Comments on: When writing some novels do you need to write a character glossary? http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/ This is A86 Raw and Clear Sat, 24 Apr 2010 20:05:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bryson Ives http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/comment-page-1/#comment-71 Bryson Ives Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:16:14 +0000 http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/#comment-71 Yeah, when I write stories I write up a whole profile on my characters. that way you don't forget something important about them. Pink and Black, (Fishtail? Still both of those colors together, like lines of black or pink going though the rest?) Yeah, when I write stories I write up a whole profile on my characters. that way you don’t forget something important about them.
Pink and Black, (Fishtail? Still both of those colors together, like lines of black or pink going though the rest?)

]]> By: Maleah Francis http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/comment-page-1/#comment-70 Maleah Francis Sun, 09 Sep 2007 17:01:52 +0000 http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/#comment-70 Whether you need a character glossary or not depends on how many characters you have and how often they occur in the plot. If you several characters who reoccur and are at least somewhat important to the plot, it may help to have a character glossary to refresh readers memories of who they are if you don't recap their previous achievements in the passage. In Les Miserables there are several characters who reoccur in the novel (which is lengthy, about 1400 pages unabridged), and there is no character glossary. The author remedies this by making major characters very distinct so that you remember them, and by having minor characters kind of recap on what they were involved in before. For instance, the man character in the book, Jean Valjean, is on the run when he encounters Fauchelevent, a man who he encountered earlier in the book, but that characters may not be able to remember, so Fauchelevent says within the first few lines of their reintroduction "remember you saved my life from under that cart?" so that it is easy for the reader to remember where he is from in the plot. In the Count of Monte Cristo this tactic is utilized less, so the author includes an introduction of characters at the beginning of the book that serves as a sort of glossary. In the Wheel of Time fantasy series, characters may be absent for a book or more before reappearing, so there is an extensive glossary in the back with names of people, places, items, and events. Whether you need a character glossary or not depends on how many characters you have and how often they occur in the plot. If you several characters who reoccur and are at least somewhat important to the plot, it may help to have a character glossary to refresh readers memories of who they are if you don’t recap their previous achievements in the passage.

In Les Miserables there are several characters who reoccur in the novel (which is lengthy, about 1400 pages unabridged), and there is no character glossary. The author remedies this by making major characters very distinct so that you remember them, and by having minor characters kind of recap on what they were involved in before. For instance, the man character in the book, Jean Valjean, is on the run when he encounters Fauchelevent, a man who he encountered earlier in the book, but that characters may not be able to remember, so Fauchelevent says within the first few lines of their reintroduction “remember you saved my life from under that cart?” so that it is easy for the reader to remember where he is from in the plot.

In the Count of Monte Cristo this tactic is utilized less, so the author includes an introduction of characters at the beginning of the book that serves as a sort of glossary.

In the Wheel of Time fantasy series, characters may be absent for a book or more before reappearing, so there is an extensive glossary in the back with names of people, places, items, and events.

]]> By: Marisol Bown http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/comment-page-1/#comment-69 Marisol Bown Sat, 08 Sep 2007 07:03:59 +0000 http://www.a86.co.uk/when-writing-some-novels-do-you-need-to-write-a-character-glossary/#comment-69 It is very helpful to create a character glossary if you have a lot of characters. If you have only a few, perhaps you can keep them separated in your head. Harleigh Kyson Jr. It is very helpful to create a character glossary if you have a lot of characters. If you have only a few, perhaps you can keep them separated in your head.

Harleigh Kyson Jr.

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