Character Names

I mentioned in a previous post about character names and choosing them. This is one of the fun-est things to do with writing--on my part. Some writers have trouble doing this. Some have trouble with novel titles. Most times I enjoy choosing both.

Today, let's write about character names.

Here's a few ways I have of choosing:

• From the get-go, sometimes a character already has a name, for a variety of reasons including from the first I received the inspiration to write the idea, the character's name was part of it all.
• Sometimes I'll choose a name because I like it, it's one of my favorites, or its a name of a friend that I want to honor.
• There are times I turn to my trusty baby name book and search through it. Right now, I'm searching for a protagonist name (male) for a thriller/suspense novel. It's in the plotting stage and will need a lot of research, so I've plenty of time to come up with the appropriate name. I've begun the list to choose from though.
• If all else fails I have two tried and true methods to come up with a name:

(1) hold a blog contest. Used this method for the "bad guys" in my cozy mystery and had several entries. Ann won a gift certificate for coming up with a couples' names that perfectly fit them.

Or (2) ask my special critique partners who do a good job of coming up with names. Jam, for example, didn't like the name of the second romance I wrote, so I told them to brainstorm. She came up with a wonderful romancy type of name.

Hard? Not usually. Finding the perfect name for a character is a piece of cake--normally. And fun.

Quote:
A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something. --Anonymous


Blessings