When crafting characters for your novel, names are vital to the authenticity of the world and can enhance and heighten a reader's experience and understanding of the plot, especially the undercurrent of symbolism and thematic tension. Each name, when decided upon, should emanate a harmonic hum to let the author know it is the only name for this person, at this time, in this specific world. This includes secondary characters, all the way to the generic layer of people your protagonist will encounter to ensure consistency.
If not, the names can appear arbitrary or grasped at, as if taken from the nearest thing in proximity to the author-like a book or cereal box or the name of your favorite barista!
DRAW ON THE UNIQUENESS OF YOUR WORLD
Writing my very first novel, I thought it was very clever to name my main character after a famous actress and to weave in traits from her iconic role into the storyline. A classic movie, it allowed me to create a generational connection between a mother and daughter. In reality, though, it took up a lot of space in the opening chapter and ultimately did more to show the likes and interests of the author behind the scenes, rather than the people inhabiting this unique world.
After spending more time reflecting on the story's core distinctions, which were centered on monastic art, not Hollywood, the perfect name revealed itself.
Denne historien er fra March - April 2024-utgaven av Writer’s Digest.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March - April 2024-utgaven av Writer’s Digest.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Writing for a Warming World - Imagining the overwhelming, the ubiquitous, the world-shattering.
Climate change is one of those topics that can throw novelists—and everyone else—into a fearful and cowering silence. When the earth is losing its familiar shapes and consolations, changing drastically and in unpredictable ways beneath our feet, how can we summon our creative resources to engage in the imaginative world-building required to write a novel that takes on these threats in compelling ways? And how to avoid writing fiction that addresses irreversible climate change without letting our prose get too preachy, overly prescriptive, saturated with despair?
Kids' Author Meg Medina Inspires Readers
WD chats with the National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature.
The Horrors of Grief
Whether hot off the presses or on the shelves for years, a good book is worth talking about.
The Mystery of Growing Up
New York Times-bestselling author Jasmine Warga tackles a new genre with her signature blend of empathy for her readers, agency for her characters, and the belief that art is the great connector.
Education
Even if it's not your thing, you're probably familiar with the term dark academia.
A Do-Over Romance
Karin Patton, the first-place winner of the 24th Annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Awards, shares a funny story about secondchance love and a brief Q&A.
Everyday Wonder
How to mine awe from the mundane
From Ordinary to Extraordinary
Unveil the hidden beauty in the facts and transform your nonfiction with the power of wonder.
Childhood: Our Touchstone for Wonder
How to get in touch with Little You and create big new work for today.
Agent Roundup
22 agents share details, about what kind of writing will pique their interest and offer tips for querying writers...
