The Intricacies of Multiple Plotlines

[slyc_willie]

After watching such films as Pulp Fiction and Two Days in the Valley, I've had the idea of writing a story that involves multiple plotlines and characters that all interweave, yet are not directly related. For instance, what Joey and Jane do influence what Frankie does, which in turn influences what happens with Bobby and Toni, which influences what Diane does and so on . . . maybe even coming back around full circle to impact what ultimately happens to Joey and Jane.

I've tried writing relatively large casts of characters in the past, without much success. A story series I eventually had taken down introduced something like fifteen characters across the first three two-page chapters. Numerous comments let me know I didn't do a very good job, and after much consideration, I had to agree with mob rule. But, if I stick to just a large handful -- say, eight -- I might find it easier.

I'd like to hear suggestions, tricks, and experiences from those of you who have handled large casts of characters. Especially so, if you have written a story or series that follows in the vein of what I am trying to do.

 

[lovecraft68]

My tales of the Circle novel features a group that consists of 12 members-well 11 half the story is from the POV of the new recruit.

I did not feel I could introduce that many people in enough detail to make the reader understand them and not have it get boring and read like a laundry list.

What I did was focus on four main characters and briefly bring in two others to interact.

I did a chapter where they had a meeting and that was when the reader met the full group and used the new member as the foil as to why I described each one, she was meeting them as the reader was.

That scene was hard as I had to keep all twelve involved in the scene through action and dialogue, especially with how they were responding to two members fucking in front of them

I feel it came out pretty well, but not easy.

From that point I did three other books in th series featuring various characters to give them their own "face time"

But in one story less is more, you try to shove that many people at someone and quickly it will be overload and fall flat.

As an aside the Circle novel was 240k so there was a lot of time to do what I had to.

 

[slyc_willie]

My tales of the Circle novel features a group that consists of 12 members-well 11 half the story is from the POV of the new recruit.

I did not feel I could introduce that many people in enough detail to make the reader understand them and not have it get boring and read like a laundry list.

That's a big one I want to avoid.

What I did was focus on four main characters and briefly bring in two others to interact.

I'm thinking I want to give equal time to each of the "important" characters, so that no particular one will be seen as the definitive main character.

I did a chapter where they had a meeting and that was when the reader met the full group and used the new member as the foil as to why I described each one, she was meeting them as the reader was.

That scene was hard as I had to keep all twelve involved in the scene through action and dialogue, especially with how they were responding to two members fucking in front of them

I feel it came out pretty well, but not easy.

I wouldn't want to tackle a scene like that. The most I think I can pull off without confusing myself is four or so people talking at once.

From that point I did three other books in th series featuring various characters to give them their own "face time"

But in one story less is more, you try to shove that many people at someone and quickly it will be overload and fall flat.

As an aside the Circle novel was 240k so there was a lot of time to do what I had to.

It's definitely going to be novel-length once it's done.

 

[oggbashan]

The difficulty of multiple plotlines and numerous characters is keeping the readers' interest.

While some are happy with the complex Russian novels of great length with dozens of characters, I don't think they are representative of Literotica readers.

In a longer Lit-length story of 3-5 Lit pages, half a dozen characters is probably the maximum and even then a couple of them might be 'cardboard cut-out' figures - in THAT story - to advance the major characters' development.

If you are writing a novel, then you can add subplots and more major characters, but most Lit stories aren't long enough.

 

[jomar]

Ha, study Game of Thrones.

 

[TxRad]

Three plot lines and a dozen to fifteen characters in play at any one time.

Yeah, it started out hectic and got impossible to keep in my head very quickly. So I took the easy way out and dumped two plot lines. I had about three quarters of that done when I realized it wouldn't work as well without the other two.

I ended up writing three stories and then weaving them together into one. Sounds easy but it ain't, believe me. You have to keep in mind the overall arc and how each plot line has to help or hinder that arch.

Lots of work and brain frying.

 

[emap]

Fairly sure Pulp Fiction was written by a few authors who did what Tx did, wrote up separate stories and then shoved them together. Not easy to do but honestly it's not really all that hard so long as you have a cheatsheet.

