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It simply means that when you tell your story, make every character count. Having fewer characters does not mean that you should have as few characters as possible, nor does it mean you should aim to tell a story that you have to cut your current cast for the pure purpose of reducing its size. So it might sound strange when I tell you that fewer characters is better.īear with me for a moment. They drive a compelling plot and form a personal connection with the reader. Sherlock Holmes, Katniss Everdeen, Frodo Baggins. When you talk about stories that stick with people, they think of the characters. The characters carry the story and at the end of the day, it is the fate of the characters that the readers are most invested in. While opinions may differ on this topic, I believe that a story is ultimately about the characters-their choices, their consequences, their trials and tribulations, and the lessons they learn.
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Character-Driven Stories Don't Equal Lots of Characters You'll also learn the major types of characters and ways to determine if-for the characters who don't qualify as essential-you're better off revising their role, or cutting them from the plot. In this article, you'll learn four ways that determine if (1) the character is essential, and (2) how they contribute to a story. In order for a secondary character-or any character-to matter in a story, they have to work as an essential character that impacts the protagonist, plot, setting, or another important aspect that shapes or moves a story forward. Perhaps you've questioned an even tougher problem: “When is a character important enough to keep in a story, and when does the narrative work better without them?”
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But have you ever wondered: “Why are characters important in a story?” As a writer, you know that a story can't exist without characters.
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