tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post3241611473135675615..comments2023-09-06T05:48:05.398-06:00Comments on Terry's Place: The Name GameTerry Odellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-52461642963955934122010-05-26T09:51:23.724-06:002010-05-26T09:51:23.724-06:00Brilliant! I'm linking back to this on my vide...Brilliant! I'm linking back to this on my video post. Thanks for pointing it out to me!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13832782604769370695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-77620372574479302522010-05-24T21:02:33.718-06:002010-05-24T21:02:33.718-06:00TerryS - yes, the recipes are worth coming back fo...TerryS - yes, the recipes are worth coming back for.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-57531294953181371602010-05-24T18:44:12.445-06:002010-05-24T18:44:12.445-06:00Very helpful post! Oh yes, I've had to work ou...Very helpful post! Oh yes, I've had to work out the name game, too. <br /><br />How wonderful, recipes tomorrow! I look forward to it.Terry Stonecrophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03726985400500572770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-47726304896747094272010-05-24T18:35:20.198-06:002010-05-24T18:35:20.198-06:00Sheila - I tend to fixate on initials, which is wh...Sheila - I tend to fixate on initials, which is why I've come to rely on the spreadsheet for names.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-54121196018592181222010-05-24T17:39:42.543-06:002010-05-24T17:39:42.543-06:00My first-draft characters often have names startin...My first-draft characters often have names starting with the same letter, as if my fingers are too lazy to move far from the key. I like the spreadsheet idea.Sheila Deethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13465615546936319164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-55293401070038775462010-05-24T17:20:35.836-06:002010-05-24T17:20:35.836-06:00Cleo - yes, it's important that the author is ...Cleo - yes, it's important that the author is aware of what names are being used. And I'm so glad you're my guest tomorrow. Those recipes you're sharing are YUMMY sounding.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-58798582152241871702010-05-24T16:35:03.810-06:002010-05-24T16:35:03.810-06:00Love the spreadsheet idea and I am also enjoying r...Love the spreadsheet idea and I am also enjoying reading the comments. I agree with you completely on writers being aware of what names they give to their characters and the confusion factor if names are too similar. When I do use similar names or names that start with the same letter, I do this for a very specific authorial or thematic purpose. (As it happens, I'm doing exactly this in Roast Mortem - for a reason that becomes apparent by the end of the mystery.) Looking forward to being your guest tomorrow!Cleo Coylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15557517506340986862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-3760664928957083422010-05-24T16:07:40.687-06:002010-05-24T16:07:40.687-06:00Maryann--I jot a lot of notes, but then I can'...Maryann--I jot a lot of notes, but then I can't find what I'm looking for! However, my story board tracker is low-tech. I think there's room for both. It's whatever gets you to 'the end.'Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-87726572357969073942010-05-24T15:25:35.053-06:002010-05-24T15:25:35.053-06:00Great tips for keeping the names straight. I guess...Great tips for keeping the names straight. I guess I really need to move from the tablet beside my computer for those kinds of notes and start working more with the computer. But it is so easy to just jot a note. LOLMaryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-67870668641960805652010-05-24T15:14:22.961-06:002010-05-24T15:14:22.961-06:00Carol - isn't it nice to have the power to cha...Carol - isn't it nice to have the power to change a name - no worries about the problems of changing RL identities.<br /><br />Kathy - glad to share what works for me.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-41445235939023683342010-05-24T15:11:51.581-06:002010-05-24T15:11:51.581-06:00I have my hero and heroine with last names that be...I have my hero and heroine with last names that begin with the same letter. What I ran into was I named a minor character then forgot what I named him. Later I reffered to him and my critique partner went wait you called him this before. Then I had the heroine meet her parents and her deceased husband's parents at the airport and call her in laws by name so when I had her mother in law talking to her I had to go scrolling back up and find her name. SO yes the spreadsheet is a wonderful idea. I even mixed up the first names of another character in it.Kathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05983209367295987926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-63135609442059388962010-05-24T14:05:08.136-06:002010-05-24T14:05:08.136-06:00This is what I do, too. Although in my wip another...This is what I do, too. Although in my wip another character has a name that begins with same letter as that of my protagonist. Both characters are female, but the names and characters are so totally different that I hope it's not a problem. Truth is, the third-tier character's name is more fitting of her, so if I have to change one, it will be the protagonist.Carol Kilgorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168273312704732896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-30704905400871475682010-05-24T11:21:20.196-06:002010-05-24T11:21:20.196-06:00Carol - I had enough trouble coming up with names ...Carol - I had enough trouble coming up with names for MY kids--we had 2 weeks notice that kid #2 was really going to be kids 2 & 3, and I went nuts trying to find the extra names. And back then, you didn't know gender prior to delivery.<br /><br />I think the chart for a big series would be critical. The name spreadsheet is very basic, but it's a start from which the "bible" can take root.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-12447993112554882162010-05-24T10:39:35.488-06:002010-05-24T10:39:35.488-06:00Years ago "the Plot Doctor" was the one ...Years ago "the Plot Doctor" was the one who first pointed the naming problem out to me (and the group taking her workshop), as well as furnished us a chart with which to keep track of names. I try not to violate the rule, but sometimes you run into two similar but perfect names...