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Eight Characters in One

PiperPiper
edited January 2009 in - Writing Problems
Hi all. At the moment, I'm starting to write a story, now this essay's almost done, but I've been thinking about it and I have encountered a problem. My main character is a murderer, and has 8 different identities, as she murderers eight boys, and uses a different identity for each, but I don't know how to write this. Could you help? I hope it makes sense.

Thanks.

The Probster.

Comments

  • heatherheather
    Not understanding 100%, Probie, but it probably depends on the stage at which you want the reader to know it's the same person - not until the end or all the way through?
    If it's all the way through, and it's just the other characters who don't know, that should be easier as you can have strong features of a single identity (e.g. a particluar mannerism) that show in all the 'identities.' If it's supposed to be a surprise at the end you will still need 'clues' that it is the same person so that the reader doesn't feel cheated.
    I don't know how long you intend the story to be, but eight murders and therefore at least nine characters is rather a lot for a short story and it might risk getting confused or each character not being rounded out enough. Does it have to be that many?
  • CarolCarol
    edited January 2009
    Question to ask first is- do you have an intended final length? As Heather says eight may be too long unless you are doing a mass murder at the same time.
    Two identities with variations should be enough.
  • PiperPiper
    edited January 2009
    I'll explain fully later, too busy at the moment

    Yes I did realise this and have banished the idea of being a short story, does that help?
  • CarolCarol
    edited January 2009
    It's better.

    If you're going to go into detail better to do it under a members private chat than open to the world.
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    What about each chapter being from the point of view of each of the eight victims? They don't know the murderer is the same person, but the reader does. Then maybe your final chapter could be the murderer and we finally get to see inside their head.
  • MonkeyNutsMonkeyNuts
    Bouncing for our little Probie. :-D
  • PiperPiper
    Please make all further suggestions on this thread please http://www.writersnews.co.uk/writers_talkback/comments.php?DiscussionID=107312 as Carol suggested to make this query private.

    Thanks for all your comments so far! :D
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