But for fiction writers its harder because you have to come up with a dozen or so character names for every single story or novel. Top 10 character cliches that drive me nuts litreactor. Writers resources character name listsfind names for your characters. The 7 rules of picking names for fictional characters. Ive created a lawyer character that is a compilation of all the bad qualities of every rascal man ive ever dated, all bad qualities rolled into one. Jan 16, 2010 ive written an unlikely fiction book based on a group of environmental activists. A characters name is a basic part of that character, but it can sometimes be hard to come by just the right name.
The weight of that responsibility can often paralyze writers. Answering questions like these will help draw a deep portrait of the. Essentially, you can simply think up a random name. Many aspiring and even accomplished authors dream of writing a childrens book. You may have noticed them while reading, or you may need to start being aware when you next pick up a book.
My real problems is trying to settle on a name for a new puppy. Then you have the books where the author tried to do something unique with the characters, but ended up being too heavily influenced by the original characters and ended up creating stereotypes of them. The easy way to name fantasyscifi characters samantha. Aug 28, 2012 i usually think of character names that inspire stories. We have a series of different character name generators that produce personality descriptions and names from different countries. How to create characters for your novel how to write a book now. I used that for a story that i hope to post on kp someday. Aim to have the name suggest something about the character. Our name generator allows you to create a name with up to five components, so a name can be short and sweet or doublebarrelled and swanky. Here are a few things to consider when choosing character names. With over 220,000 names in our database, you can also specify language, nationality and other factors to give your character the perfect name. For my current project, i just went with what i liked. I also explain how you can write your book faster this year. Print this page to complete the form for each main character you create.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. How to come up with an iconic character name in 12 steps. In the first tier are roughly the top 400 names among girls of high school age in the past few decades. So throw out your old telephone books and babynaming guidesthe writers digest character naming sourcebook meets all your naming needs. Here are more do not tips when choosing your characters names. This doesnt mean you have to commit before you start writing. I have this character and cant think of a good superhero name for her relating to her power.
Coming up with last names for your characters can also be surprisingly tricky. This gives the book a sort of visual aesthetic crucial, since novels dont have the help of visuals. Jul 09, 2019 if you want to have 100% unique character names like lhonniadreah, a character in the book im writing, lhonni for short, youve got to get creative. So, this female character needs a good superhero name, her actual name is mica grenbern, and her super power is the ability to summonmake chains from her hands, arms, and back, to then use them as she likes against enemies just ask if you need a better description of what the power isdoes.
These tips might make that passage a little easier. Have you ever wondered how to write a childrens book, and if you have what it takes to create one. Character name generator create random names story shack. Return to writing romance printmobilefriendly version. It drives me a little nuts when i see reimaginings of classics, because you get the long cast of overdone characters who never change. How to name your book characters writing with jenna moreci. If you need further help with character names, write jennifer, to book a character name consultation. Make sure each name you choose fits the character, i. Bestseller david baldacci says he doesnt have a set formula. A fantasy name generator for every fantasy character. While there are no rules in writing, following your. If youre writing a historical fiction novel, for example, make sure your characters names are appropriate for the time period in which your book is set.
Heres how to come up with interesting character names in your fiction. Give them purpose if a character doesnt in some way shape the plot or round out your. John sheridan, babylon 5 a moreproper method is to mention the charactername in quotes, the work or series and episode, and the author. There are all kinds of arabic names, for example, that have a long history and tradition, so picki. Especially when writing a novel or a series of stories, coming up with a fitting name for each member of your cast can be surprisingly difficult and time consuming. This list of general girls names is divided into three tiers. In this easy guide for new writers and aspiring authors, i break book writing down stepbystep. Oh by the way, another name i thought you might like on your list. Note that all fields are optional and should be used simply as a guide.
Try not to use your name, or someone elses name that you know, as this may be considered personal information. Writing a book can be challenging enough on its own. Character names and surnames writing tips, book writing. When you are writing a book, during the actual writing process itself, yes all of these are allowed. I wish i was writting a magical story right now so that i could use one of those unusual names. On one hand, you dont want to saddle your characters with ordinary, pedestrian names. If writing a series or saga and the characters in following books show up in book one, you dont have to worry about coming up with the main characters names. But to create characters with the depth that will make them seem real to your reader, we must proceed to a deeper level. Create unusual, surprising characters by giving them traits that dont always go together. You can even fashion character names from a theme, if it fits.
