Continuing Characters

[Colleen Thomas]

I am working on the fifth installment of my Football Widow series now and I am finding the going very rough. One of the joys in writing for me is creating and developing characters from my imagination. In the short story format you have such freedom to mold them as you choose, but in an extended series like this I find me freedom bounded by previous installments.

Although they are my characters, it has become almost like a fanfic, where the characters are premade and your creative liscence is minimal. Compounding this problem is the fact that the original story wasn't concieved of as a series and I have written myself into some corners.

This is only me second extended series and I am growing frustrated with it. So:

Does anyone here have any advice for using characters in a long series?



For anyone who is planning on one I have a few things I have learned the hard way.

1. Plan it out. If I had planned this from square one I wouldn't be facing the challenges I am now.

2. Be very aware of minor details. You would be amazed at how much readers retain of the small details and how glaring it is when your story lacks internal consistancy.

3. Children are a PITA when you are working for realism in a story. In the original I just sent them off to grandma's house. But really, how long can you keep them away from home and away from the characters before it gets weird?

4. Cry to the members of the AH for help when you get stuck, cause I sure am

-Colly

 

[ruminator]

Hiya,

I don't know if this helps, but I would look to interesting characters in real life, some will weave in and out of visibility at various times.

The good ones always manage to come back and reappear.



Many times we don't focus on reasons, but the time together is the heart of the character's interaction with interested others. There's several people in many areas of my life that bring a smile just to see(hear) their name or know they're thinking of me.

Sometimes it's a certain subject, shared experiences, a particular form of humor/entertainment/lust that is shared, and that's all it takes to make the connection.

Weavers can be frustrating to catch up to, but they're usually worth it.

 

[cheerful_deviant]

To be continued...

I am currently working on my 4th chapter of one of my stories and I can sympathise.

It sounds like I have run into some of the same problems you have. I find myself constantly going back to previous chapters and searching for facts on characters. So far I think I have caught all of my mistakes before the stories went to post. I haven't gotten any nasty-grams yet, so I guess that's a good sign.

I havent had a problem with continuing to develop my characters yet. I'm still finding ways to expand on them. Maybe if I continue on longer I will have trouble, but so far so good.

By the second chapter I had almost started to think of the characters as friends of mine. I could picture all of them in my mind (some more clearly than others) and I just KNEW how they would act in a given situation. Character development became easier because it was like I actually knew them.

Maybe what helps is that I keep introducing new characters. These new characters give the existing more to interact with so I can explore them more. Drag out past experiences, similarities, differences, etc.

(I find it mildly amusing that I am talking about character development because I basicly write crap, but I try)

Any of that help?

 

[wishfulthinking]

*Hugs*

I have to say from personal experience that the readers are a forgiving bunch. In ch.02 I mentioned marie as being the mistress of the main charachter leonn, but when I came to reintroduce her in ch.05, I put a little authors note at the start (and also on my members page) that I had changed my mind and to forget what I said about her being his mistress. She turned out to be his step-mother who was obsessed with him. No one complained, and everyone was happy with the development.

Of my series there wasn't any planning beyond the 3th or 4th chapter. I can tell you the 5 and 6 were the hardest, the 7th slightly easier, and the 8th was almost smooth sailing in comparison. You feel as though you get boxed in a corner, but it does eventually ease. And you think to yourself, I know these characters, I've made them up, why should this be hard? But it is!

Advice? Not much I'm afraid. Sometimes it helps me to sit there and think, this is what the characters are like and this is where I want them to be at the end of the chapter. How do I get them there?

As to children, maybe they can be seen and not heard? Like a scene starts after a character dropped them at school/put them to bed/gone to a sleepover. Worst case scenario, school camp!

because I have so been there!

 

[FlyontheWall99]

I'd have to agree on all the above points, planning out and basing your character around real life persons. I can say that my first attempt at a series ended after three chapters because by the fourth instalment the characters had weaved quite a complicated set of relationships and I felt it was hard to write a fourth chapter that wasn't 90% character interaction and thus probably bore the reader to death.

