Writing Ensemble tip sheet
Barb C
Ensemble tip sheet:
FOR SCENES
1. Make sure that everyone who's in a scene has a reason to be there.
2. Know where everyone is-are they standing, sitting, pacing? If it's an action scene, have a good idea of what the room or area is like. Sketch it out and use bottle tops to figure out where people are, if necessary. This will prevent people from teleporting mysteriously.
3. Pay extra attention to distinctive speech patterns and word choice in dialog. Use body language as well as dialog to distinguish characters.
4. Make sure you haven't forgotten anyone and left them languishing in a corner.
FOR STORIES
1. Know what role each character will play in the story.
2. Most ensemble stories will still have a few main characters; know how your supporting characters will interact with the main characters.
3. If you give supporting characters their own subplot, make sure those subplots eventually tie into and further the main plot.
4. Give your characters room to move. Don't try to cram seventeen major characters into a two thousand word story.
Ensemble tip sheet:
FOR SCENES
1. Make sure that everyone who's in a scene has a reason to be there.
2. Know where everyone is-are they standing, sitting, pacing? If it's an action scene, have a good idea of what the room or area is like. Sketch it out and use bottle tops to figure out where people are, if necessary. This will prevent people from teleporting mysteriously.
3. Pay extra attention to distinctive speech patterns and word choice in dialog. Use body language as well as dialog to distinguish characters.
4. Make sure you haven't forgotten anyone and left them languishing in a corner.
FOR STORIES
1. Know what role each character will play in the story.
2. Most ensemble stories will still have a few main characters; know how your supporting characters will interact with the main characters.
3. If you give supporting characters their own subplot, make sure those subplots eventually tie into and further the main plot.
4. Give your characters room to move. Don't try to cram seventeen major characters into a two thousand word story.