<br /><br />A couple years ago I pointed out to a comic book writer the confusion I was having with a particular series because they were using a lot of similar names. The writer pooh-poohed the idea of varying nomenclature. That didn't do anything to help my confusion!<br /><br />A few weeks ago while giving a workshop about working in series, Sabrina Jeffries (or was it Claudia Dain?) shared one of her charts for a particularly long series. We saw that she added birthdates for everyone, and at every turning point (fictional as well as historical) she noted how old the characters were so as to figure how they might have been affected. She also added phrases (eg, "fiddle-dee-dee") that each would say in order to keep their speech patterns straight.Carol A. Stricklandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08144748925453952984noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-89329011920634218992010-05-24T10:00:28.011-06:002010-05-24T10:00:28.011-06:00Jemi - yes, the spreadsheet is a great 'in a g...Jemi - yes, the spreadsheet is a great 'in a glance' tool.<br /><br />Elizabeth - yeah, there was a book with two characters with the SAME NAME. Where are the copy editors? That shouldn't have been let through.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-51839574573627944872010-05-24T09:53:32.409-06:002010-05-24T09:53:32.409-06:00I always wonder what these authors are *thinking* ...I always wonder what these authors are *thinking* when they do that. All those names with the same beginning letter? It's nutty. I've been careful to avoid it whenever I can. Good idea with the file!Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-80828899100003512242010-05-24T09:11:39.274-06:002010-05-24T09:11:39.274-06:00Love this idea Terry - I have a list of character ...Love this idea Terry - I have a list of character names in a file, but using the spreadsheet would be so much simpler! Thanks :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-7309356086137354542010-05-24T08:50:12.125-06:002010-05-24T08:50:12.125-06:00Desiree--My spreadsheet is actually a separate wor...Desiree--My spreadsheet is actually a separate worksheet for each book, so I can see what other names I've used as well.<br /><br />Still need to get that 'bible' thing going, though, for all the rest of the information I need to track.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-80794913658277536192010-05-24T08:43:04.662-06:002010-05-24T08:43:04.662-06:00I too try not use names beginning with the same le...I too try not use names beginning with the same letter in the same book. The exception I have with that is characters in the same family. I have one WIP where the main character is named after his grandfather, but the MC goes by his nickname and his grandfather by the given name (or by "Grandpa") so there's really no question of which character is which. <br /><br />I also try not to use the same name from book to book. To help me with this, I keep a list in a separate document listing all of my books and all of the names used in those books. I can scan it at a glance and see if I have used one more than once. <br /><br />Carpe Noctem,<br />Des<br /><br />Author Desirée Lee<br />Putting the Romance Back in Necromancy<br /><a href="http://www.desireelee.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.desireelee.com</a>Desirée Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06909867453391307573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-17958866398545212552010-05-24T08:30:23.130-06:002010-05-24T08:30:23.130-06:00Mason - When I was writing a scene with Laughlin, ...Mason - When I was writing a scene with Laughlin, Lalone and Langley, I knew someone's name had to change! <br /><br />Debra - yes, the appearance and syllables should be different, too. We don't have the luxury of 'seeing' or 'hearing' characters on the page the way we do in real life. And other issues can crop up -- I've got a character whose nickname is Grinch, and I started to write "Grinch saw Dylan flinch...." and that's yet another problem!<br /><br />Karla - I have character notes in Word, but the efficiency of the naming spreadsheet makes it a breeze to see if you've used a name. Otherwise, you're having to do much longer searches once you get a lot of meat into that Word file.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-76603592515426664512010-05-24T08:24:32.373-06:002010-05-24T08:24:32.373-06:00Interesting system. I usually do mine in paragrap...Interesting system. I usually do mine in paragraph form in Word - Character names, descriptions and background (along with character traits). Funny thing about that - as I was editing Epitaph, I found where I'd used one name twice for incidental characters (I had a friend who said "I want to be in your next book! Problem was I'd already used his name without associating it.) Either way, it's important to make note of even the minor players.Karlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01567180201885657281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-18229647007164523832010-05-24T08:21:14.667-06:002010-05-24T08:21:14.667-06:00Names can be tricky. Great idea for keeping track ...Names can be tricky. Great idea for keeping track of and keeping repeated letters in names to a minimum. I've also learned to look at how many syllables names have, how they are spelled (how they look on the page), and how they sound together with other characters.<br /><br />There's always so much to think about, isn't there?Debra St. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07154130275058459169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30931389.post-85853592132266379312010-05-24T06:32:13.992-06:002010-05-24T06:32:13.992-06:00I like the idea of not have everyone's name be...I like the idea of not have everyone's name begin with the same letter. It can be confusing, but sometimes that's part of the mystery too. Good luck with the work on the house.<br /><br />Mason<br /><a href="http://www.masoncanyon.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Thoughts in Progress</a>Mason Canyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10935307400882363560noreply@blogger.com