As in write down the major points of the stories, figure out which one is the 'lead' and then structure in a way to get them to interact. Pulp Fiction did that by having the two assassins, they both had different things happen in their presence. So it was a series of flashbacks type to get the different stories to fit together as a whole.

 

[slyc_willie]

Ogg:

I envision, by the time this is done, it will be a multi-chapter series on Lit and novel-length for publication. I doubt I'll get as intricate as any Russian novel, though.

Tx:

I like the basic idea of writing a few individual stories and then weaving them together. I may actually end up doing that, keeping in mind where characters from the other stories jump in and out.

Emap:

Good point on Pulp Fiction. Jackson and Travolta were certainly the glue of the story. I may have to do something similar and have one or two characters stand out as the dominant players.

Jomar:

Not on your life.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Try THE BIG CLOCK by Kenneth Fearing, the film version is NO WAY OUT with Gene Hackman, Sean Young, and Kevin Costner.

8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE by Lawrence Block.

 

[slyc_willie]

Try THE BIG CLOCK by Kenneth Fearing, the film version is NO WAY OUT with Gene Hackman, Sean Young, and Kevin Costner.

8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE by Lawrence Block.

I've read both, actually, though it's been many years. I always liked Matt Scudder.

Not sure either is technically in the vein of what I'm trying to accomplish, though.

 

[legerdemer]

What you describe reminds me more of a book called A Coin in Nine Hands, by Marguerite Yourcenar. For a GoodReads review, see:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/103203.A_Coin_in_Nine_Hands

And there are free PDFs downloads available from a Google search. There are other books with similar plots, where many characters are connected serially by a theme or object. Yourcenar's book is about 175 pages in paperback - not too long, but not too short either.

 

[TxRad]

Tx:

I like the basic idea of writing a few individual stories and then weaving them together. I may actually end up doing that, keeping in mind where characters from the other stories jump in and out.

I started out with three alien races, one to help Earth, one to enslave, and the third to destroy. It is a race between them and their interactions and rivalries. Telling it from one races viewpoint is how I started but it got messy trying to show the other two. I got bogged down and shelved it for a couple of years.

After a talk about it with my mainstream editor, she suggested I try alternating chapters. That helped. I have them all to the point where they are having a conference on the back side of the moon. We don't have a clue about any of this except for an increase in UFO sightings.

With the three races I have around forty characters, half of that could be viewed as main characters. When I add the Earth characters it's going to be a madhouse again.

With things interwoven at this point, I thinking about having a war among the three and eliminating at least one and parring the characters down to about a third.

Maybe with them showing up in mass over earth will be the end of the first book. That would allow me to start fresh with just two plot lines for the second book.

I don't know if this helps you any but good luck with the project. This one is driving me crazy but it's been a lot of fun.

 

[slyc_willie]

What you describe reminds me more of a book called A Coin in Nine Hands, by Marguerite Yourcenar. For a GoodReads review, see:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/103203.A_Coin_in_Nine_Hands

And there are free PDFs downloads available from a Google search. There are other books with similar plots, where many characters are connected serially by a theme or object. Yourcenar's book is about 175 pages in paperback - not too long, but not too short either.

I'm not looking to connect characters through something physical, but rather to find reasons why they would "just happen" to meet and eventually become involved in the overall story arc. I've been jotting down some basic ideas and the way it's coming together has the characters all conveniently encountering one another out of mainly selfish ends, ultimately contributing the the tone of "moral ambiguity" this story is taking on.

 

[slyc_willie]

I started out with three alien races, one to help Earth, one to enslave, and the third to destroy. It is a race between them and their interactions and rivalries. Telling it from one races viewpoint is how I started but it got messy trying to show the other two. I got bogged down and shelved it for a couple of years.

After a talk about it with my mainstream editor, she suggested I try alternating chapters. That helped. I have them all to the point where they are having a conference on the back side of the moon. We don't have a clue about any of this except for an increase in UFO sightings.

With the three races I have around forty characters, half of that could be viewed as main characters. When I add the Earth characters it's going to be a madhouse again.

With things interwoven at this point, I thinking about having a war among the three and eliminating at least one and parring the characters down to about a third.

Maybe with them showing up in mass over earth will be the end of the first book. That would allow me to start fresh with just two plot lines for the second book.

I don't know if this helps you any but good luck with the project. This one is driving me crazy but it's been a lot of fun.

