What's My Name Again?

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sierramcconnell
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by sierramcconnell » August 3rd, 2011, 1:46 pm

bcomet wrote:Such an interesting thread.

When I chose a name for a character, I really try to let it form and fit the character.
I want it to portray in how it sounds and writes and I research ethnicity and meaning as well.
It's a really fun part of the writing process for me.
And then, when I use a name, that's fun too. Names can be delicious.

Sierra, eight operations...w.o.w......
Well, a couple were just procedures\biopsies, so it wasn't too bad. They were all outpatient. :3 The worst of them was the tonsillectomy and the sinus surgery, because the former I couldn't eat and the latter I had frequent nose bleeds and had to sleep sitting up.
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by Sanderling » August 3rd, 2011, 2:07 pm

sierramcconnell wrote:Well, a couple were just procedures\biopsies, so it wasn't too bad. They were all outpatient. :3 The worst of them was the tonsillectomy and the sinus surgery, because the former I couldn't eat and the latter I had frequent nose bleeds and had to sleep sitting up.
I can relate, Sierra. I've had six. The first one was terrifying, even though it was just a quick, routine procedure, because it was the first time I'd been put under. By the time I got to the major surgery at five I was totally blasé about it, which was probably a good thing. The best thing about it all was it was a great excuse to sit around and read all day!
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by dios4vida » August 3rd, 2011, 3:24 pm

Sanderling wrote:
sierramcconnell wrote:Well, a couple were just procedures\biopsies, so it wasn't too bad. They were all outpatient. :3 The worst of them was the tonsillectomy and the sinus surgery, because the former I couldn't eat and the latter I had frequent nose bleeds and had to sleep sitting up.
I can relate, Sierra. I've had six. The first one was terrifying, even though it was just a quick, routine procedure, because it was the first time I'd been put under. By the time I got to the major surgery at five I was totally blasé about it, which was probably a good thing. The best thing about it all was it was a great excuse to sit around and read all day!
Count me in. I've had three - two completely under and one local, all outpatient. Good news is that I was older for all of them (first at 19), but also they were all on my hands so made relaxing and reading kinda hard. To be honest, surgery isn't nearly as scary to me as some other things. I'd have a surgery a year if I never have to have electromyography again.
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by CharleeVale » August 3rd, 2011, 3:26 pm

Two with a week of eachother. :(

CV

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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by oldhousejunkie » August 3rd, 2011, 3:59 pm

I think the name is very important. A name can evoke so many ideas, thoughts, emotions...for good and bad. It's a major identifier, IMO. In fact, I find that I'm less attached to a character when I don't know their name right off the bat.

As someone else suggested, get it out in dialogue. My character's name gets out there in the first 250 words because her father orders her to do something. I'm often less attached And then it's used again throughout as people address her. But I should also throw in the caveat that her name probably gets used more than most 1st person novels as I use two different tenses. So she gets called by her name during the 3rd person bits quite often. :-)

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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by Sommer Leigh » August 4th, 2011, 11:20 am

I think I'm going to dissent a little bit, but whenever I read a book that is written in first person and the name is not brought up very often, I get kind of annoyed when I have to go searching back through the pages because I don't remember her/his name. It's interesting because first person brings you in really close to the story, makes it very intimate, but that's completely shattered when seven chapters in and I'm like "Whoa wait, what's this girl's name again?" That puts a very sudden distance between the reader and the story.

I think using names in dialogue is very natural. My husband would agree since I'm a regular abuser of "Ryan, did you feed the cats yet?" "Ryan, I'm going to the bookstore! Want to come?" "Ryyyyyyyyaaaaaaaan you didn't pick up cheese when you went to the store." "OH MY GOSH RYAN COME SEE THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO! This cat is hysterical!"

Also, at work, people preface their arrival at a person's desk by their first name ALL the time. I suspect it's because we all have these big cube-like desk areas and we all tend to put our backs to our doors, so announcing your intention to speak with a person before you have stepped into their cube is a respectful way of letting them put away confidential information or not to startle them by just "appearing."

That being said, I write mostly in third person so I don't have a lot of experience writing in first person, though my current WIP is first person. I haven't had to put much thought into the name problem because I have two alternating view points and I've chosen to include the view point character's name with the chapter number (like a chapter title.) It's a superhero story, the alternating view points are the main superhero and the main super villain, and the paparazzi help me bring up their names frequently too.
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by dios4vida » August 4th, 2011, 12:01 pm

