The Intricacies of Multiple Plotlines

[slyc_willie]

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...

That's a hell of a cast list, Zeb. No wonder you need outlines and character sheets.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

That's a hell of a cast list, Zeb. No wonder you need outlines and character sheets.

This is the largest project I have undertaken so far. I thought Walker Brigade was big...the Warrior series will make Walker look like a short story.

I already have a spin off series. The first book is called AMV Chicago. AMV stands for Armed Merchant Vessel.

 

[slyc_willie]

This is the largest project I have undertaken so far. I thought Walker Brigade was big...the Warrior series will make Walker look like a short story.

I already have a spin off series. The first book is called AMV Chicago. AMV stands for Armed Merchant Vessel.

One of these days, I'm going to have to sit down and read Walker Brigade.

I envy your ability to pull off stories like that, with such a large scope and cast of characters. Don't think I'd be able to keep everything straight.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

One of these days, I'm going to have to sit down and read Walker Brigade.

I envy your ability to pull off stories like that, with such a large scope and cast of characters. Don't think I'd be able to keep everything straight.

Thanks.

Charter bio sheets and lot of notes and re-reading of what came before.

It helps that most of the time I have the story completely worked out before I even started to write it.

 

[Hypoxia]

If my muse ever prods me into action again (I've had bothersome IRL issues lately) I have a story cycle to continue, independent episodes set in one low-key urban neighborhood. The players haven't interacted. Yet. Their main connection: sporadic visits to a local tavern with a surly waitress who is NOT a narrator. Yet. A novelization might loosely weave strands of disparate together and tie them in a knot at the finale, when we see how their individual experiences and actions affect them all.

I love the episodic literary model of the 1941 bestseller STORM by historian George Stewart, a novel of many independent plotlines of people, places, and things affected by a massive Pacific nor'wester. I tried that on a small scale with A FALL OF STARDUST. That's rather different from what I did in A TASTE OF SPIRITS with a framing device of folks around a campfire telling their separate but related stories. A novelization of that would tie such tales together more tightly but subtly. Maybe one common thread, maybe several, not always seen, maybe only implied, but they're the glue.

That's the trick with multi-threaded storytelling: finding the glue. Just don't sniff it.

 

[49greg]

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.

I've never done it, but have read plenty of books with multiple plot lines, and my assumption was that the authors must have done what you said. write separate stories, with plotted meetings (on a cheat sheet or outline) in time/space and the final roundup were they meet for the denouement.

 

[TxRad]

Thanks.

Charter bio sheets and lot of notes and re-reading of what came before.

It helps that most of the time I have the story completely worked out before I even started to write it.

Speaking of Bio Sheets. This is an old one but has about everything under the sun.

CHARACTER CHART
Character's Full Name:
Reason or meaning of name:
Nickname:
Reason for nickname:
Birthdate:
Astrological Sign:

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:
Age:
How old does s/he appear?
Eye Color:
Glasses or contacts:
Weight:
Height:
Type of body/build:
Skin tone:
Skin type:
Shape of face:
Distinguishing Marks:
Predominant feature:
Hair color:
Distinguishable hair feature (bald, receding
hairline, etc.):
Type of hair (coarse, fine, thick, etc?)
Character's typical hairstyle:
Looks like:
Is s/he healthy?
If not, why not:
Physical disabilities:

FAVORITES:
Character's favorite color:
Character's least favorite color:
Why?
Favorite Music:
Least favorite Music:
Why?
Food:
Literature:
Expressions:
Expletives:
Mode of transportation:
Daredevil or cautious?
Same when alone?

HABITS:
Smokes:
What?
When and how much?
Drinks:
What?
When and how much?
Hobbies:
How does character spend a rainy day?

BACKGROUND:
Hometown:
Type of childhood:
First memory:
Most important childhood event that still
affects him/her:
Why?
Education:
Religion:
Finances:

FAMILY:
Mother:
Relationship with her:
Father:
Relationship with him:
Siblings? How many?
Birth order:
Relationship with each:
Children of siblings:
Extended family?
Close?
Why or why not?

ATTITUDE:
Character's greatest fear:
Why?
What is the worst thing that could happen to
him/her?
What single event would most throw
character's life in complete turmoil?
Why?
Character is most at ease when:
Most ill at ease when:
Depressive or SAD (Seasonal Affective
Disorder)?
Priorities:
Philosophy:
How s/he feels about self:
Past failure s/he would be embarrassed to
have people know about:
Why?
If granted one wish, what would it be?
Why?

PERSONALITY:
Greatest source of strength in character's
personality (whether s/he sees it as such or
not):
Greatest source of weakness in character's
personality (whether s/he sees it as such or
not:
Character's soft spot:
Is this soft spot obvious to others?
If not, how does character hide it?
Biggest vulnerability:

TRAITS:
Optimist or pessimist:
Why?
Introvert or extrovert:
Why?
Drives and motivations:
Talents:
Extremely skilled at:
Extremely unskilled at:
Good characteristics:
Character flaws:
Mannerisms:
Peculiarities:
Biggest regret:
Minor regrets:
Biggest accomplishment:
Minor accomplishments:
Character's darkest secret:
Does anyone else know?
If yes, did character tell them?
If no, how did they find out?

