[stylist] Omitting characters?

[Robert Newman]

Helene 

Keeping a normal appearing blind character for comparison- first, and here I
will speak of my personal feelings (yeah, you were asking for this, I know),
but I really get bogged down in a book that has too many characters. And as
to what constitutes "too many characters" for me, is when I have to work at
remembering who they are, who do they belong too, what is their purpose, and
all that.  And especially if the plot of the story is set somewhere where
the culture has a different set of names than what I am use to hearing; yes,
I can hold onto a number of new names, but not too many before I get lost.
So if the character isn't important, don't load us down with a potentially
non-important character. And as for "conceptually" this character in
question, being "normal" appearing according to how we usually experience a
blind character and should you keep him for contrast, Well --- if that is an
important point in your story? Yes, if it isn't, then don't expect we will
notice that point. 
,


Robert Leslie Newman 
Email- newmanrl at cox.net
THOUGHT PROVOKER Website- 
Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of helene ryles
Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 1:19 PM
To: A private list for authors; bookel; krouthorn; Rebecca MacDonald;
Scif3fan at aol.com; Tamara Smith-Kinney; Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: [stylist] Omitting characters?

I have been going through my work omitting all the unneccessary characters.
So all the characters that are left have a definate role to play.

One of my characters which I am thinking of omitting is Ashok Parvesh, one
of Liza's step children. She's got four blind step children. The other 3 are
all powerful and gifted witches. They more or less take the limelight and
they all have definate roles to play in the plot.
Ashok is just an ordinary blind boy. He is an independant but doesn't do
magic like his siblings so has to do without various magical props that his
siblings use such as a seeker stone that will lead them to whatever they
want, knowing summoning charms, and using their long canes to ride on like
broomsticks. I was thinking of Omitting Ashok altogether since his 3
siblings tend to take the limelight with their antiques. On the other hand
it might be good to keep an ordinary blind character there for contrast.

What do others think?

Helene

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