Sommer Leigh wrote:I think using names in dialogue is very natural. My husband would agree since I'm a regular abuser of "Ryan, did you feed the cats yet?" "Ryan, I'm going to the bookstore! Want to come?" "Ryyyyyyyyaaaaaaaan you didn't pick up cheese when you went to the store." "OH MY GOSH RYAN COME SEE THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO! This cat is hysterical!"
This cracked me up! I do this, too, and it's weird because my husband is Brian, so it's "Brian, whatcha doin?" "Brian, why's the cat meowing?" "Brian, did you see that treasure chest I bet it has a piece of heart in it and then we'll get more hearts!" "BRIIIIIANNNNN!! I LOVE YOU!!!" (Great mind think alike, right Sommer? :D)

I guess that might be why my characters are always saying things like "Qeerith, shut up!" "Qeerith, listen to me!" "Qeerith, what are you doing?" That one blog post scared me that doing this was a bad thing, but since all of my lovely Bransforum friends say it's okay to use names to emphasize a phrase, I won't worry about cutting them all out. :) And that's good, because they sound weird without his name.
Brenda :)

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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by sierramcconnell » August 4th, 2011, 12:08 pm

...why am I reminded of Stewie Griffin?

"Loooois..."

"Briiian..."
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by Sommer Leigh » August 4th, 2011, 12:44 pm

dios4vida wrote:
Sommer Leigh wrote:I think using names in dialogue is very natural. My husband would agree since I'm a regular abuser of "Ryan, did you feed the cats yet?" "Ryan, I'm going to the bookstore! Want to come?" "Ryyyyyyyyaaaaaaaan you didn't pick up cheese when you went to the store." "OH MY GOSH RYAN COME SEE THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO! This cat is hysterical!"
This cracked me up! I do this, too, and it's weird because my husband is Brian, so it's "Brian, whatcha doin?" "Brian, why's the cat meowing?" "Brian, did you see that treasure chest I bet it has a piece of heart in it and then we'll get more hearts!" "BRIIIIIANNNNN!! I LOVE YOU!!!" (Great mind think alike, right Sommer? :D)

I guess that might be why my characters are always saying things like "Qeerith, shut up!" "Qeerith, listen to me!" "Qeerith, what are you doing?" That one blog post scared me that doing this was a bad thing, but since all of my lovely Bransforum friends say it's okay to use names to emphasize a phrase, I won't worry about cutting them all out. :) And that's good, because they sound weird without his name.

Hahaha!!!! Yes!!!! Another popular use of names in dialogue in my house is, "I've got a hunter and a smoker over here, could use a little help. OMG RYAN. COULD USE SOME HELP HERE. HELP. RYAN. Stop stealing all the good ammo and come help me!"
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by dios4vida » August 4th, 2011, 12:49 pm

sierramcconnell wrote:...why am I reminded of Stewie Griffin?

"Loooois..."

"Briiian..."
"...Bueller...Bueller..."
Sommer Leigh wrote:Hahaha!!!! Yes!!!! Another popular use of names in dialogue in my house is, "I've got a hunter and a smoker over here, could use a little help. OMG RYAN. COULD USE SOME HELP HERE. HELP. RYAN. Stop stealing all the good ammo and come help me!"
Yup! Same here. "Brian, I'm out of mana and surrounded by angry Skeleton Lords! Brian! BRIAN!! GONNA DIE IF YOU DON'T...I'm dead. You suck."
Brenda :)

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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by Sommer Leigh » August 4th, 2011, 1:00 pm

dios4vida wrote: Yup! Same here. "Brian, I'm out of mana and surrounded by angry Skeleton Lords! Brian! BRIAN!! GONNA DIE IF YOU DON'T...I'm dead. You suck."
"Also, you're sleeping on the couch. Don't give me that look, Ryan. You promised to love and honor me in sickness, in health, and against zombies."
May the word counts be ever in your favor. http://www.sommerleigh.com
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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by dios4vida » August 4th, 2011, 1:04 pm

Sommer Leigh wrote:
dios4vida wrote: Yup! Same here. "Brian, I'm out of mana and surrounded by angry Skeleton Lords! Brian! BRIAN!! GONNA DIE IF YOU DON'T...I'm dead. You suck."
"Also, you're sleeping on the couch. Don't give me that look, Ryan. You promised to love and honor me in sickness, in health, and against zombies."
"Sheesh, Brian, you'd think that a LEGO Jedi Knight would feel obligated to PROTECT his apprentice, not slice him in half instead of that Stormtrooper over there. And let's not forget that that apprentice was your WIFE. Yeah, I love you, too." (And all this while the cats are staring at you like you've lost your minds.)

It sounds like our houses are remarkably similar, Sommer. :)
Brenda :)

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Re: What's My Name Again?

Post by sierramcconnell » August 4th, 2011, 1:09 pm

...and here I thought talking to my characters\dolls\ghosts was crazy. I might be the sane one.

"Paul, stop moving around in the kitchen I will clean the damn sink when I'm good and ready!"

(Paul being the resident kitchen ghost who gets irritated when I leave water in the sink, towels not where they belong, and water pitchers outside of the fridge.)
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