Uncategorized
Ghosted Characters
Flags characters who are introduced early in a scene but vanish for 800+ words without mention.
What It Does
Tracks all character mentions across a scene and identifies characters who are mentioned at least twice in the first half of the scene but never reappear in the last 800+ words.
Why It Matters
Readers build mental models of who is "on stage." When a character disappears without explanation, readers wonder: did they leave? Are they still standing there silently? This ambiguity damages immersion and spatial coherence.
What Gets Flagged
| Severity | Example | Why | Suggested Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hint | Character "Marcus" mentioned in paragraphs 1-3 but absent from paragraphs 4-20 | 800+ word gap | Add a brief mention or exit line for Marcus |
Configuration
No configuration options. Requires 2+ mentions to be considered "introduced."
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Scene-level
- Method: Character mention tracking with word-offset measurement; relies on NER/character detection