When I made the decision to toss out pretty much everything I ever wrote in the gazillion (not much of an exaggeration) drafts of my current WIP I knew that there were more changes ahead. I didn’t, however, think that I would be changing all the names of the characters in the book. At least not at first.
But in last night’s writing session (where I didn’t even manage one true sentence ) I realized the time had come to let go of what was probably just a silly author prank on the readers. (Now, keep in mind that I started this book over 20 years ago, long before I had sold much of anything at all.)
I can’t believe I am going to admit to all this but here goes . . . Because the book centers around airplanes I thought it would be interesting to name the characters in the book something that had to do with airplanes. Yes, that’s right. Airplanes.
I was creative, for the most part. I mean I didn’t have a bunch of people called Cessna or Piper or Lear. They were more obscure names. Mostly. But here’s the thing, I’ve been thinking about my one true sentence and how it relates to the plot of the book. There’s one character whose name could be an airplane. Or not. And I realized the story that went along with that could actually support my initial one true sentence. I think that’s good but if everyone around the character has the same sort of name it might lessen the impact. I think.
So tonight’s writing session will be all about finding the right names for these characters. Again.
I like the name Piper. Good luck with the writing!
I do too. But I had a lot of fun trying to come up with names that people might not associate with planes but a plane crazy reader might just be able to figure out.
It also could be a burden though if every single person in the book had that sort of name. Or it could become too clownlike.
Argh. I don’t know. For now I still think that it might lessen the impact around the one character that one character’s name but I might change my mind.
Something to think about
Check out Kathye Fetsho Petrie’s picture book Flying Jack. The children are all named after aviators–Amelia, Bessie, Charles, Harriet, etc.
Re: Something to think about
oooh…that’s very interesting. Hmmm. Maybe my idea wasn’t so crazy after all?
I wrote a story about a fire once and the main character was Charlotte (nicknamed Char) and I didn’t even NOTICE the char/burn connection until someone in my writer’s group pointed it out!??! The mind’ll do crazy stuff. And some of it’s “true”. Right?
In my WIP, one of my characters won’t ride in motor vehicles because of PTSD/phobia she’s developed. Another character who has feelings for her that she doesn’t return is named Carr.
People might think I chose the name trying to be all metaphorical or something. But like you, I never even thought of that connection until someone in my writer’s group commented on it!
ooh, another good story about connections.
oooh, great story! It’s amazing how much is happening below the surface. Sometimes I get to an end of the story and someone tells me how this links with this and with this and never set out to do it – it just happens.
ack – that would be me, forgetting to log in.
Susan, thanks for sharing! That’s funny. I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad idea, but you could be right about it lessening the impact.
And, hey, at least you’re casually tossing about phrases like “But in last night’s writing session” and “So tonight’s writing session…” How cool is that!
Well, looks like I have a lot more to worry about than names right when I look at my messy plot. LOL
Yes, it is nice to thinking about writing more regularly now. Today was mostly a thinking session, with all this plot stuff. Sigh.
i love the name piper. =)
I can’t think of Piper without thinking of Carrie. 🙂
and that could get real confusing because as you know Carrie was a tormented student (John Travolta was such a dope).