A long time since I did any writing, but I had inspiration just recently and coming up with a concept for a new tale.
Anyways, one thing I'm trying to agree with myself on is how many hero's my story should feature.
It's going to be a comedy (not in the main, but kind of in the way that the hobbit was humorous) / fantasy mix.
Now I'm going to have the protagonist(s) set off on a quest (of course) and bumble along succeeding more by chance than by skill. My original idea was to have a couple of these clueless adventurers so that they could talk to each other on the way and bounce ideas off of each other. But then I thought about POV and wonder if it may be best just to stick with a single viewpoint to get closer bond with the character.
posted
This is almost like asking "I've got this female character I really like, she's a princess who's a bit of a tomboy but still dreams of meeting the man/prince of her dreams. Should this be a fantasy or a science fiction story, do you think?"
That being said, I do happen to have an opinion.
Go with two. It allows you to explain the stupidity to one another, and, if you differentiate the characters from each other, it'll give you a wider range of behaviors and characteristics with which to appeal to the audience with.Maybe a male & female character. Maybe an old man and a young man. Maybe a human and a non-human. Maybe a warrior and a peasant. You can still get to know these characters very well, regardless of the difference in POV that one or two characters necessitates.
posted
Humor allows for a lot more leeway with POV. Read some P.G. Wodehouse. I just read his Leave it to Psmith, and he bounces all over the place with POV--but I think he pulls it off.
I'd say have fun and write it first--you'll have plenty of time to agonize on the rewrite.
posted
Definately two. I know this is a writing site, but think of all the great comedy duos in film and television. Interplay between the two characters, possibly even pointing out the faults in eachother which they can't see in themselves, can enhance the humour. As for POV, There does not need to be an issue as long as the audience is made aware of any changes in POV.
I would start writing with two as IMHO it would be easier to rewrite scenes and reduce the number of characters then to increase them.
posted
Note that in those comedy duos, one is the "straight man" (who thinks he's less bumbling than the "fool"). They're both bumblers, of course.
Posts: 603 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Humor allows for a lot more leeway with POV. Read some P.G. Wodehouse. I just read his Leave it to Psmith, and he bounces all over the place with POV--but I think he pulls it off. I'd say have fun and write it first--you'll have plenty of time to agonize on the rewrite.
It is a bit risky to tell someone writing today they can get away with the same thing that a writer could get away with 50 years or more ago. Tastes and editorial preferences have changed. Mind you, I happen to like Wodehouse. But bouncing all over the place in PoV is very unlikely to get a new author out of the slushpile.
posted
I just read Lisey's Story by Stephen King, and he does this transitioning thing between chapters that is really cool. However, I must say, I think if I tried it, instead of laughing all the way to the bank, I'd be laughing all the way to the big circular recycling bin.
Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Well, the standard convention is two characters that, while they might not have physical or socioeconomic differences, they have core physical differences. Think back to some of the classics - Laurel and Hardy, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby, or "The Odd Couple."
Posts: 87 | Registered: Aug 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
A lot of times I draft out the story as a tell by the MC, and then add in characters as I see appropriate places to show through interaction. Usually, 2- 3 characters can cover the exchanges a short story needs (for me) protagonist, antagonist, sounding board, but novel wise - depends on how complex the story is. If you count all the heros in LOTR (or at least all the good guys that significantly advance some plot point) there's a boatload! I just finished a book with one MC and half a dozen other good guys that advance plot points and kind of delineate different parts of the MCs life. Thats about as complicated as I can get. When I start having to make lists for myself of people's haircuts, vehicles and eye color, I start trying to back it down - cause I don't like having to flip back through other people's books to remember who different people are, I get distracted from the story. Although it was quite a style in pop fiction for a while - remember the old Perry Mason books with the lists of players in the front? those i get a kick out of.
Posts: 1304 | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
My novels have two heroes, a pair of brothers. Sometimes the older brother is the POV character, sometimes the younger. The older one is more serious and responsible, the younger one more impulsive and immature at times (although he matures through the course of the books). Having two lead characters gives you the opportunity to see much more of the fantasy world you've created than you could through one person's POV - just be careful when you switch POVs (don't do it from paragraph to paragraph, although there are still novels published today that do that - but it's more confusing for the reader that way). I use a section break and a symbol (like * * * although I have a specific mark for my novels) for each scene or POV change and it will be more clear to your readers that their brains need to shift from POV #1 to POV #2 or back to #1 again, whatever.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