My current series the Xanthe Files is easier to keep with because I've crafted a fairly vague main character and the whole series is episodic and thus doesn't really carry over into other episodes. I really only have to keep the character's look, personality and a few minor personal circumstances which makes life a lot easier when it comes to sitting down and writing future episodes.

You just require impecable planning and a good understanding of your character I guess .....

 

[ruminator]

When in doubt on the facts,



akways rely on



superpowers.

 

[cloudy]

I don't know how much help this will be Colly, but for my novel I have a personnel file, of sorts, on each character.

Its a separate file from the novel itself, but it contains all those little pissy details: physcial description, education, job, etc., etc.

I find myself having to refer to it over and over again because if I didn't, there would be some glaring inconsistencies. Even with it, I've found some.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Does anyone here have any advice for using characters in a long series? Colly

Colly,

When it comes to character driven extended format writing, I'm a believer in PPPPPP (prior planning prevents piss-poor performance). That's not a universal attitude. Many novelist, espeically those who write plot driven, action-adventure stories just start and let the story tell itself.

I create a rough outline and save that to one file, then a list of characters in another file. For each of the major characters, I'll create a profile/bio sketch. These include any personal info mentioned in, or related to, the story: physical descriptions, favorite drink/music/etc, Minor characters usually get just a line or two. However, anytime a new character is introduced, they're included on the list.

My outlines are chapter-by-chapter, very rough, and written to be changed. They're intended as much to let me see where I've been than where I'm going.

Writing yourself into a corner shouldn't be an impossible problem. This is fiction--it's the world you created. If all else fails, fall back on the writer's ulitmate "get out of jail free card" that is, "dues ex machina," the hand of God.

As always, feel free to PM me about any of this bilge.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[cheerful_deviant]

Colly,

When it comes to character driven extended format writing, I'm a believer in PPPPPP (prior planning prevents piss-poor performance). That's not a universal attitude. Many novelist, espeically those who write plot driven, action-adventure stories just start and let the story tell itself.

I create a rough outline and save that to one file, then a list of characters in another file. For each of the major characters, I'll create a profile/bio sketch. These include any personal info mentioned in, or related to, the story: physical descriptions, favorite drink/music/etc, Minor characters usually get just a line or two. However, anytime a new character is introduced, they're included on the list.

My outlines are chapter-by-chapter, very rough, and written to be changed. They're intended as much to let me see where I've been than where I'm going.

Writing yourself into a corner shouldn't be an impossible problem. This is fiction--it's the world you created. If all else fails, fall back on the writer's ulitmate "get out of jail free card" that is, "dues ex machina," the hand of God.

As always, feel free to PM me about any of this bilge.

Rumple Foreskin

The 6 P's! I love that! I'll have to put it up on my wall at work tommorow! Thanks.

 

[raphy]

As you know, Colly, I don't tend to write serials per se, but many of my stories do re-use characters from other stories. In fact, pretty much all of the cyberpunk stories that I've ever written are connected to each other via some form of interlinking character work.

If I find myself getting stuck in a certain situation, I simply ask myself, 'What would this character *actually* do, in that situation?', and I write from there. It may not be the plot that I'd had originally in mind, but it definitely is true to the character.

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Colly - I feel your pain and agree wholeheartedly with the point you made about children. Not a good idea.

Things I've learned:

* It's a good idea to give each new work an out. The first story I ever posted here, received a great reception and nearly all of the feedbacks included an interest in a continuation. As it wasn't planned to continue, I'm finding it very difficult to take the story where I want to because of the way the original was written. I now give every new story some serious thought, where the possibility of a continuation is concerned. Some I know for sure I want to start and stop at one story, but not all. I don't necessarily change the story for that purpose, but I'm much more aware of certain things that might hold me back if the characters are likable enough to warrant more.

