whose story is this, who is the point of view character? <BR/><BR/>Just as you say you single out someone in a crowd at an event where you don't know anyone, the reader singles out this main character and starts rooting for him or her right at the start of the story. If the reader can't FIND this person, chances are, he or she won't keep reading.<BR/><BR/>Another way to set the characters apart from each other and make them more distinctive is to give them character tags - some physical mannerism or characteristic, or a way of doing something that sets them apart from each other. A book that does this brilliantly is A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT by Linda Urban. There is NO WAY the reader will get confused about which character is speaking, taking action, etc.<BR/><BR/>Happy writing!<BR/><BR/>Suzanne Lieurance<BR/>The Working Writer's Coach<BR/>http://www.workingwriterscoach.com<BR/>"When Your Pen Won't Budge, Read The Morning Nudge"Suzanne Lieurancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11844924439366800477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-78893731067883885982008-09-11T12:47:00.000-06:002008-09-11T12:47:00.000-06:00I try to keep my characters to a minimum unless I'...I try to keep my characters to a minimum unless I'm writing a story that calls for a large cast. Ten I make three or four main characters and turn the rest into support characters. Some development as people to personalize them, but they are mostly there to interact with, set the mood and move the plot along.ghostpostshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10688790361449954681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-25050750051790516872008-09-11T11:48:00.000-06:002008-09-11T11:48:00.000-06:00Morgan,You're so right. If I get overwhelmed with ...Morgan,<BR/>You're so right. If I get overwhelmed with too many characters too soon, I'm liable to quit reading.<BR/><BR/>Helen,<BR/>I actually created a chart of characters for a novel based on the author's family history. He wrote the story as fiction because his ancestors were slaves, and historical records were incomplete. He had to guess on some things, but he tried very hard to make it completely accurate. He insisted on using the real names, and his family tended to repeat names through the generations so there were several people with the same or nearly the same name as well as a number with similar names. I tried to convince him to change some of the names, but he wanted the book to be a tribute and memory of real people. So I created a chart listing all the characters alphabetically by first name with a brief description of who they were and their relationship to other characters (wife of X, daughter of A and B, sister of Z, etc.)Lillie Ammannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01851121176224654240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-61721952589377897682008-09-11T09:49:00.000-06:002008-09-11T09:49:00.000-06:00And, yes, then throw in names to confuse the issue...And, yes, then throw in names to confuse the issue.... I can't remember them at parties or in books. Naming is so important, and we'll have a post about that coming up soon.<BR/><BR/>Morgan, I'm loving your posts here!<BR/><BR/>Dani<BR/>http://www.jungleredwriters.comDanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29607719087292967802008-09-11T07:15:00.000-06:002008-09-11T07:15:00.000-06:00Totally agree with you Morgan. I've been known to ...Totally agree with you Morgan. I've been known to flip back through the book trying to find a character since I can't remember who he is or how he's involved in the story. I've read books with so many characters, I've longed for a list of them and their relationships. Some books have several characters with names so similar, I can't keep them apart. <BR/><BR/>And sometimes I just give up and don't finish reading.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.com