Post by ottabelle on Jan 24, 2012 18:09:04 GMT
Kate mentioned in my thread for Abstaining from Permanence that it was confusing at one point, because so many characters were in the scene. If I remember correctly which scene she meant, most of the characters were central and there was one who wasn't but played a large role in that scene.
My question though, is when do you name a background character and when do you not? Often in AfP I used characters who didn't have much to do with the story to reveal more about the main group and they were named. There also would be a blocked off paragraph showing a scene where the background would go off and have a reveal about something to do with the main group.
May not be using the terms right, so I'll give an example.
When Thompson (a central character) and his team go to receive their weapons, he calls the weapon girl by name. They have a page or so of conversation. She likes Thompson, asks him out, and is shot down. He tells her that the man she should go after is waiting for her in a particular place. She gets angry and rages on him. Then, Thompson leaves the room while the rest of the group gets the equipment.
In a blocked off section, the named background character goes and finds the man Thompson mentioned, where Thompson told her he would be.
Should this even be here? It shows that the Regents check on people all around them with their ability to view outside linear time. However, I wonder if it is too much distraction. So, to summarize, when do you give background characters more light in the story and name them and when do you leave them alone and treat them like red shirts?
My question though, is when do you name a background character and when do you not? Often in AfP I used characters who didn't have much to do with the story to reveal more about the main group and they were named. There also would be a blocked off paragraph showing a scene where the background would go off and have a reveal about something to do with the main group.
May not be using the terms right, so I'll give an example.
When Thompson (a central character) and his team go to receive their weapons, he calls the weapon girl by name. They have a page or so of conversation. She likes Thompson, asks him out, and is shot down. He tells her that the man she should go after is waiting for her in a particular place. She gets angry and rages on him. Then, Thompson leaves the room while the rest of the group gets the equipment.
In a blocked off section, the named background character goes and finds the man Thompson mentioned, where Thompson told her he would be.
Should this even be here? It shows that the Regents check on people all around them with their ability to view outside linear time. However, I wonder if it is too much distraction. So, to summarize, when do you give background characters more light in the story and name them and when do you leave them alone and treat them like red shirts?
I think we're on the same page too, of thinking. I just got worried, I guess. When people are test reading the finished thing I think I'll have more of an idea of what's wrong and right, right? 
