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Character Stories: A Way to Track Subplots


I found this cat today on Pinterest.
I think he may look like Rab

     I am trying a new trick with BB.  In BB, I have multiple characters that affect the story.  I needed a way to see all my strands separately as well as being able to weave them all together in the plot.  So I am writing their separate stories.
     Earlier this week, I wrote the story for the Duke of Northumber.  He is about 50 years old in my story, but, to understand him, I had to go back to his childhood.  My writing of his story was fairly dry (no poetry) as I quickly summarized the highlights of his life from birth to death.  It's a little less than 1400 words.
      Now I can feel like I know about his life, and I understand him better.  Some of those things from his life may not ever make it into my BB story -- they may not matter to it.  But some of them will.  Now that I know what an influential person his mother was in his life before she died, I know he may reference her in the story.  Now that I know how he has reacted to successes and failures in his life before, I have a better idea of how he will react now.  And, as I am weaving the Duke into my story, I have this background story that I can utilize if I need more material on him.
       Not all of my characters will have their own story piece.  I don't think I will need them for any of the Tatums...or for Ronald...and certainly not for Mr. Barnes.  But for all of the characters that are in the forefront of the story -- the characters that I need to know more about -- I am going to write a little summary of their lives.

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