I've been toying with the idea of creating a few new characters for some of my stories. The problem is that I'd like to create some regular/recurring characters that will help the story without becoming either a plot device or completely taking over the spotlight that the other characters occupy. I'm trying to find the right balance in my drafts and not having much luck. Has anyone else had this problem?
My OC's come from stories in which everyone has some kind of power, and are only more powerful than the other if their element is the stronger one (I.E Ice over Fire etc).
My other stories are usually human animal hybrids, and includes characters who are mixed with animals like, Cats, Birds, Snakes, Turtles. Of course, the characters are perfectly natural within their environment, as every else is like that, with their own tribes etc.
I think what I'm getting at is, if you want to make a character that doesn't become a plot device etc, just make another character that fits in with everyone else you have, and make it so they just occasionally give advice and then not offer up to anything major in the future.
This can be hard to do though, because people will expect that character to be a plot device and then become quickly disappointed when such device doesn't come in handy.
//I hope this made some sense
>>1 I find that simply asking your readers is a good start. When I used OC's I make sure that I don't love them as much as the main characters from the original cannon.
Because you don't love them as much, they are utilised properly as a device to forward the story.
If you want original characters that you love and want to write a lot about, then save those characters for your own original works. Putting a lot of effort into OC's for a fanfiction is wasted energy.
For example, I'm writing a war story for one fandom. The original show I'm basing it off hasn't many characters, so I'm having to use some OC's. However, these OC's are there to be killed off. Will I give them depth and development? Yes,but only because it'll make their deaths more meaningful.
The minute OC's become more important than the original characters is the minute your OC is too important- they then need to be pulled out of fanfiction and put into an original story, because they won't work in a fanfiction.
Also, when using OC's I sometimes put an authors note asking the readers to let me know if they think the OC's are taking over. All my reviewers were very nice and polite about it. They let you know in a nice way if they think your OC is becoming over-bearing. It depends on how well you take constructive criticism.
2/3/4/Thanks guys. I'll be working on some original characters that will be gradually introduced as my stories progress, starting them off from a basic template and going from there, I liked your suggestions about not over-writing new characters and also asking reviewers to offer honest opinions. At the same time I want to keep my cast of characters from growing too big. I don't know if other people have this problem but I feel like I need a chart of some kind to keep track of all of them when too many names appear in a chapter.
Hm, needing a chart to keep an eye on all your characters seems a bit much. Do you need that many? Because you may overload your audience with too many names, histories, descriptions and personalities. Can you get away with cutting down the OC number, or maybe just focusing on a handful and letting others not develop too much (allowing them to be the equivelent of 'background' characters in a film?)
It's just because writers like Stephen King get criticised for using too many characters, and he's an awesome writer.
I hope I'm not discouraging you, I don't want to do that!!!
5/6/ Sorry, my point was about other fics I've read, usually my limit is twelve main characters that would rotate in and out of the stories main focus, any more than that and I feel like I'm at a party where you meet a ton of people and you'll be lucky if you remember a handful of names. I'm aiming for stephen king talent, while at the same time avoiding Tom Clancy type detail. (not knocking Tom, but the man's books read like encyclopedias when describing certain things)