You have me wondering if you're an "Ancient Aliens" fan. What you described sounds like something Giorgio Tsoukalos and David Childress would salivate over.

I'm going to keep my story relatively low-key. A large handful of main players, with their own stories and conflicts, coming to a head in a big series of resolutions. From what I've mapped out so far, I'm thinking this might wind up more like Sin City with lots of overlaps.

 

[TxRad]

You have me wondering if you're an "Ancient Aliens" fan. What you described sounds like something Giorgio Tsoukalos and David Childress would salivate over.

I'm going to keep my story relatively low-key. A large handful of main players, with their own stories and conflicts, coming to a head in a big series of resolutions. From what I've mapped out so far, I'm thinking this might wind up more like Sin City with lots of overlaps.

This has become a mainstream novel project although I might use elements of it for some Lit stories at a future date.

Years ago I read an old erotic story called "The Ring" if memory serves. The story follows the ring as it goes from one couple to another until it comes full circle. I found it a very good way to keep the story erotic and flowing as it went along with a big twist in the end.

There may be only a certain number of plots in the universe but there are a million ways to tell the story.

 

[slyc_willie]

There may be only a certain number of plots in the universe but there are a million ways to tell the story.

I've built my writing career out of that adage.

 

[TxRad]

I've built my writing career out of that adage.

Haven't we all.

 

[oggbashan]

Ogg:

I envision, by the time this is done, it will be a multi-chapter series on Lit and novel-length for publication. I doubt I'll get as intricate as any Russian novel, though.

Tx:

I like the basic idea of writing a few individual stories and then weaving them together. I may actually end up doing that, keeping in mind where characters from the other stories jump in and out.

Emap:

Good point on Pulp Fiction. Jackson and Travolta were certainly the glue of the story. I may have to do something similar and have one or two characters stand out as the dominant players.

Jomar:

Not on your life.

My 12 parter - Flawed Red Silk - was a series of 12 linked stories (linked by embroidered French Knickers!) with multiple plots and characters. It was written as a NaNoWriMo challenge - to write 30,000 words in the NaNo month. I had set myself the additional challenges to get all 12 parts submitted AND posted on Literotica before the end of the month.

Considering the speed at which it had to be written, edited and posted including allowing for a delay in posting, I was pleased with the complexity and completeness of the finished product.

I had intended it to be the start of a much longer work with 36 or more stories but I decided that it was great as it was. I have left it alone with no edits or amendments, since it was posted. Most of the stories have had Hs for years.

https://www.literotica.com/s/flawed-red-silk-ch-01

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

A plot is what? the structure of story? Maybe the clothing of story...Barbie comes to mind. Thus a multi-plot tale is Barbie with a wardrobe traveling to the same destination.

Lets change things a little. Lets start with a couple we'll call Bonnie and Clyde Clinton. Their destination is world domination of textile production. To this end they conspire. Clyde suggests Bonnie run for President, so she can control American economic laws and policies. Bonnie agrees and makes a plan to collect money from African princes and dictators who will benefit when she and Clyde harness Africa's impoverished work force. They then organize a company with agents to bribe everyone who matters, to influence events with their recognized competitors, and to hurt government watch dogs wise to their purpose.

 

[PennLady]

Seems to me the easiest thing would be to have some commonality between the stories and/or characters, as I think some have already said. They could all live in the same place, or want the same thing, or know the same people. Or perhaps, characters A, B, C and D all know E, who knows F, that sort of thing (chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room? ).

If they live in the same area, that gives you an excuse/reason for them to encounter each other, even just fleetingly, in stores or parking lots or coffee shops or whatever. If they know the same person (or people), then characters A and F meeting via a connection to B is plausible.

As always, I think so long as you keep everything clear for the reader -- who a given group of characters is interacting with, what they want, etc. -- I think you'll be fine.

 

[sr71plt]

Seems to me the easiest thing would be to have some commonality between the stories and/or characters, as I think some have already said. They could all live in the same place, or want the same thing, or know the same people. Or perhaps, characters A, B, C and D all know E, who knows F, that sort of thing (chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room? ).