If shown, the year indicates when the book was first published. A stressfree guide to writing the book of your dreams. Use the ethnic background of the character to search online for names that are for the background, eg. In the second tier are other names you might run into more than once in your lifetime. Many grandmothers are doting, but what if theyre also manipulative and selfserving.
Use characters names to convey subtle implications. Give them a goal your character s story goal serves as the basis of their journey, helping you plot your story with clarity and purpose 2. Since there is a big cast, characters need to be distinct without being odd at least, not all of them can be odd, which means i need a lot of names. This is great character writing advice from becca puglisi. I dont find it difficult to choose names for characters. Rowlings made a habit of writing huge ensemble casts in her books, and joseph hellers catch22 dedicates a chapter to every named character, with only four repeats, not to mention all the characters who dont have names. One common writing mistake is choosing character names that dont fit their personality or traits. Your character names need to fit into the fascinating, magical and mystifying world that you have created. Character names are to characters as titles are to books, so if youre blindly. It is publishing the book that can triggering infringement, libel, and other legal issues. The importance of character names go into the story. Oct 21, 2019 about the writers character generator.
Its better to call a character caleb, which means faithful or faithful dog, than to overkill it by naming. Parentstobe pore over baby name books for months looking for that perfect name. Fantasy name generator are you writing a fantasy novel and need some character. Character genre based names vintage writing resources i am not an expert character genre based names vintage writing. When your child gets invested in a certain character, theyll be more likely to pick up subsequent books in. Whenever i get new name ideas, i will incorporate them into the already existing list.
Use these methods for naming characters in your book. Jennifer moss is an author of a series of mystery novels and the founder of and. Jan 17, 2018 agatha christie was exceptionally good at naming characters in this way, and its one of those things that when an author doesnt quite get it right can make a book really grate, but when they do get it right can make it really flow. If the title of a work contains the name of a fictional character, style the name as a name and the title as a title that is, in italics or quotation marks. Jul 31, 2015 tricks and traps of using real people in your writing, part 1. Character name generator the ultimate bank of 2,000,000. When i realized that she was both an attorney and someone who understands the world of bloggers, online publishers, and authors, i asked her to write an article that would highlight legal issues authors face, and how those issues affect selfpublishers. Youll get the inside scoop on their naming methods, plus the stories behind the names of their most famous characters. Follett isnt the first author to load on the characters. The simple automated character name generator below will help in your search for interesting and unique character names, male or female. So next time youre stuck and cant decide what to name your dystopian sharpshooting heroine, try one of these ideas.
Maybe you have an incredible idea that you cant stop thinking about. Give them a motivation knowing the reason why a character chooses to pursue their goal helps readers invest in their journey, making for a captivating read 3. From chinese to viking and from dragon to werewolf, i have a fantasy name generator for all your needs. Thesauruses, plots, character traits, names, and more kindle edition by donovan, bryn. Shes also the author of the excellent resource for writers, youve got a book in you. Check out the video below to see my favorite book name generators in action and how i a nonfiction title generator can work surprisingly well as a novel title generator. Even though this was the first book of names that i noticed, i checked out several others before buying this one. Of course these lists are flexible names can often be used either way looking for more help with character development. Naming a character, especially in a longer piece of writing, can be just as. In an interview, the writer stephen king said that one of his favorite books features a character named margaret ridpath. But youre a writer, so you know how to get creative. Head to a baby name website and search for names by gender, popularity, and alphabet. This list is comprised of some of the most recognizable names from fictional books.
Practice the above approaches to master different types of character introduction. Character names and surnames in 2020 writing tips, book. Im writing a book right now, and the names are so important. Other favorite names in my book are luella nn lu, almafor a girl, dexter, and the twins oliver and oscar, all siblings of arry. Use our free random character name generator and generate names to kickstart your next creative writing project. If i want to honor someone in real life, i may use their last name as a first for a character. Get access to the free course here my favorite book title generators. Writing adolescent fictioncharacter namesboys wikibooks, open.
