{ ＩＮＫＬＩＮＧＳ } A Thread For Writers

[Silverhart]

Completely the opposite of what I'm writing - a nice little children's fantasy adventure. But those are great names!

I know! A name is such a powerful thing for a character. It's the first thing the reader will always think of the character. And when picking out a name you need to see how it sounds with the other character's names. You don't want to have names that rhyme or end the same way or too many names that start with the same letter. I was careful to only pick out names that started and ended differently then all the other character's names.
I didn't have any trouble picking out the names of the other characters. I try not to develop a character too far until I get a name down - past experience has shown it is not a good idea, so I hoped on my favorite name sites as soon as I started developing the plot and found a lot of great names from various countries that had a very fantastical sound to them. Sometimes I use placeholder names until I can find one that's just right.

[Rolly-chan]

I think my story will end up pretty fluffy in the end, anyway xD I can't write sad ends for the life of me, because I get way too sad over them if I write them myself *lol*
I think the most tragic character in my story is Stella, that poor girl. She ended up with a split personality because of what happened, and now she's housing a snarky guy inside her named Atlas. But she's not the main character. Maybe I'll write a side story for her someday - she really grew on me xD

That's exactly what I mean. The name is very powerful. Not only in fiction, but in real life as well. In Germany, at least, if you name your son Kevin, teachers will most likely think he's less intelligent than the other kids. That's a very sad fact.
But it can also help you deceive your readers when you play with prejudices and clichés :3
I tried to choose different sounding names too, so that people remember more easily and don't mix them up. The only two characters with names that start with the same letter are Elijah and Evelyn, but since Elijah is a guy and Evelyn a girl, I thought it's okay. I really liked those names, so I wanted them both.
For me, it's actually the other way round. If I choose a name before I get to know the character, I will most likely build him on prejudices and assumptions I have for people named like that. I want to avoid building a character on his name. Some names are more obvious - like Joey, for example. I associate that name with a class clown, a little dense, but with a good heart and altruistic tendencies. But I don't know my other subconscious assumptions, so it's hard to tell ^^°
For that reason, I also try to avoid labelling them or thinking up their occupation or hobbies beforehand. I wouldn't think - hey, I want to create a nerd character. Maybe I would, but then my experience with my subconscious showed me that if I do that, those characters turn out flat.
I really love seeing how different writers work so differently ^^ It's always nice trying out the way others work, then keeping the things that work for you too and dismissing the ones that don't.

[Wolf~Song]

I am beginning to write a story about a small town girl who has spent her life wishing for adventure, never actually expecting to recieve any. Soon she will embark on the journey of a lifetime. I could use some critique for what I have written so far.

Anabelle McSouthers was not especially popular or noticable. She was just a small town girl who always had her nose stuck in a book, wishing for magic and adventure like the characters experienced. Her father owned a cattle ranch just north of Larned, Kansas, her home. Anabelle's mother was a typical housewife who kept their house impeccably neat. It was to be expected that Saturday should have started just like any other, but it did not. Anabelle was roused by a searing pain that erupted in her shoulderblades. The analog clock that hung on her rose-colored wall read 6:14 a.m. She held back a scream of agony, not wanting to awaken her still sleeping parents. She barely managed to sit up painfully in the polished oaken bed her father had made himself. Pushing the vintage patterned quilt and creamy white sheets off of her sweating body, she clambered off the lumpy mattress and stood up shakily. She pulled her nightgown off of her shoulders to examine the area that hurt. Protruding from her pale skin were two short things. They were silvery and transparent, like morning dew on a leaf. She reached her hand over her shoulder and ran her fingers gingerly along the side of one. It was paper thin, and seemed quite fragile. How strange, she thought incrediloudsly.

[MacGyver]

I am beginning to write a story about a small town girl who has spent her life wishing for adventure, never actually expecting to recieve any. Soon she will embark on the journey of a lifetime. I could use some critique for what I have written so far.

