Embroglio

[Tamera]

Do you ever have problems with Embroglio: plots that are intrigal and complicated? How do you keep it from being too much?

Also, do you ever have problems with large ensemble casts?

[Lookin^Up]

Sometimes my plots get complicated, and I do often work with an ensemble cast. The secret is to unravel the embroglio piece by piece, repeat the pieces so the reader remembers, and add more gradually. Usually a reader can follow you when you help them remember. And even though it's a large cast, I try to keep the same small groups together as long as I can, and carefully inform the reader of any changes. Whenever possible I show only small groups at a time, usually six or less.

[Tommie Lyn]

Hey, my entire life is an embroglio. And, yes, I'm surrounded by a large, ensemble cast....

Oooohhhh. You were talking about writing, weren't you.... ok. Let me go check my ms....

[Laina]

I thought it was an Italian dish. Doesn't Olive Garden have that on their menu???

[jacks girl]

I'm glad you told us what that word meant. LOL !

I do have trouble with my own plots at times, working them out to make sense. to make sure that it's something that can really happen. Trying to work things out in my mind before they get to paper to see that it looks real, is exciting, and has not been done 3million times by someone else.

jacks

[michaelsnyder]

I stink at plot, but seem to do okay with characters. Thus, what I TRY to do is come up with interesting characters who will supply their own 'plots' or conflict, or something worth writing down!

Regarding the large ensemble, my editor and I joke about doing a book one day peopled with all the characters he's cut. And that too will be a rather large ensemble cast!

Mike

[Phy]

Hm, I've seen this represented as Imbroglio.

[michaelsnyder]

I used to listen to Natalie Imbruglia...but I think that's different? Sorry...

Mike

[Lookin^Up]

Whether it starts with E or I, it's the same word, according to dictionary.com.

[Tamera]

Embroglio
Imbroglio
It's still a fun word to describe what I have right now in my sequel.:D I found it in the dictionary spelled the first way. :p;)

[AnnieJ]

Thanks for the linguistic lesson! Yes and No. I tend to have complex internal motivation, which means that thread of the plot - why they do what they do when they do what they do tends to overshadow what they do when they actually do something. See, it even happens in sentences :)

I am more about character than plot, though I keep working on plotting.

annie jones

[Rachel E.]

I get caught up in the characters, and generally have too many of them. But each one is clearly defined in my books so as to keep them separate in the reader's mind. Now, as to plot... sometimes I have some MAJOR Embroglio going on! It's a mess...!

[righter1]

I think for the most part, I keep my plots straightforward. But, because I write mysteries, they do have to be a bit complicated or the reader will see right through to the end!

On casting, I try to keep my casts as small as possible. There's certain books I read that I can't keep everyone straight (political thrillers, IMHO, are notorious for this--especially Tom Clancy novels!) and I'm constantly going, 'Now, who is this again?' For that reason, I try to keep the number of characters down, but even as I think of it, I have at least 10 or 12 characters in my book currently that appear in more than one scene... That seems like a lot...

[Tarin]

Do you ever have problems with Embroglio: plots that are intrigal and complicated? How do you keep it from being too much?

Also, do you ever have problems with large ensemble casts?


Yes, to both questions. :rolleyes:

Regarding the embroglio dilemma, I do have the advantage of a detailed outline. Since I always know where I'm going, knowing when and where to sow my clues and plots twists usually isn't a problem. That said, test readers are still invaluable for pointing out confusing areas to which I'm blind.

As for ensemble casts... don't get me started. :confused: I promise myself with every story that I will never again write a book with so cotton-pickin' many characters. But so far my resolutions have been for naught. I think my WIP, which is by far the largest of my stories, has perhaps twice as many characters as my last story. :rolleyes:

What can I say? You gotta do what the story demands.

[Thebigguy]

This give me an idea for a plot!

[Thebigguy]

Great advice lookin' preciate it !

[Zanzibar]

Embroglio - you learn something new everyday! I'd never heard this word before, that I can remember.

I try to keep mine down to a minimum - but like the rest of you, struggle sometimes with doing so.