Legends of Windemere

This post is in response to a request from Misha Burnett.  Personally, I think he did better explaining this than I could HERE!

Firefly Cast

Something that is very popular in television, movies, and literature is the Ensemble Cast.  Think Firefly, Star Trek, Oceans Eleven, and anything that has more than one main character.  Many times there will be one central character and the others will be partial main characters.  Even the crime dramas tend to have the leader and it takes time to get the other characters to that level.  The key for something like this is making it so that the ‘central’ character leaving won’t kill the series unless it’s really going to be the end.  After all, an Ensemble Cast is a group effort instead of everyone holding up the one guy.

Legends of Windemere has a difficult evolution because of this.  Luke Callindor is the first main character you meet, so he gets the most air time.  People perceive him as the central character, which is a role he steps into regularly.  Unfortunately, this causes confusion as later books come out.  Nyx takes center stage quite often as does Sari and the other heroes.  In the end, there will be 6-7 main heroes with each one sharing in the importance while retaining an individual role.  I’m going to use some of Misha’s terms here.  Luke certainly operates as the captain even though he isn’t the strategist, but he also acts as a sex symbol and a loose cannon.  Nyx is the loose cannon, true believer, and the first mate while Sari acts as the sex symbol and optimist at times.  These roles jump around depending on the plot and which character is the target of the villains.

Tips for writing an Ensemble Story:

1. To make it work, you have to develop all the characters equally.  Think of it like a role-playing video game with a character level system.  The final boss fight requires that you use every playable character, so you need them maxed out by the time of that fight.  If you have to do a last minute rush then it hurts the character and bores the audience.  If one is left behind then they’re a hindrance in the finale.  Readers may hint that a character is getting overshadowed, so listen without getting into fights.  If that’s intentional then leave it alone, but if it’s an accident then write scenes to put the character in the spotlight for a bit.
2. A way to avoid having a character fall out of main cast is to give them personal subplots.  This gives them chances to have spotlight scenes and develop as more than an assistant to the main hero.
3. One way to clarify that it’s an Ensemble instead of a solo act with cheerleaders is to have the perceived main hero get incapacitated.  Demonstrate that a story can go on without him and her.  This can also show that the main hero needs them to survive and succeed.
4. Understand that this is a balancing act.  You might find yourself favoring one character over others, which is a habit to break.  I don’t mean to never focus on them.  Give them more juicy parts, but not much more than the others.  The trick is to make sure people know they’re looking at a group act.
5. Patience and acceptance are key.  It may take time for readers to understand that they’re looking at a group if the main characters appear over time.  There’s also the possibility that it won’t happen.  Readers will have their favorites and focus on those instead of the overall group.  It’s unavoidable and you have to take it in stride.

So, who has a favorite Ensemble Cast?  Does your book use this or is it a central figure with a supporting cast?