SELF-PERCEPTION:
One word CHARACTER would use to
describe self:
One paragraph description of how
CHARACTER would describe self:
What does CHARACTER consider best
physical characteristic?
What does CHARACTER consider worst
physical characteristic?
Are these realistic assessments?
If not, why not?
How CHARACTER thinks others perceive
him/her:
What four things would CHARACTER most
like to change about self? (#1 most
important, #2 second most important,
etc.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why?
If change #1 was made, would character be as
happy as s/he thinks?
If not, why not?

INTERRELATION WITH OTHERS:
Is character divorced?
Has character ever cheated on signficant
other?
How does character relate to others?
How is s/he perceived by...
Strangers?
Friends?

Wife/Husband/Lover?

Hero/Heroine?
How does character view hero/heroine?
First impression:
Why?
What happens to change this perception?
What do family/friends like most about
character?
What do family/friends like least about
character?

GOALS:
Immediate goals:
Long range goals:
How does character plan to accomplish these
goals?
How will other characters be affected?

PROBLEMS/CRISIS:
How character reacts in a crisis:
How character faces problems:
Kinds of problems character usually runs into:
How character reacts to NEW problems:
How character reacts to change:

GENERAL:
Favorite clothing:
Why?
Least favorite clothing:
Why?
Jewelry:
Other accessories:
Drives:
Where does character live?
Where does character want to live?
Spending habits (frugal, spendthrift, etc):
Why?
What does s/he do too much of?
Too little of?
Most prized possession:
Why?
Play musical instrument?
Which?
How did s/he learn?

UNCATEGORIZED:
Person character secretly admires:
Why?
Person character was most influenced by:
Why?
Most important person in character's life
before story starts:
Why?
How does character spend the week before
the story starts?

I also have it as a PDF set up in a chart.

PM me with an E-mail and I'll send it along.

 

[slyc_willie]

I've never done it, but have read plenty of books with multiple plot lines, and my assumption was that the authors must have done what you said. write separate stories, with plotted meetings (on a cheat sheet or outline) in time/space and the final roundup were they meet for the denouement.

This is more or less what I'm doing. I'm wrapping up the first of the four stories now, and I'm finding that I can't resist establishing hooks for when the other stories intersect with it. It's become an interesting exercise in literary MPD.

* * * *

Tx, that has to be the most impressive character bio sheet I've ever seen. Not sure if I'll use it, but I CPed it.

 

[sr71plt]

Tx, that has to be the most impressive character bio sheet I've ever seen. Not sure if I'll use it, but I CPed it.

That sent me screaming out into the night. Trying to use something like that would suck all the fun out of writing for me. Anything I write longer than a short story has to have multiple plot lines going--or I couldn't tout up the much wordage. And I wrote from some notes but rarely anything that could be called an outline or a chapter plan.

 

[slyc_willie]

That sent me screaming out into the night. Trying to use something like that would suck all the fun out of writing for me. Anything I write longer than a short story has to have multiple plot lines going--or I couldn't tout up the much wordage. And I wrote from some notes but rarely anything that could be called an outline or a chapter plan.

Well, I'm glad you came back. I generally don't use outlines or character bios -- I have a tendency to know who my characters are at all times (usually) -- but if I wrote something on the scope of what Tx and Zeb have done, I might find myself needing something like their character bios.

 

[sr71plt]

Well, I'm glad you came back. I generally don't use outlines or character bios -- I have a tendency to know who my characters are at all times (usually) -- but if I wrote something on the scope of what Tx and Zeb have done, I might find myself needing something like their character bios.

I do a couple of novella series in the mainstream. And the character lists build up fast in these and they get intricate, as I like to do surprising things with my basic characters and do the Lawrence Durrell technique of minor characters in one book being major characters in another one and vice versa. After the second one, I did realize I had to do a character list--giving relationships and noting major happenings in earlier novellas. I've just started working on the tenth in a mystery series, and, yes, I'm glad I have that list. I haven't developed plot lists--either past or future--though.

 

[TxRad]

Well, I'm glad you came back. I generally don't use outlines or character bios -- I have a tendency to know who my characters are at all times (usually) -- but if I wrote something on the scope of what Tx and Zeb have done, I might find myself needing something like their character bios.

Yeaah, with 45 or so characters, the bios is definitely necessary. I keep them in a data base for easy reference and cross correlation. I also keep an interaction notes sheet to reference whose who and doing what with or to whom.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yeaah, with 45 or so characters, the bios is definitely necessary. I keep them in a data base for easy reference and cross correlation. I also keep an interaction notes sheet to reference whose who and doing what with or to whom.

One of the reasons I use yWrite for those big projects, it has the bio library builtin, along with quite a bit more stuff to keep things straight.

