Where Should the Hero Be?

[Lafayette]

I am starting to write my second novel. Yeahh!

However, I think I am already running into trouble. In my first draft I have a supporting character (from book 1) engaging in killing bad guys to establish the beginning of the plot of the story. My two main heroes don't seem to be appearing until much later in the story.

Is this bad form?

What I'm doing is making sense to me, but is it making sense to the reader?

 

[Cathbad]

Depends - are the heroes also your MCs?

 

[Lafayette]

Depends - are the heroes also your MCs?

If MC means Main Characters the answer is yes.

 

[Cathbad]

Then I would think they would show up much earlier. Perhaps they're not, after all, the MCs? I've been surprised that way (and then went with it)!

 

[Lafayette]

Then I would think they would show up much earlier. Perhaps they're not, after all, the MCs? I've been surprised that way (and then went with it)!

The character in the first part of the story is a hero, but he has two flaws: he is greedy and disobedient. Because of his flaws he opens a Pandora's Box. He is featured throughout most of the book. So who says I can't make him the Main Character or one of the main characters? Thanks Cathbad I think I'll go with your suggestion.

 

[The Big Peat]

It is not uncommon for Epic Fantasies to start the book (particularly after book 1) with a secondary character (particularly in prologue form). I wouldn't blink at all at reading that.

 

[Ihe]

The character in the first part of the story is a hero, but he has two flaws: he is greedy and disobedient. Because of his flaws he opens a Pandora's Box. He is featured throughout most of the book. So who says I can't make him the Main Character or one of the main characters? Thanks Cathbad I think I'll go with your suggestion.

Not a bad choice, considering that flaws are the most interesting part of characterization, and the elements with the most to give plot-wise. Writing about perfect beings is boring. That's why Batman will always be a better story character than Superman, btw.

 

[Shorewalker]

If this is epic fantasy, I don't think there's anything wrong at all. I have found that at certain junctures, the stage is given over to the supporting cast, so why not at the start of a new volume? Also, a second or third or fourth book in a series often has a slightly different direction/plot/problem and starting somewhere slightly unexpected can be a signal to the reader that this is not going to be simply more of the same.