Listing Your Cast of Characters

[Homer Potvin]

99%

Shiiiiit... I bet you 68.3% of people couldn't tell you that Rome is in Italy, let alone the sexual proclivities of Nero.

 

[Naomasa298]

Shiiiiit... I bet you 68.3% of people couldn't tell you that Rome is in Italy, let alone the sexual proclivities of Nero.

Hey, there's one in Alabama too!

 

[JT Woody]

Hey, there's one in Alabama too!

And Georgia

 

[Homer Potvin]

Hey, there's one in Alabama too!

The cradle of civilization... no offense to any Alabama denizens. I think @Link the Writer is from there.

 

[JT Woody]

All i know is Nero was evil
Caligula was a kinky sadist
Julius Caesar was stabbed in the back
And Gaius Catullus was a poet

Boom!

 

[Luxuria]

All i know is Nero was evil
Caligula was a kinky sadist
Julius Caesar was stabbed in the back
And Gaius Catullus was a poet

Boom!

Hahah, you know most of it. Although, I guess you could call Caligula a 'Kinky Sadist', but I am not sure if kinky applies? But I also have lost my sense of 'this is shocking' when it comes to Ancient Roman history. Even most history in general, aside from the Holocaust and a few other horrible events, honestly. I do think though that Kinky Sadist is better applied to Tiberius. He was a mess.

 

[Luxuria]

Only if you're familiar with the specific history. I'll betcha 99% of people couldn't tell you with certainty if Nero had an affair or not, and certainly not who he was having an affair with, or who she was to him. Of course, it's your choice, but I would just be careful about revealing something to the reader that they're better off discovering in the story.

Oh, I guess you're right. I never thought of it that way, because I usually know the time era when I decide to read historical fiction. I also love how you're like, 'Nero had AN affair'. Like... one of MANY. Many. I totally get what you're saying here, though. I do agree having some semblance of reader surprise is also good to have. So, maybe just list who the character is and why they are important?

 

[Naomasa298]

Oh, I guess you're right. I never thought of it that way, because I usually know the time era when I decide to read historical fiction. I also love how you're like, 'Nero had AN affair'. Like... one of MANY. Many. I totally get what you're saying here, though. I do agree having some semblance of reader surprise is also good to have. So, maybe just list who the character is and why they are important?

Yep, I think that's what I would do.

 

[Link the Writer]

The cradle of civilization... no offense to any Alabama denizens. I think @Link the Writer is from there.

Yep, Alabama born and raised. And I'm aware of Ancient Roman history. Read up on 'em, listened to Mike Duncan's History of Rome podcast.

As far as to this historical fiction about Nero, focus on what's plausible. Would he have had kinky sex? Probably. So did Caligula. Would they have, I dunno, championed women's rights and appointed one of them as his Augustus? No.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Well, I find character lists useful for Historical fiction when you have:
Julia Drusilla
Julia Livilla
Julia Agrippina
Julia the Elder
Julia Flavia
Agrippina the Elder
Drusus, Drusus and Nero and Nero.
Gaius, Gaius and also Gaius. All different generations, I might add.
Titus Flavius Sabinus, but also Titus Flavius Sabinus, his son.
Also when in the middle of the story when Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus changes his name to another long name, but he just goes by Nero.

Yeah. These are all real people and in the same family tree, except Julia Flavia. It's a mess!

Ahh, the Julio-Claudians. Surely one of the most messed up families of all times. (But individually, still not as messed up as, say, Commodus. Or Heliogabalus).

As for me, I make a list of characters in my initial Outline (which also includes a timeline, several short summaries of the plot (some as short as would fit on the back of the book), and summaries of what each chapter should achieve for my MC/Main Character/Protagonist).

This list of characters includes the MC (or MCs) and Antagonist (or Antagonists), with a detailed family history, psychology, delusion (or delusions, if any) that must be overcome by the end, etc... and also a list of Minor Characters (with less detail, obviously).

Of course, this is only For The Author's Eyes Only! But I find it a good reference tool, and a good way to get the story started.