naming characters
Authors Let Bidders Name Characters:
Next month, Stephen King, Amy Tan, Lemony Snicket, Nora Roberts, Michael Chabon and 11 other best-selling writers will auction the right to name characters in their new novels. The profits will go to the First Amendment Project, whose lawyers have repeatedly gone to court to protect the free speech rights of activists, writers and artists.
This got me thinking how I choose character names. That’s my favorite part of starting any story, and usually, I have the name before I have anything else. I think that’s because I write from character rather than plot - so the character lives with me for a while before I start his or her story. Since I tend toward odd names or nicknames for my characters, the story’s usually built around the name and its backstory. Occasionally I’ve started a story without the hero’s name, but I can only get so far into the first chapter before the character’s bugging me to name him. And then he usually does something in the first chapter that makes me go, ah, okay, that’s your deal. Here’s the perfect name for you. Or I hunt down a baby name book and look for a certain meaning and take the name associated with it.
How do you name your characters? Could you write a story if someone handed you your character’s name?
| Your Outrageous Name Is |
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Steph T.
August 16th, 2005 at 1:28 pm
Usually, the characters name themselves, or at least give me hints about the type of name they have. Rebecca Donnelly told me her first name started with an R and didn’t say anything else until I stumbled on her name. Dakota told me her name could be made fun of, Chad told me he was an All-American-type guy…
I couldn’t write if I was handed a main character’s name, but I could probably do a secondary character with a name handed to me.
August 16th, 2005 at 3:07 pm
I don’t think I could write with a name somebody gave me. The name changes the character, IMO. My guys usually tell me their names, though sometimes it takes a lot of coercion to get the information. :)
August 16th, 2005 at 5:24 pm
I was Ivana P. Now. Nice.
I tend to decide upon the time period I’m writing in and try to find a hunky sounding name for my hero and a feminine name for my heroine. Once I’ve found it, I start building their characters from there.
August 16th, 2005 at 7:25 pm
Hmmm . . . My character’s names just come. They whisper them. I’m like the others I don’t think I could write with a name someone gave me. It’d have fit the character.
August 16th, 2005 at 7:49 pm
At first thought, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do that. Character naming is something I really enjoy doing. Even if I’m using the Random Name Generator. But, ultimately, if I had the name, I suppose I could write a character to fit it.
August 16th, 2005 at 8:03 pm
Mine usually come with names. Though sometimes I do get to choose. I know with one secondary character he totally balked at the name Pete so I ended up changing it to I don’t remember what. I gave Jade an off the wall name on purpose.
August 16th, 2005 at 9:53 pm
My names are rarely that important and I tend to change them in the midst of the story. If it is a historical, I will research to make sure the name existed. If you handed me a name, I could write it.
August 16th, 2005 at 11:12 pm
Lynn - you sound just like me with the characters telling you things about their names…
ROFLMAO @ Michelle’s name *g* Do you find it easier to pick a name when writing historicals? I usually love the names I finnd when I read historicals, because they can be more over-the-top and still fit perfectly.
I’m with you, Teresea. The character’s already ‘there’ first - so to just pin a random name would feel strange. But, like Lynn said, maybe a secondary character. Or maybe, if I were Nora Roberts, I could do it *ggg*
Cece - there are a few times I’ve started with a name and then couldn’t continue until I changed it. Damned bossy characters (yes, Jake, I’m taking about YOU)
So Rene - are you more plot-driven, then?
August 17th, 2005 at 5:12 am
It takes me forever to come up with a main character’s name. It has to *feel* right and fit his/her personality. I could never start writing without names! Just like I could never write out of order.
Oh, and my outrageous name is Connie Lingus.
(I almost didn’t log out before posting this. But just almost!)
August 17th, 2005 at 6:48 am
I always have the names of both my H/H before I even write one word. Usually the title as well..or a semblance of one.:grin:
August 17th, 2005 at 7:44 am
I have the HARDEST time with names. And I’ve been known to change them after rewriting chapter one for the billionth time… I usually have a harder time with deciding on male names. Both for the hero and other male charactes. What does that say about me???
August 17th, 2005 at 8:46 am
I do names by instinct. I just know the right name when I find it, and I can’t even start the story without the right name.
August 17th, 2005 at 9:13 am
If you only knew how LONG it takes me to come up with a characters name. I agonize over it forever and ever and ever…
So NO I could not just take a name given to me and run with it.
August 17th, 2005 at 10:48 am
I use the baby name book, and I have to know a little bit about the character before I can name him/her. But I could probably take a name for a good cause and write around it. It’d be interesting to try. :)
August 17th, 2005 at 12:51 pm
Usually my characters come with a name. It’s not always the right name but ususally pretty close - like the first letter is the same or something.
I like to use names with a certain meaning, even if the reader never knows it.
August 17th, 2005 at 6:27 pm
My characters also tend to name themselves. It’s when they don’t, that I worry.
August 18th, 2005 at 7:45 pm
My name was Sue Shi