Aug 28, 2019 using any of these methods cuts down the amount of time i spend coming up with character names and lets me get back to the actual writing. Feel free to use or change any of these for any of your works. When writing a book, is it okay to mentionmake references. Choosing fictional character names best character names. A captivating character is what truly hooks kids on a book or an entire series, which is why the most popular childrens books feature unforgettable figures who kids can relate to or look up to. How to write a childrens book in 9 easy steps complete. My main character is named wallace wally mcknight because i like having nicknames for characters and i like how his full name looks. Writers resourcescharacter name listsfind names for your characters. Fed up of staring at a blank page and trying to find the right name for a character. The right of publicity by helen sedwick explains if and when writers can model characters after real people and name names without getting sued. Jan 20, 2016 get the tsc audiobook for free on audible. So, ive been looking up names and meanings online and wavering back and forth. If you have any other names that you would like to add to the l. Think of the book little women by louisa may alcott, and that family of girls.
Your character doesnt have to have their name mentioned in your novel. On one hand, you don t want to saddle your characters with ordinary, pedestrian names. In this article, i offer 10 steps for writing a book along with 10 bonus steps to getting your book done. Charactergenre based names vintage writing resources baby name generator i have a shipping problem anomalouslywritten. She has over 20 years experience naming babies, companies, and fictional characters. All you have to do is scour the page of 300 unique, original fantasy names and keep this list a reference while you write that fandomworthy novel of yours. Naming your characters is equally as fun as it is frustrating especially for those of us writing fantasyscifi characters. Charactergenre based names znalezione obrazy dla zapytania vintage names for girls names girl names boy names unisex names nonbinary names kathleen is a really pretty and classy name. Tricks and traps of using real people in your writing, part 1.
Youll also get a clever tool that speeds up writing a great book that you readers will love. In reality, a character name has just a few things to establish. Be careful about using ethnic names, or names outside your culture. How to give your character the perfect name writers digest. The hard part of writing a book isnt getting published. You probably dont want to use a new, modern name if youre writing a novel that takes place in the year 1750. Even if this is the case, to add depth to your character, you should know them insideout. Remember, dont choose names that start with the same letter. There are probably thousands of movie examples where names reflect the core essence of a character, some primary value they have, or function they carry in the plot from john book, harrison fords character in witness, a good cop who goes by the book the letter of the law in opposing his friend and mentor, the bad cop chief paul schaeffer, to malcolm crowe, bruce willis. Character opposing the main character antagonist in fiction, when there is a protagonist or a main character who plays a role of a hero who takes the stand for the good and truth, the antagonist plays against this heroic character and tries to stop him by posing threats to his and others lives. A minimalistic approach is to place the characters name in quotes.
Nov 02, 2017 this is great characterwriting advice from becca puglisi. Knowing how to introduce characters so they seize readers attention is an important skill to master. Have you struggled to imagine a suitable name for your story or novel character. There are many literary and movie characters that become everlasting brands in our cultureatticus finch, ratso rizzo, holden caulfield and scarlett ohara, for example. Attributing quotes to fictional characters writing stack. So far, we have looked at how to create characters that have a purpose in the plot, that are distinct, and that are consistent. Feb 06, 2020 how to make a good last name for characters in a book. How to make a good last name for characters in a book. You have to invest everything you are into creating an important p.
We hope to make things easier by giving you the opportunity to craft an immense number of convincing potential characters with whom to populate your stories. Sort using filters such as language, gender, and fantasy and even discover the meaning behind your favorites. Emma woodhouse is the heroine of jane austen s novel emma. You may be writing a mystery have your main character may just be referred to as, for example, the man, all the way through the novel. To match the monochromatic title, fifty shades of grey has characters named grey and steele. Charactergenre based names vintage writing resources i am not an expert charactergenre based names vintage writing. Aug 16, 2018 character names are to characters as titles are to books, so if youre blindly putting finger to phone book when picking one, youre doing it wrong. If you name your character right, you will choose a name that is unique to your character and memorable to your story.
Writing adolescent fictioncharacter namesgirls wikibooks. Brainstorm characters for your book on now novel, and use the helpful prompts in the character. If you want specific suggestions, you need to tell us what kind of book it is. In my current novel, im writing about faculty, staff, and students at a smallish university in the southeast. After 32 novels, ive created thousands of characters, so the challenge is not to duplicate. Write down your characters full name first name, middle name, and last name, and any other names nicknames titles he or she has. But on the current story im working on, wouldnt you know it, the names arent settling with me. These include novels, short stories, graphic novels and comic books. How to write a book in 2020 a stepbystep guide for new. Okay, so technically, the title of this book is a world of baby names.