Anabelle McSouthers was not especially popular or noticable. She was just a small town girl who always had her nose stuck in a book, wishing for magic and adventure like the characters experienced. Her father owned a cattle ranch just north of Larned, Kansas, her home. Anabelle's mother was a typical housewife who kept their house impeccably neat. It was to be expected that Saturday should have started just like any other, but it did not. Anabelle was roused by a searing pain that erupted in her shoulderblades. The analog clock that hung on her rose-colored wall read 6:14 a.m. She held back a scream of agony, not wanting to awaken her still sleeping parents. She barely managed to sit up painfully in the polished oaken bed her father had made himself. Pushing the vintage patterned quilt and creamy white sheets off of her sweating body, she clambered off the lumpy mattress and stood up shakily. She pulled her nightgown off of her shoulders to examine the area that hurt. Protruding from her pale skin were two short things. They were silvery and transparent, like morning dew on a leaf. She reached her hand over her shoulder and ran her fingers gingerly along the side of one. It was paper thin, and seemed quite fragile. How strange, she thought incrediloudsly.

OMGEESE! I love it already! Very nice writing style and I just enjoyed it. Are those wings or something?

[Wolf~Song]

I am beginning to write a story about a small town girl who has spent her life wishing for adventure, never actually expecting to recieve any. Soon she will embark on the journey of a lifetime. I could use some critique for what I have written so far.

Anabelle McSouthers was not especially popular or noticable. She was just a small town girl who always had her nose stuck in a book, wishing for magic and adventure like the characters experienced. Her father owned a cattle ranch just north of Larned, Kansas, her home. Anabelle's mother was a typical housewife who kept their house impeccably neat. It was to be expected that Saturday should have started just like any other, but it did not. Anabelle was roused by a searing pain that erupted in her shoulderblades. The analog clock that hung on her rose-colored wall read 6:14 a.m. She held back a scream of agony, not wanting to awaken her still sleeping parents. She barely managed to sit up painfully in the polished oaken bed her father had made himself. Pushing the vintage patterned quilt and creamy white sheets off of her sweating body, she clambered off the lumpy mattress and stood up shakily. She pulled her nightgown off of her shoulders to examine the area that hurt. Protruding from her pale skin were two short things. They were silvery and transparent, like morning dew on a leaf. She reached her hand over her shoulder and ran her fingers gingerly along the side of one. It was paper thin, and seemed quite fragile. How strange, she thought incrediloudsly.

OMGEESE! I love it already! Very nice writing style and I just enjoyed it. Are those wings or something?

Thank you! Yes, they are wings. I'm planning to make her some kind of fairy. c:

[Rosemary.]

Alright, I need someone to help me with thinking up some names...

First off, I need specifically three names, based on characters in the medieval age. Two of the characters are boys and one is a young girl.

The main character is a young boy, presumably somewhere around twelve to thirteen, that is technically homeless. If he finds shelter, he takes it, usually stealing food to survive. He has named himself since he can't remember his actual one. I was thinking something almost modern, like Nathaniel, or maybe Alexander...?

Then the other boy, who is an orphan on the run for a crime he didn't commit. He is more of a young ranger... well, trying to be --the boy finds himself getting into trouble that is caused by his lack of sneakiness. XD He's somewhere close to thirteen. He already has his own name, but more of the forest-y type, and I'm trying to think up something that would fit.

And finally, the girl. She is a mage who can wield powerful magic that usually takes years for an adult to master. Although... she doesn't know she has magic, and wants to keep denying that she does. She is the youngest of the three, currently at the age of ten. I'd like to use a type of ancient, magical name for her.

So, can anyone come up with any names to help me?

[Cherry]

I think the non-stealthy "forest" name boy could be comething like Trinan. I don't think Nathaniel or Alexander were names back then, though I'm not sure so feel free to prove me wrong. I'd say something like Nathan (it seems to fit better, for me).
For the girl, something more mystical, like Calynn, or Malina.

[Rosemary.]

I think the non-stealthy "forest" name boy could be comething like Trinan. I don't think Nathaniel or Alexander were names back then, though I'm not sure so feel free to prove me wrong. I'd say something like Nathan (it seems to fit better, for me).
For the girl, something more mystical, like Calynn, or Malina.

The thing is, the name 'Trinan' is awfully close to his last name, which is 'Trintal' or something like that. Now, you are probably right on the Nathaniel part, but I still think that the name 'Alexander' has something to do with the medieval age things.

I like Calynn though... It would actually fit her, so thank you. :3

[Cherry]

Oh, yay, I'm glad you like it!

[✖ＨＥＳＴＩＡ]

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