As a writer who loves to error on the side of too much rather than too little, I often struggle against the big bad word count when writing novels. I always need to cut. Cut words. Cut subplots. Cut characters. The latter being the hardest for me as character development is probably my favorite part of creating a new story. Unfortunately, it’s usually necessary. After years of practicing it, I’d like to share with you my five steps to analyzing a character list and figuring out who needs to be saved for another story. (Please note, I’m not vaporizing them—just saving them for later.)
5 Steps To Editing Your Novel’s Character Cast
I like to think of my manuscript’s first draft as an audition for my characters. They get free reign to show up and be a part of the plot. In revisions, I review the rough draft to see who stood out and who can be walked off the stage. After narrowing down my character casts for stories so often, I’ve boiled it down to five simple steps. However, while the steps are simple, doing them is anything but. It takes time, thoughtfulness, and a lot of hard honesty to do these well.
When analyzing your cast, try to avoid thinking anything like: “Oh, that’s good enough.” The point of this exercise isn’t to justify keeping all your characters, but to identify which ones really make the story shine and which just clutter it. It’s a painful process, but it always works. I’ve had beta readers look at the original manuscript with the full cast and then the edited version with my streamlined cast, and not one of them has told me they miss the characters I’ve cut. I do, but that’s why I save them for another story.
1. Create a character list.
Step one in character auditions is the easiest step: write down every character who is named in the story. If you named them, they go on the list. By giving a character a name, you are telling the reader to sit up and pay attention.
It’s important to make sure that each of those moments is justified so readers don’t feel like taking note of a character was a waste of time. If you find a name only mentioned once in a rural gas station with no other connection to the story, try replacing the name with a title (like cashier). It won’t change the story, and readers won’t worry about another name to remember, thinking it might be important.
2. Identify the role of each character.
This second step is when things start to get interesting: give an archetype title to every character it fits. I prefer to use the typical eight character archetypes: protagonist, antagonist, guide, contagonist, sidekick, henchman, love interest, and temptress. You can use these titles or similar terms like mentor or villain, but make sure the titles are oriented to the character’s role in the story and not just a relationship title. For instance, being an ex-husband isn’t a story role. The ex could be a good friend who is a sidekick, or he may be a love interest, or he could be the antagonist. Knowing the role in the story is more important than knowing how a character is related to the protagonist.
I typically go through my character list with one title in mind at a time and put it next to whoever it fits. There will be some characters who have the same titles, and that’s fine. Also, some characters will have more than one title. For instance, a character can be the love interest and the antagonist if the protagonist is the villain who wants to do evil but his love keeps inspiring him to do good. (Remember, antagonist doesn’t mean evil. It just means wanting the opposite of the protagonist.)
Keep in mind, there may be some characters who don’t fall into any of these categories. That’s okay. Don’t try to push a title on a character. If nothing fits, just skip that one.
3. Analyze each character for importance.
Now here comes step three, which takes the longest time to complete: identify how each character impacts the protagonist and the main plot. Have you ever heard the saying, “The world doesn’t revolve around you”? Well, in a story, the world does revolve around the protagonist. Every person should be there to help or hinder the main character’s path toward the plot goal. On your list, write down how each character impacts the protagonist. What conflict does the character create for the protagonist? When does the character help? What essential action does the character take that shapes the story’s climax?
At this point, it’s okay to dig in and write down all the little things. That moment the protagonist is crying and the character gives him a hug. The character tripping at the climax and making the protagonist almost lose the final fight. Anything that plays a part in the protagonist going after the plot goal.
4. Analyze the characterization for each character.
The fourth step digs into character development: write down each character’s goal and stakes. The point of this is to see if the characters feel like they have their own life or if they simply exist to orbit around the protagonist. I know it’s conflicting, but while the story does revolve all around the protagonist, the side characters shouldn’t. They need their own dreams and fears. They should do things for their own reasons. We need stories full of characters whose lives continue off the page, but we want what they do on the page to matter to the plot. It’s a tricky balance, but it’s important to master.
So, write down what each character wants and what’s at stake, and don’t make it up. If there are no evident goals and stakes in the story (not just in your head), then leave this part blank for the character. Nothing says you can’t make something up later, but don’t use your creative energy on it just yet.
5. Cut the nonessential characters (and save them for another story).
Now for the last and hardest step: cut the nonessential characters. It’s time to look back at your list and be honest. What characters don’t have an archetype title? Which don’t have a big role in the protagonist’s story? Who doesn’t have any real character development? Highlight all of these because it’s time to make some hard choices.
If a character doesn’t have an archetype title, that means they don’t impact the protagonist at all. Without a connection to the protagonist, they shouldn’t exist. Remember, everything revolves around the protagonist. Without that connection, there is nothing to keep the character tethered to the story and orbiting around the main character. Similarly, if you have more than one character with the same title, ask yourself if the characters could be combined into one. Two sidekick best friends may not be necessary.
For a character that doesn’t have a big role in the plot, can you cut him and not affect the story’s outcome? Look at all those little things you wrote down and ask if they are really necessary. Did that hug have to happen in order for the story to end the way it did? Go through each point you listed and ask if that specific moment had to happen to reach the climax. If the answer is no to all, he needs to be cut. If he just has one or two impactful points, you may need to assign those tasks to another character who already has a bigger role.
Lastly, if a character has no real character development, readers won’t get attached to him. Without that attachment, they won’t care if he’s in the story or not. If you have a character with no real role or characterization, then he can be deleted. If you have one that has some major roles but no good development, that just means it’s time to brainstorm those details and add them into the story. Quick tip, if you have a character who is well-developed but has no real role and one who has a role but no characterization, you could combine the two to get a well-developed and important character and, hopefully, lose one less character you love from the story.
Final Thoughts
If you’re like me, this post was hard to read (and write!). Ugh, I want to throw a fit just thinking about cutting characters. It’s hard to create and invest in someone, and then let them go from a story, which is why I suggest moving them to the next tryout list. When the next production comes, let the cut characters audition for a part in the new story. Maybe one of them can be the new star.
Thanks for reading!
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