The approach of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067589/plotsummary)

 

[slyc_willie]

The approach of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067589/plotsummary)

It's been years since I've seen that. I liked the plot and the way everything revolved around the hotel room. That's a little restrictive for the idea I have, though.

Seems to me the easiest thing would be to have some commonality between the stories and/or characters, as I think some have already said. They could all live in the same place, or want the same thing, or know the same people. Or perhaps, characters A, B, C and D all know E, who knows F, that sort of thing (chicka chicka boom boom, will there be enough room? ).

If they live in the same area, that gives you an excuse/reason for them to encounter each other, even just fleetingly, in stores or parking lots or coffee shops or whatever. If they know the same person (or people), then characters A and F meeting via a connection to B is plausible.

As always, I think so long as you keep everything clear for the reader -- who a given group of characters is interacting with, what they want, etc. -- I think you'll be fine.

After a lot of musing and jotting last night, I've come up with "main" characters A, B, C and D. A is hired by B to do a job. C works in the place where A will do the job, and D lives in the same apartment complex as A. Each of the characters has their own story and conflict, with the resolution coming at the end for all. I'm going pretty heavy with the moral ambiguity; B is a selfish social princess, C is an opportunistic stripper/prostitute, D is a cheating wife, and A is the common thread linking them all together through his actions. There are numerous supporting characters across the four threads, so it really is going to be four stories rolled into one with a separate overall arc.


Thanks for all the suggestions and input; it's been a couple months since I've been this inspired.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

There's really only one plot line, us against them, but the cast is a little overwhelming, but I'm pulling it together. I have one book complete with work on the next about halfway done. There are about four more books to nail down a good ending.

The cast of characters...

Warrior One Character Sheet

Candle Steel – Ships Command android
Rebecca “Becky” Gold – Ships android - nurse
Nancy Silver – Ships android – nurse
Finn Collins – Ships Doctor

Ezra Nichols – Captain – Warrior One
Phinias Beckett – Lieutenant Commander – First Officer
Connor MacDonald – Chief Engineer - Commander
Sean O’Connor – Assistant Chief Engineer – Lieutenant Commander

Some Engine Room Crew Members
Grimes
Larson
Becker

Samuel Carlson – Ensign – Sensor Officer
Moshe Byers – Lieutenant – Countermeasures Officer
Eric Nolan – Commander – Navigations Officer
Michael Flannery – Ensign – Communications Officer
Teague Kinsella – Lieutenant Commander – Weapons Officer
Molly Vaughan – Lieutenant – Helm
Egan Dwyer – Lieutenant – Sensor Officer
Tara Morrissey - Commander - Protocol Officer

Lafferty Owens – Major – Commander ships Marines
Joyce Tanner – Captain – Executive Officer of ships Marines

Quinlan – Commander – Linguistics

Other Characters…

Milford Cook – Admiral Fleet One
Shaffer Steel – Admiral’s Command Android
Fina Dugan – Captain Pech – Fleet One Carrier
Ossian Kavanagh – Captain Caoineag – Fleet One Battleship
Carol Ryan – Lieutenant – Commander Flight Two-Two-One



Ships of the line….Fleet One, Two, Three and Four, plus ancillary ships

Tór - Fleet Command Battleship - Fleet Admiral Lonan Fitzgerald, Captain Mealla Bree
Note: There are now three Fleet Command Battleships a forth is under construction at Scara Mensa shipyard
Nuadu - Fleet Troop Transport - Captain Cóilín Cody
Troop Commander - Major General Magnus Hanlon
Note: There are currently two Fleet Troop Transports. No more are planned.
Uasal -Fleet Supply Ship - Captain Dermot Cabe
Note: There are currently four Fleet Supply Ships. Four more are planned.

