: How many characters can I introduce in the first chapter before the reader gets overwhelmed? Assuming that all of the characters are unique, interesting, and stand out from the rest of the cast,

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You involve up to five to eight characters in the beginning and add more in later chapters to which it's most preferable when their roles are smaller.
Depending on the size of the story, remind the reader who they are and what they look like in casual description of what they're doing in scenes.

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In the first chapter, you need to introduce the protagonist and antagonist.

If you consider the story a "duel" between these two, you might introduce their "seconds." That brings the total to four.

There might be a fifth, (and possibly sixth) character that gives the early part of the story its "flavor." But that's pretty close to the max.

Here, I'm not counting incidental or throwaway characters. For instance, my screenplay opens with five partners of the firm, but only two of them, the heroine and the "big boss" (a second) really matter; the other three are "throwaways." The hero and his "second" are also introduced.

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As a general rule of thumb I only introduce the main MAIN character in the first chapter. That's to say, just one person. You can introduce someone else with them, but no more then one other person. After that, you can gradually introduce the characters at whatever interval you deem necessary. I like trios or introducing single characters by themselves, but in a scene with the main so they aren't completely alone.

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In general humans are able to track no more than 7 distinct factors. If you want the reader to root for everyone you introduce I think that number would be the practical limit.

From another angle, you want to give each character enough attention without the story slowing down to snail's pace. Think Tolkien: Many people do not dig him because of the very very broad scope the story follows.

Anyway if the number becomes big enough, that is exactly what you have: A group, NOT a big number of characters. If not in your mind than still in the mind of your reader.

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