character management – Page 2

Keep the Cast Small, With an Ax if Necessary

Eliza Jaquays - September 11, 2012

Nobody ever told me I was supposed to have a large cast of characters! This is actually something I have a bit of trouble with managing. In short works I tend to limit my characters to a central protagonist and a few sidekicks. I mean… side characters. Depending on the length of the piece, my […]

What’s in a Name That Starts with J?

Sara Lundberg - September 11, 2012

I admire the way writers like Tolkien and George R.R. Martin juggle enormous casts of characters. Martin has an entire appendix dedicated to all of the different houses, for crap’s sake. How in the world do they keep track of them all? Extensive note-taking, I’m sure. They are obviously masters of their craft. I have […]

The Han Solo Effect

Jack Campbell, Jr. - September 10, 2012

I’m not a very social person. I try to be nice to people, but overall, I have a very small group of friends. It’s hard to maintain a large number of friends and give them all the attention they deserve. The same applies to your cast of characters in a work of fiction. Keep them […]

Crowd Control (Week Ending September 15)

Cafe Management - September 9, 2012

The next time you’re at a party or in a crowded restaurant, try listening to the conversations around you. Usually it all becomes an auditory blur, that can be mimicked by saying “watermelon, cantaloupe, watermelon, cantaloupe” over and over. Now imagine trying to write that dialogue. For writers, large casts of characters present some unique problems. Not only […]