Weekly Writing Tip

Characters. 

Do you have one? Or the faint shadow of one?

      Why do we love stories? Obviously, the plot plays an important part. If you don't have at least a decent plot with all loose ends tied and knotted than you're going to have trouble building a readership. Readers are easily disappointed and will remember if you finished your story by making up something crazy at the end or forgetting to address one of your subplots. Also, you can't rearrange the basics of science or life, unless it's your own world and you have built it up that way. But we'll talk about plot at a later entry. 

      Today we're going to talk about characters and their development. Think about why you love some stories. Yes, the plot was probably good and the writing was more than likely interesting but it's the characters that live in our minds way after the story is finished. If we care about the characters, if what happens to them in the story affects our emotions than we'll remember the story far after the words, 'the end.' 

       So how to make characters that come alive off the page and stay with your readers? You have to know them first. They're your characters, develop them. Think about their name. Most characters carry names that show a bit of their personalities or quirks. Pick a strong name for your alpha males. Choose a elegant name for your lady, unless she's wild and unconventional and than perhaps go by a nickname that reflects her playful attitude. 

       If they carry an unusual or an old fashioned name, explain it. Put a bit of the story around it, make it important. Do a bit of research, what does the name mean? Sometimes you can choose a name for it's meaning rather than just the sound of the name. A great source for names is the Internet, check out any baby naming website. Or the phone book can be an informative location. Parents spend a lot of time stringing names together that sound pleasing to the ear and it can make finding a name easy. (It's also a great way to unblock a muse that doesn't want to give up any names.)

      Don't forget the culture of your character. If it's important to the parents of your character, then a cultural significant name may be valuable to your story. If you're writing historical fiction, names need to be given a bit of thought. The popularity of names go through cycles, so perhaps Doris isn't one of the most popular names of today but in other time periods it would have been. Search the web for the most popular names of today or during certain years.

       Religion can also be a factor in choosing the 'right' name for your character. Especially if you're writing a historical piece. Or if you're writing about characters from other cultures. 

       Memorable names are vital. Think of some of the great classics, Little Women, Tom Sawyer, Anne of Green Gables. Even comic book heroes have awesome names that can be unforgettable. Superman, Spiderman, Wolverine. The characters are with us long after we finish the book. So name your characters with thought, care, and with fun. :)