 

[slyc_willie]

At present, I have four Post-Its on the edge of one of my monitors, with notes thus far as I've written the story. I put page numbers on them to tell me where to introduce part of other stories into the main one; not many so far, but they'll increase as I go along. I've only got seven main characters and about five or six supporting characters at this point, and I'm able to keep them all in my head. So far. This is becoming a good test of memory.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

At present, I have four Post-Its on the edge of one of my monitors, with notes thus far as I've written the story. I put page numbers on them to tell me where to introduce part of other stories into the main one; not many so far, but they'll increase as I go along. I've only got seven main characters and about five or six supporting characters at this point, and I'm able to keep them all in my head. So far. This is becoming a good test of memory.

Short stories I can keep the characters in my head, but the minute I get more than 5 or 6, I need to write down who is who and with who.

 

[slyc_willie]

Short stories I can keep the characters in my head, but the minute I get more than 5 or 6, I need to write down who is who and with who.

I figure I'm near my limit with this one.

 

[Hypoxia]

If I've confused myself with my players, I usually only need quite succinct profiles: name, age, main physical / mental characteristics, basic relationships, stuff like that. Like, Sammy Tran is a short 24-yo chainsmoking hustler; his 20.yo bro Jerry is taller and nicer. Or, Maria from Tuscon via Guadalajara is 35 and rides a red Lambretta.. Glances at those remind me of my mental images.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

If I've confused myself with my players, I usually only need quite succinct profiles: name, age, main physical / mental characteristics, basic relationships, stuff like that. Like, Sammy Tran is a short 24-yo chainsmoking hustler; his 20.yo bro Jerry is taller and nicer. Or, Maria from Tuscon via Guadalajara is 35 and rides a red Lambretta.. Glances at those remind me of my mental images.

For Walker I had a little more than that...I really never mentioned age, leaving that to the reader to fill in as to how old someone in that position would be in their mind. e.g.

Max Jones – Chief Warrant Officer
Squad Leader Echo Squad Call Sign: Echo One

Bio: Maximillian Q. Jones Jr.

Max is a military brat whose father is a Fleet Rear Admiral in charge of the 2nd TechCom unit on Pacifica.

He has made it on his own without his father's help, but given opportunities by his father in order to advance his career. Although Max doesn't appreciate the opportunities, he does carry out any mission he is assigned to the best of his abilities.

Max believes in honor above all else. He believes in what he is doing for the Federated Union of Planets. He is proud to be a member of the Walker Brigade. He is a master tactician and strategist and should be at least four grades higher but does not want to give up his squad or take on the responsibilities of the promotion.

Max was born on Pacifica but moved around to many different planets due to his father’s duty assignments.

________________________________________

Becky Latham – Squad Second - First Class
Team Lead Team Three Call Sign: Echo Two

Bio: Becky Latham

Currently a Squad Second Becky Latham should be leading her own squad but due to insubordination charges, she was held back.

She hit a superior officer after he tried to force her to have sex with him while on an R&R leave on Pacifica.

Born on Pacifica she has in the past worked as a model on the TriV. Little else is known about her prior to joining the Walker Brigade.

Becky is also a hyperspace broadcaster - she broadcasts here wants and desires to others when awake in hyperspace. Therefore, she must be placed into cold sleep prior to a jump in to hyperspace.

________________________________________

Jolene Akers – Squad Second - Second Class
Team Lead Team Two Call Sign: Echo Three

Bio: Jolene Akers

Akers was a veteran of the logic wars and has been with the Chief for several years. Offered the position of squad second, she turned it down not wanting to leave her team as the squad second always leads the third team.

Akers, born on a rim world and doesn't talk about her home to many people. She joined the Stellar Army Corp. when she turned sixteen and was assigned to the Walker Brigade when she was promoted to Team Lead, she has been with the Chief ever since.
________________________________________

Charles Wickers – Trooper First Class
Member Team One Call Sign: Echo Four

Bio: Charles Wickers

Chuck, never Charles, has been a member of Echo Squad for three years. He is a member of Max's fire team.

Chuck was born on Proxima Prime but raised on Earth. His father being a big industrialist was head of the attempt to re-establish an industrial base on Earth. Chuck not wanting to follow in his father's footsteps enlisted in the Stellar Army after graduation from University Earth.

He fought in the Logic Wars and assigned to Echo Squad right out of training.

His childhood was that of a privileged upper class citizen but, he is as down to earth as the rest of the squad, if not more so.

 

[Hypoxia]

For Walker I had a little more than that...I really never mentioned age, leaving that to the reader to fill in as to how old someone in that position would be in their mind. e.g.

I often don't mention ages either, but I want to know for myself so I don't inadvertently put their history in the wrong era. Don't want to mistakenly have someone grow up on a hippie commune in the 1950s, hey?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I often don't mention ages either, but I want to know for myself so I don't inadvertently put their history in the wrong era. Don't want to mistakenly have someone grow up on a hippie commune in the 1950s, hey?

Whats wrong with growing up on a hippie commune in the '50s? I did!