* One thing in particular that has put a serious damper on the possibilities for a continuation is specific times. (e.g. Six months passed, Summer to Fall, a week long business trip, etc...) Mentioning times seems crucial to me somtimes, but I now wonder if it's as necessary as I originally thought.

* Another thing that will certainly hold you back is glimpses into the past that serve a particular purpose, but are extremely difficult to tie in later on. It seems, to me, if they were a big enough deal to mention once, that they are now a part of that character's make up. This really bites when a character is trying to move on, but I included part of their past to describe/explain a certain emotion or action. Once it's a part of them it's nearly impossible to continue, without touching on that part of their past that was never meant to surface again. Wouldn't be a problem in a novel, but it makes short stories not so short.

* Finally, it is a bad idea to write more simply because there is an interest in your readership. I truly love my original tale and think the characters are wonderful enough to spin many more tales around, but without looking that far ahead before submitting it as a stand alone, I shot myself in the foot. It's become a challenge now and I'm crossing my fingers that I can pull it off, but in the future I hope to avoid winding up between this particular rock and hard place by at least considering a sequel.

~lucky

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Some characters are very stubborn, and just won't let you drop them. I wrote a fan fic just for the heck of it, and now I'm stuck with these 5 gals that just won't leave me alone. Especially Robin keeps popping her head up left and right, demanding to be included.

 

[Guest]

 

[KarenAM]

With my sicence fiction, I tend to write in the same setting but use different characters. I still have to place them in time and space, though, and keep the world consistent.

I have a very long, broad plot for the whole thing, and fill in spaces with shorter fiction. Having the broad plot at the beginning has limited some things but given my epic some structure. Is there any grand conclusion you can set int he far off future and then work toward in bits and pieces?

As to the kids, in "Coming Home" I sent them across the street for sleepovers and Nintendo with their friends so mom and dad could have some intimate time.

Best of luck, Colly!

 

[sirhugs]

Planning?????????????

Gawd, even when I do plan, the characters refuse to behave. I seldom end up with the tale I expected.

I do however always try to leave room for more. I just submitted the fifth " Ross the Boss" chapter, though its months since the fourth.

I had the fith plot device already handy, but kjust got distracted by other writing. It helps in this series that each chapter is freestanding and not continuous.

My characters do tend to be childless. If they have kids, they can always be at school or a movie or on a hike or a sleepover, if grandma is busy acting out her own story for the "mature" section.

I find adding or substituting fresh characters feeds the creative urge. It also presents opportunities for alternate sexual desires, to avoid repetition.

If I can help, let me know.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Thanks for all the replies and advice.

The children here become a particular problem because the relationship they are a product of ends in a divorce. Treating that with the sensitivity it deserves would be a book in and of itself.

The real problem with the characters is that I have so defined them in the earlier chapters I feel constrained when writing them now. The constraints are self imposed, but I can't help but feel this odd sense of working without freedom to explore or expand upon them.

After reading some of the replies I did get on track and get past my block point and I do thank you all for that help.

-Colly

 

[sirhugs]

what a wonderful way to build our anticipation of the next segment ( and send us scrambling to see if we are up to date so far)

 

[gauchecritic]

The only continuing character I have is from my first ever Lit. outing and goes over 3 stories and fortunately only about 3 or 4 hours (excluding flashbacks).

I purposely invented 5 characters (4 of them being successive daughters) and 2 other intriguing persons whom I kept low-level. I then deliberately set the story in a residential home et voila innumerable characters to draw upon.

When Snippsville came along I transplanted the character as a visitor. This is a particularly useful device. He was amongst strangers and could become whomsoever he pleased without any need of reference to other stories. This happens in RL too, as has been discussed quite often at the hangout. How a person communicates differently with different people.

Re-focusing is a useful device too. In a thread posted by Perdita she posted an article about "The Simpsons". . I think you'd find it quite useful.

