Writing and Wattpadding (a guide)

All Dem Characters Doh

So you have a story, but you keep bringing in more characters. That's a pretty big issue that can go different ways. Sometimes it's perfectly fine, sometimes it can clutter the pages. In quite a few cases it's probably best to just ditch them.

I know, I know... You might be sitting there saying "But Red! Come on, all my characters provide vital information!" That may be the case, but are there ways that point can get across without the addition of more characters?

Now, I haven't read Game of Thrones. I know, sue me! But I haven't read any of it. I haven't seen the show either to be honest (correction, I saw one episode.) But as I understand it, that series follows a lot of characters. Now this is slightly different... As I've heard, those are actually main characters... As in multiple main characters. Now I don't know about you, but that would make my brain hurt to follow so many main people. I wouldn't really do something like that. I like to stick with one... maybe two. Once you move beyond three things get a little muddled for the reader. 

I'm mainly talking about those background or supporting characters. Those friends that help your heroin, antagonist, MC, whatever you want to call your big leader. You want to limit those as much as possible too. There are a few things to ask when you're adding in those characters. 

When/how are they brought into the story?

What role are they filling while their in the story?

How long are they in the story?

Is what they're doing or saying integral to the plot?

How many of these guys are you even bringing in here?

Now... When you create characters, you have to give them a personality. That personality has to be completely unique and set them apart from others. This is majorly true for your main character(s), but it's also true for those secondary characters you bring in. You need to know them. You need to create these guys out of thin air and nurture them until you put them down in those virtual (or physical if you do it that way too) pages. 

Granted, I don't normally go as in depth with my backup peeps as I do with my main potatoes, but I do have to put thought into what type of person they are. 

Now here's something to think about. Why are most main characters new or "loners"? They're that way so the author doesn't have to introduce another character. You want people to feel the most for your main guy or gal. You don't want to clutter up valuable character building space with words about some Sally Franklin who has been bffs with Mary Jo for ten years unless Sally Franklin is going to be a person who's going to contribute to the plot of the story. If you're going to waste time bringing in Sally Franklin she better do something besides sit on her butt and snack on potato chips. 

I ran into this problem in my story The Huntress. I had Stacey, Jen, and Alicia at one point as Electra's friends. Electra originally started out as the popular type who know quite a bit of people but dem gurls were her main squeezes. That was just too many, and frankly, Jen and Alicia really didn't do much but pop up randomly at school. Out went Alecia, but I thought for sure that Jen should stay. Next round of editing... Nope. She's gone too. Now Dennis. He was a past boyfriend. He really didn't add much either besides drama for my main girlie when the new guy showed up... Zap. Down he goes (Jen and Dennis edits are not on Wattpad as of yet... hence why you probably still remember them if you've read my story.)

Now these were characters that were fine for the drama that unfolded at school, but quite honestly, The Huntress was way more than school drama. It's a girl's struggle in finding out that everything she's known has been a lie. It's a book for self discovery and essentially redemption... or at least getting onto the path of redemption for what she did in the past. School drama isn't necessary for that.