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August 8, 2012
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Replies: 18

Two groups of characters in different locations

Forums > Art Related > Literature
:iconlartovio:
~Lartovio Aug 8, 2012  Student General Artist
I can't stand trying to sort out having my group of characters split up in groups. Yet, I continue to write the book in a direction that requires it. Right now I have a group of four characters and another group of two. I want to show the two figuring out something, but the four to see the results of it.

My question is; is it acceptable to continue dividing my chapters? I would never use more than one divide per chapter, but can I have three chapters in a row split in two? At what point is it considered sloppy writing?
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Devious Comments

:iconlytrigian:
~Lytrigian Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist Writer
Do what you like, as long as you don't give your readers whiplash.
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:iconlartovio:
~Lartovio Aug 9, 2012  Student General Artist
Haha, thanks :)
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:iconneomerlin:
*neomerlin Aug 8, 2012  Student Writer
If it's from third person, that's no problem. If it's in first person, it's slightly more problematic but still very possible. Rules of perspective are among the first to be bent for the sake of the narrative.

Either way, I would personally try to avoid swapping between two major locations in one chapter. Rather, each group and their events would be better served with a chapter of their own. But it's hard to say what will and won't work without the details. Just try.
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:iconlartovio:
~Lartovio Aug 9, 2012  Student General Artist
It is in third person. The locations aren't horribly far away really. The group of four is above the two, who are a mile underground and trying to contact the four.
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:iconqueenwalker:
*QueenWalker Aug 8, 2012
I've read books that alternate between characters before. For example, Erin hunters Seekers, switches chapters between three different views of the three bears. Then in Animorphs, each book is told in a different characters point of veiw, so really if you want to divide your characters up then you should go for it, it's your style of writing after all ^^
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:iconneurotype:
^neurotype Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
No idea till I read it.
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:iconkuiji:
*Kuiji Aug 8, 2012  Hobbyist General Artist
I've read many stories that jumps between characters from chapter to chapter. Both just shifting between two characters, and between up to around ten or more - one for each chapter, sometimes revisiting the most important ones. What I'm saying is as long as you can make it exciting to read and get your point across, it won't read as sloppy writing. ^^
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:iconlartovio:
~Lartovio Aug 8, 2012  Student General Artist
Thank you :)
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:iconj-carver:
*J-Carver Aug 8, 2012  Professional General Artist
I read a book once that was in 3 parts. The first part was following one character then the second part was following another characters but in the same period of time as the first and then the third and last part was about when they met.
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:iconlartovio:
~Lartovio Aug 8, 2012  Student General Artist
Oh I've read something like that before, but I can't think of the title >< What I'm writing is in third person though.
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