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How to solve the issue of too many characters?

@SingSongKV group forum 6 comments schedule
group
@SingSongKV group

Recently i've gotten the random idea of writing a comedy series involving a eccentric group of characters who all somehow live under the same roof and the main character joining them after struggling to find a home.

The issue is that i have a vague idea of what the main cast would be like. but i ended up with a cast of 8-9, which i fear is too many characters to properly characterize and develop especially with one main viewpoint character, does anyone have any advice that could help?

pets
@ElderGodSeeba petsbing bing 🐸
bing bing 🐸

Its definietly not impossible, I have a gang of 9 boys who similarly all come from broken homes, and they all have theyre own deep lore and are fleshed out characters. Granted, I've had these characters for years at this point, and its taken that long to get them to that stage.

But I get hat your saying, having one main character take away from all the others. Maybe just spend some time thinking out each character and seeing which ones give you the best ideas.

You don't have to scrap the characters completely, also. You can always recycle them for other stories or just to have for funsies :))

group
@Starfast group

Take some time and figure your story out. Sometimes as I'm working on a story I realize that there's characters that I don't really need, or sometimes I find that I can even combine two characters into one.

I think that large casts can be done well although, like @Seeba already said, it can take a while to fully flesh out a cast that big. Sometimes when I'm having a hard time figuring out a character I try writing a short scene from their POV. It doesn't necessarily have to be something that will make it into the final story, but I find it sometimes helps me get to know a character a little better.

book
@IcarusFightsTheSun book

i just make more characters until my friends give me an intervention

router
Mt. G router

I love stories with huge casts of characters. They're definitely way harder to write, but they're also way more rewarding to read when done well. Here's a few tips from me (both obvious and non):

  • Give each character a distinct personality: Make sure each character has a unique personality, background, and motivation. This will help differentiate them and make them memorable to the reader.
  • Use dialogue to reveal character: In addition to describing the characters, use their dialogue to reveal their personalities. This can be a great way to flesh out your characters without taking up too much space.
  • Show, don't tell: Rather than simply telling the reader about a character's personality, show it through their actions, decisions, and reactions. This will give the characters depth and make them more interesting to the reader.
  • Limit the number of perspectives: If you have a large cast of characters, consider limiting the number of perspectives you use in the story. This will help you focus on developing each character without the story becoming too cluttered.
  • Give them distinct goals: Characters should each have their own motivations and goals, which will drive the plot and help you keep track of who's who.
  • Revisit characters as the story progresses: As the story progresses, revisit each character to show how they change and develop over time. This will help to keep the characters fresh in the reader's mind and give them a sense of growth and development.

Good luck!

@Ludan Beta Tester

Kill some of them off!