Character of the Week: Pro and Ant Names
Can you believe yesterday was Monday? It’s a bit of a surprise to me, obviously, since this is late. PROTAGONIST Male, born in the mid to late 20th century or early 21st century, probably in the UK...
View ArticleName Theory: Names are More than Titles for Things
In my last post I mentioned that I, as a name lover, enjoy when the names mean something to the plot. Frankly, I enjoy when the names show any meaning. When making choices for my characters I always...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Renaissance Mermaid Names
Now for something different. Female, Ancient She was born in Italy in the 1600s. Her adoptive parents were Artisans in a seaside town; though her real mother was of the same species (a variant on...
View ArticleName Theory: Keep it Simple
Although long, multi-syllabic names are becoming more popular with new parents, I don’t believe they will become popular in character naming outside of Fantasy. Multi-syllabic names are difficult to...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Burnt Girl Names
I would read this book, if only because the main character is not pretty. Sometimes girls are not pretty, and they can still kick ass and be the heroines of their own stories. Female, 17 She lives in a...
View ArticleName Theory: What a Writer Wants
A few days ago I was reading a reminder that every character should always have an objective—something that the character wants and that they either strive for or which effects their interactions with...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Zombie Apocalypse Names
I recently read my first zombie novel. It was a zombie romance, not a horror. Horror will never be my thing, but the zombie romance was surprisingly good. The best part was that the zombie boyfriend...
View ArticleName Theory: As Dull As the Moon
I once picked up a novel by a “good” author and attempted to read it. I tried more than once to read what may have only been the first 3 pages, but they were the longest pages of my life. In reality I...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Celtic Steampunk Names
I haven’t as yet read any Steampunk, so I don’t know anything about the conventions of that movement in literature. I have, however, looked at many Steampunk costumes on Pinterest, and I love them!...
View ArticleName Theory: Gender Bending… Not
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Using unisex names in written fiction is a bad idea. It opens up a door for reader confusion, and the writer should always aim to avoid reader confusion....
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Elf on the Shelf Names
Fictional characters aren’t the only beings I name. I have also named one human being, many cats, at least one dog, a couple of hamsters, and, most recently, an elf. This year my family invited an Elf...
View ArticleName Theory: Name Them to Sell
When given the opportunity to name something, like our elf, I often try to think of names the same way I do with character names. It is one way to practice naming and, as you may have guessed, I enjoy...
View ArticleName Theory: Name Them to Sell UPDATE
I blogged about Pasta Batman today. I am happy to report I have learned that she has a new name: Whisper! Hopefully she will have a new forever home soon.
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Reserved Mom Names
I’ve been thinking I need to start the upcoming New Year with something stronger than my normal sparkling grape juice, since 2012 has been hard on me. With that in mind, I chose today’s character....
View ArticleName Theory: Writer’s Resolutions
Welcome to 2013, writers! Do you have any big plans for the New Year? Any new stories you plan to write? Any characters who are begging to be explored (I dreamt about a man who wanted to trade his dog...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: African Names
I’ve been thinking about change this week, about the changes I’d like to make in myself and the changes I’d like to see in the world. When selecting this week’s character, I had this in mind. Male,...
View ArticleName Theory: Name Change is a Purple Herring
I love names. I love thinking about character names. And I believe in the power of a great name. I also believe that people should be able to choose the name they wish to go by, whether that is their...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: YA Fantasy Names
This one pissed me off. I actually don’t have names yet for ANY of my characters. I’ll most likely come up with them on my own later but I would love to see what you suggest. 1). Male, 17 years old,...
View ArticleName Theory: Rewriting Your Way Through Disappointment
Putting yourself out there in any context means opening yourself up to disappointment and rejection. Unless you are a Buddhist, because I’ve heard they live without expectation and therefore without...
View ArticleCharacter of the Week: Renegade Names
Last week I touched on appreciation—and how I appreciated receiving some. This writer showed me some. Nothing I can come up with or find feels right for this character’s first name, and I could really...
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