Fleet One

Warrior One – Fleet One Dreadnought – Captain Ezra Nichols
Mauthe Doog – Fleet One Battle Cruiser - Fleet Command Ship – Admiral Milford Cook Fleet Commander
Pech – Fleet One Carrier – Captain Fina Dugan
Sensor Officer - Brennan Maguire - Lieutenant
Command Android - Diamond Steel
Chief Air Group - Commander Alastar Quinn
Selich – Fleet One Cruiser
Seonaidh – Fleet One Destroyer
Wulver – Fleet One Destroyer Captain Roslea Ossnat
Glaistig – Fleet One Communication Ship
Ceasg – Fleet One Destroyer - Captain Séamus Malone
Caoineag – Fleet One Battleship – Captain Ossian Kavanagh
Airne Mor – Fleet One Battle Cruiser - Captain Torna Hagan

Fleet Two

Warrior Two – Fleet Two Dreadnought – Captain Rohan MacKenna / Commander Ronan Pierce
Dún Muire – Fleet Two Battleship – Fleet Command Ship – Admiral Adair Fleet Commander
Wilmount – Fleet Two Battle Cruiser
Tilliums – Fleet Two Carrier
Taoibh Coille – Fleet Two Communication Ship
Lisieux – Fleet Two Cruiser
Knock Grena – Fleet Two Destroyer
Iveragh – Fleet Two Destroyer
Iona – Fleet Two Battle Cruiser - Captain Ailíse Sheridan
Gleann Fia – Fleet Two Destroyer

Fleet Three

Warrior Three – Fleet Three Dreadnought – Captain Bridget Brogan
Kyernia – Fleet Three Battleship – Fleet Command Ship – Captain Fleet Commander
Slíghe Dhála – Fleet Three Battle Cruiser
Naomh Eoin – Fleet Three Cruiser
Lios a Dun – Fleet Three Communication Ship
Kraceevee – Fleet Three Destroyer
Glencullen – Fleet Three Carrier
Ennisfree – Fleet Three Destroyer
Dooneen Faim – Fleet Three Destroyer
Cóis Dara – Fleet Three Battle Cruiser

Fleet Four

Warrior Four – Fleet Four Dreadnought - Captain Donal Carey
Scáthach – Fleet Four Battleship - Fleet Command Ship - Admiral Kaylee Lowery Fleet Commander
Dalbhach – Fleet Four Battle Cruiser
Nuadha – Fleet Four Carrier
Fionúir – Fleet Four Communications Ship
Ailill – Fleet Four Destroyer
Oillín – Fleet Four Destroyer
Síofra – Fleet Four Destroyer
Fítheal – Fleet Four Battle Cruiser
Aisling – Fleet Four Cruiser

Fleet Command Battleships

Tór - Fleet Command Battleship - Captain Mealla Bree
Sé - Fleet Command Battleship - Captain
Crón - Fleet Command Battleship - Captain

Fleet Command Battleships are not assigned to any particular Fleet. They operate independently unless assigned to an operation of one or more Fleets. To date only three have been built, another is under construction at Scara Mensa shipyard. One is always in orbit around home world. The other two usually lag behind any Fleet action to provide support and resupply.


Fleet Two personnel…

Pan Steel Command Android Admiral Adair Commander Fleet Two
Chandler Steel Ships android – Warrior Two
Ronan Pierce Warrior Two Captain
Kevea Scully Warrior Two First Officer

Fleet Three personnel…

Bridget Brogan Warrior Three Captain

Fleet Four personnel...

Kaylee Lowery Admiral Fleet Four
Donal Carey Warrior Four Captain

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

It's been years since I've seen that. I liked the plot and the way everything revolved around the hotel room. That's a little restrictive for the idea I have, though.



After a lot of musing and jotting last night, I've come up with "main" characters A, B, C and D. A is hired by B to do a job. C works in the place where A will do the job, and D lives in the same apartment complex as A. Each of the characters has their own story and conflict, with the resolution coming at the end for all. I'm going pretty heavy with the moral ambiguity; B is a selfish social princess, C is an opportunistic stripper/prostitute, D is a cheating wife, and A is the common thread linking them all together through his actions. There are numerous supporting characters across the four threads, so it really is going to be four stories rolled into one with a separate overall arc.


Thanks for all the suggestions and input; it's been a couple months since I've been this inspired.

This asshole is playing a game we call YES, BUT. There's no right answer to please him, the funs in rejecting suggestions.

 

[slyc_willie]

This asshole is playing a game we call YES, BUT. There's no right answer to please him, the funs in rejecting suggestions.

Succinct as always, Jimbo. But, as is usual, wrong. I guess you didn't notice I'm incorporating some of what was suggested. Just not what you suggested.

ETA: just for the fun of it, and in the spirit of your post . . . .

Go fuck yerself, Jimmy.

Good night.