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Too many Characters? Neglected Characters?

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Hi.

On one hand I sometimes think that I might have too many characters. On  
the other hand, there are some characters, or rather a particular type,  
that are kind of neglected.

I like a big cast, many different viewpoint characters that take turns,  
in tight third, telling what's going on. They have different  
personalities, too. Then there's all those that don't get viewpoints,  
some more important, some only needed for one thing, getting a mention  
by name when not giving a name would feel wrong.

But sometimes, after a pause in working on this story, even I forget who  
this or that character actually is (good thing I have notes :) ).

So, hoping to finish the third book, I keep wondering whose viewpoint to  
show next to see what happens (in most cases, I don't know what happens  
before writing it). And I am somewhat reluctant to add even more (as in,
a new) viewpoint characters. But then, they (whoever it would be) might  
show something to move the story forwards. One new viewpoint already  
solved something I'd been wondering about, and opened up possibilities  
for something else, that I hadn't thought of before either.


Then last night it occured to me that I neglected an entire group of  
characters. Not just sometimes forgetting about most of them (I'd  
noticed that before), but also that they don't get any/many viewpoints  
at all.

I have male, female, and neutral genders. Males are hogging the stage,  
but there are around a handful of female viewpoint characters, and there  
are two neutral viewpoint characters (that in the story end up being  
changed into male and female).[*] Hrmpf.

Just because the neutral genders only assist in what the others do  
doesn't mean they're less important. Plus, those that are shown add  
colour, variety. And it's part of the setting that in most tribes, there  
are as many neutral adults in a family/household/community as adult  
males and females.

Of course, the females take care of what really matters (to the  
characters; bringing the children to life and raising them according to  
their nature), but the males do most of the interesting (story) stuff.  
The females show that they have thoughts and insights too when it suits  
them. But they're really not interested in anything outside their  
immediate concerns, so they don't get to do much concerning the actual  
story.

And the neutrals even less. Hrmpf.

Here's a new quote I like:
--------------------------------
Jodra: "And here I thought it was the Lords who decided things."
Thay patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Only the things that  
don't matter much to anyone else."
--------------------------------

So, hm... Not sure I have a question. Maybe this is just thinking aloud.  
Comments?


[*] Not counting bad guys in there anywhere, btw. They have a few short  
scenes/viewpoints. Don't have more than a vague idea of what they might  
(or might not) be doing in the third book yet.

-- 

Mickmane

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Too many Characters? Neglected Characters? "Mickmane" <ATH@kruemel.org> - 2025-08-11 11:41 +0200

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