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Write Your Novel |
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For Story Structure |
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For Story Development |
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Write Your Novel or Screenplay Step By Step
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Copyright Melanie Anne Phillips -
~ Step 113 ~
Characters -
It takes a while to fully introduce a cast of characters in all the ways we've explored. So, there are some characters, roles and relationships that will come forth near the end of the first act.
The last part of the first act generally completes the introduction of your cast of major characters. Now, this is not always true. In some genres, such as mysteries, characters might be introduced throughout the story. But even then, there is usually some hint that such a character exists, by virtue of his influence behind the scenes. Still and all, you'll likely have a few characters you haven’t yet addressed and want to introduce by the end of the first act.
Once a character has been introduced, readers want to know more about them. It is not enough to simply introduce characters, roles, and relationships, but you also need to revisit them and add a few more details to what you have already divulged.
This mimics the way we learn about people in real life: a first impression followed by a series of refinements that impression.
To address this, review the introductions you made in the beginning and middle of the first act, and consider how they might be enhanced in the process of making any new introductions you have not yet included.
For this step, describe the introductions of characters, roles, and relationships you wish to occur in the last third of the first act, and describe additional details about your previously introduced characters, seasoned to taste.