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hamlettaI've made some progress with the characters for the new novel. This one will be an ensemble, though with one real protagonist while the others will function as friends/foes adversaries and obstacles, sometimes changing these roles as the story progresses.
(I'm still deciding if some of them will get their own pov sections. They might, but it won't be multiple pov, more like one pov with "inserts.")
For a well-functioning ensemble, the characters need to be both different enough and completing each other in some way. And those differences/completions should form on the lines that will amplify the conflicts AND the thematic elements. And all this while making them realistic human beings...
One of the ways I'm looking at the ensemble is the head-heart-gut split recommended in Matt Bird's Secrets of Story. I think it's an interesting way of approaching it, so I'll see what it gets me. Then there's also making sure they are not all my default silent, brainy types... Writing gregarious extroverts is sooo contrary to my own way being!
Still, that's not the biggest challenge.
Several conflict lines in the story fall across different national/political interests (it's not-so-far-future sf), my characters need to represent those different nations/races. This is scary, as while I feel comfortable writing many European and some North American settings (I've lived in five countries so far), I'm quite apprehensive attempting to write Asian or African characters. One of the main ones needs to be Chinese, and... well, I've never even been to China. the fact that the story is set up 200-300 years in the future, and after some seismic socio-political changes should give me some leeway, but still.
Of course, writing everyone as a human being first will be the most important. But I am worried about sounding unrealistic or, even worse, reinforcing a stereotype I didn't even know existed. But the opposite of that is making everyone a white European so that's not an acceptable alternative, either.
I keep reminding myself to write people first and worry about everything else later. Hopefully, this will work.
(I'm still deciding if some of them will get their own pov sections. They might, but it won't be multiple pov, more like one pov with "inserts.")
For a well-functioning ensemble, the characters need to be both different enough and completing each other in some way. And those differences/completions should form on the lines that will amplify the conflicts AND the thematic elements. And all this while making them realistic human beings...
One of the ways I'm looking at the ensemble is the head-heart-gut split recommended in Matt Bird's Secrets of Story. I think it's an interesting way of approaching it, so I'll see what it gets me. Then there's also making sure they are not all my default silent, brainy types... Writing gregarious extroverts is sooo contrary to my own way being!
Still, that's not the biggest challenge.
Several conflict lines in the story fall across different national/political interests (it's not-so-far-future sf), my characters need to represent those different nations/races. This is scary, as while I feel comfortable writing many European and some North American settings (I've lived in five countries so far), I'm quite apprehensive attempting to write Asian or African characters. One of the main ones needs to be Chinese, and... well, I've never even been to China. the fact that the story is set up 200-300 years in the future, and after some seismic socio-political changes should give me some leeway, but still.
Of course, writing everyone as a human being first will be the most important. But I am worried about sounding unrealistic or, even worse, reinforcing a stereotype I didn't even know existed. But the opposite of that is making everyone a white European so that's not an acceptable alternative, either.
I keep reminding myself to write people first and worry about everything else later. Hopefully, this will work.
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