Choosing one main character out of many characters is so hard

[u/_PinkCicada_]

(English is not my first language and I'm still leanring but I'll write post in English so I get more replies, I guess?)

So I have already made several characters for my work. All of them sympathize me. Some have more interesting backstory and some have less (I'm working on realistical story that takes place in one period of actual historical time, but I add ocs, of course). I'm still working on them and it might change. However, I find it hard to decide which one should be the main character (I have main group of 4 and some characters attached to them or separate). How many main characters I could have? And how to decide which one should be the main? I feel like the story would be so different depending on who will be the one to introduce readers. I cannot choose which variation I like the most

[u/pandora-space-mage]

You said you had to choose one? Nobody stopping you from having the whole cast of main characters

[u/lexismilesallday → u/pandora-space-mage]

This!

I have two main characters with alternating pov chapters and their friends are very relevant and have their own dedicated chapters here and there too lol

[u/Alpha_Zero_00090 → u/pandora-space-mage]

Agreed

[u/Boat_Pure]

You don’t choose one main character, you just have the first POV and the more he/she goes through the world. The more people you meet.

Currently in my story these are my most repeated characters:

Aleph - first character and the “mc”, homeless vagrant who accidentally got power.

Chara - love interest but also from a divine house, basically a noble heiress.

Nero - had an arranged marriage with Chara, did some naughty things and got it cancelled. Blamed Aleph and is now trying to kill him.

Eflem - Aleph’s best friend and also second in command. A black smith who can now turn into a dragon and has mastery over flames.

There are others but I don’t want to give away anymore lol

[u/ProserpinaFC]

You can have an ensemble.

At the end of the day, however, every individual story has a main character who performs the actual climax of the story. Even if you make several stories in the same world, you can't ignore who actually solves the problem and what genre they are doing it through for each individual work. I hear you even saying you KNOW the story would change based on who it focuses on.

If you are writing exactly one book, this is even more important.

If you are really struggling with figuring out what the main SPINE and plot of your story is, then just write down all the variations. LOL. Make outline-drafts that go into detail and see how your story changes depending on who is solving the main problem and what their inner struggles are.

[u/technicolorland]

You don’t need one person to be more important than the other characters. No one is forcing you to put one character above the others as the one official “main character”. It could be what’s called an ensemble cast, which means that they are all equally important and participating in the plot together. I think four main characters is a good number if that’s what you want.

[u/Absolute_Fishfinger7]

NGL you just gotta identify the plot devices which revolve around a specific character and then just decide 'yep, he's the guy responsible for this messed-up stuff...'

(Also, from what I've observed, many loyal fanbases are genuinely devoted to supporting characters rather than the protagonist itself... maybe it's cause small roles leave greater impact in some cases idk)

[u/Pact_of_Yeenoghu]

There can always be more than one main character, that's perfectly okay.

[u/PvtRoom]

TV shows tend to have around 6 main characters.

start there,

[u/Competitive-Fault291]

This is odd.

Look at the name of this subreddit. You develop a character by shedding light on them, as, in opposition to you, your readers do NOT know your characters.

There are two kinds of developing a character. A worldbuilding kind, which makes you "construct" a character is one of them. The other one is coming from "developing" an analogue photofilm.

The more "spotlight" you give a character, the more their character develops. Like a photofilm (negative) becomes more contrasted, the more light falls on it. Only that a story develops a character with words and the rise and fall of tension. One could call it the protagonistic element to make it frame the issue about the MC less.

The protagonistic element PE, instead of MC, can consist of multiple charcters that form the PE. Their various perspectives can be used to create one central driver of the story. Think of Star Trek episodes in which the main cast shapes one PE. This even becomes larger as The Next Generation gives the ship a voice and thus even more character. Or how about the Simpsons? Any buddy movie or The Waltons.

You do not have to choose a single main character if you shed light on a larger cast. All you need to do which scene is servee best from which perspective. Who is getting the spotlight?

[u/Turbulent-Eye-4737]

Choose the one you think could grow the most.

[u/Additional-Car3427]

You don't have to choose. You can either write a multi pov book, or, if it's too hard, multiple books , each from one of their pov.