Naming Fiction Characters
Based on a simple description of the character
Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter — What if? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers prompts —
The Exercise:
Name the following characters, keeping in mind that you can plant, within a name, a clue to their role in your fiction.
* A petty, white-collar thief who robs his boss over several years.
* An envious, bitter woman who makes her sister miserable by systematically trying to undercut her pleasure and self-confidence.
* A sweet young man too shy to speak to an attractive woman he sees every day at work.
* The owner of a fast-food restaurant who comes on to his young female employees.
* A grandmother who just won the lottery.
The Objective:
To recognize that the names you give your characters should not be drawn out of a hat but carefully tested to see if they "work". Sometimes you may want to choose an "appropriate" name (Victoria for a member of the British aristocracy) and once in a while it's a good idea to choose a name that seems "inappropriate" (Bruce for the child of migrant farm workers). In each case, you are sending a message to the reader about who the character is, where he came from and where he is headed. A name can send a message as powerful as a title.
Petty thief: Robin Bourbon
Bitter woman: Saddie Sakitts
Shy young man: Tim Mask
Lecherous boss: Hoss Steel
Lottery winner: Lottie Moore
About the Creator
Denise E Lindquist
I am married with 7 children, 28 grands, and 13 great-grandchildren. I am a culture consultant part-time. I write A Poem a Day in February for 8 years now. I wrote 4 - 50,000 word stories in NaNoWriMo. I write on Vocal/Medium daily.
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Written As A He
Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter — What if? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers prompts — The Exercise: Write a page in the first person, assuming the voice of someone of the opposite gender. This can be a description, a narrative, or a segment of autobiography. The main point is to completely lose yourself and become another. The Objective: To learn how to draw convincing verbal portraits of characters different from yourself and to make them sympathetic, rounded, and complex, even though you don’t especially “like” them or admire what they represent.
By Denise E Lindquist4 months ago in Writers
Comments (6)
What clever names for these behaviors. Good job. What a fun exercise to boot.
Oh I especially loved Tim! All the names seems very fitting!
These names are so clever! I especially love Robin Bourbon for the thief and Lottie Moore for the lottery winner.
White collar thief: Rob Conway Envious bitter woman: Gladys Greene Shy man: Lyle Bash Fast food: Chester Claude Lottery winner: Winnie Lewis
Love your names <3 Nothing like coming up with the perfect name combo <3
Love the names you chose!