Gauche

 

[sweetnpetite]

I am working on the fifth installment of my Football Widow series now and I am finding the going very rough. One of the joys in writing for me is creating and developing characters from my imagination. In the short story format you have such freedom to mold them as you choose, but in an extended series like this I find me freedom bounded by previous installments.

Although they are my characters, it has become almost like a fanfic, where the characters are premade and your creative liscence is minimal. Compounding this problem is the fact that the original story wasn't concieved of as a series and I have written myself into some corners.

This is only me second extended series and I am growing frustrated with it. So:

Does anyone here have any advice for using characters in a long series?



For anyone who is planning on one I have a few things I have learned the hard way.

1. Plan it out. If I had planned this from square one I wouldn't be facing the challenges I am now.

2. Be very aware of minor details. You would be amazed at how much readers retain of the small details and how glaring it is when your story lacks internal consistancy.

3. Children are a PITA when you are working for realism in a story. In the original I just sent them off to grandma's house. But really, how long can you keep them away from home and away from the characters before it gets weird?

4. Cry to the members of the AH for help when you get stuck, cause I sure am

-Colly

 

[raphy]

The real problem with the characters is that I have so defined them in the earlier chapters I feel constrained when writing them now. The constraints are self imposed, but I can't help but feel this odd sense of working without freedom to explore or expand upon them.

Is it a sense of lack of freedom, or lack of freedom itself? I mean, are the characters actually hampering your ability to tell the story, or is that just your impression of them..

I hesitate to give any further advice without knowing the specifics of what you're trying to write and how your characters are hindering you from doing that

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Is it a sense of lack of freedom, or lack of freedom itself? I mean, are the characters actually hampering your ability to tell the story, or is that just your impression of them..

I hesitate to give any further advice without knowing the specifics of what you're trying to write and how your characters are hindering you from doing that

The best way I can describe it Raphy, is that I feel like I did when I borrowed Dev from you. I kept having to ask you if he would do this or if that was in character. Except in this case I am not asking so much about action or motivation, but every time I start something with them, I remember touching on it in an earlier chapter and have to read back, find that reference and make sure I am being consistent.

I think my best option is to bull through to the end. Then go back and compare what I have them do, with what they have done before and elimenate inconsistancies as part of the editing process rather than the writing process. The constant cross checks are just killing my drive & hampering me in the enjoyment of writing, and that leads to such a forced feel to it.

-Colly

 

[Colleen Thomas]

The only continuing character I have is from my first ever Lit. outing and goes over 3 stories and fortunately only about 3 or 4 hours (excluding flashbacks).

I purposely invented 5 characters (4 of them being successive daughters) and 2 other intriguing persons whom I kept low-level. I then deliberately set the story in a residential home et voila innumerable characters to draw upon.

When Snippsville came along I transplanted the character as a visitor. This is a particularly useful device. He was amongst strangers and could become whomsoever he pleased without any need of reference to other stories. This happens in RL too, as has been discussed quite often at the hangout. How a person communicates differently with different people.

Re-focusing is a useful device too. In a thread posted by Perdita she posted an article about "The Simpsons". . I think you'd find it quite useful.

Gauche

thanks Gauche, I'll check it out

-Colly

 

[sirhugs]

The best way I can describe it Raphy, is that I feel like I did when I borrowed Dev from you. I kept having to ask you if he would do this or if that was in character. Except in this case I am not asking so much about action or motivation, but every time I start something with them, I remember touching on it in an earlier chapter and have to read back, find that reference and make sure I am being consistent.

I think my best option is to bull through to the end. Then go back and compare what I have them do, with what they have done before and elimenate inconsistancies as part of the editing process rather than the writing process. The constant cross checks are just killing my drive & hampering me in the enjoyment of writing, and that leads to such a forced feel to it.

-Colly

I agree about fixing consistency errors in editing.

As to "would they do that", isn't part of the joy of any Lit character opening up new facets of their experience?