1. Alesia

    Alesia Pen names: AJ Connor, Carey Connolly Contributor

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    What's in a name?

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Alesia, Dec 2, 2019.

    How quickly should I insert a characters name when writing a story? For example, my MC, who is also the narrator, is named by the third paragraph. She's in a conversation with someone who, up to this point, is only known as "my sister". Will it work to give her a name later on, or do most readers expect names pretty much right off?
     
  2. Dogberry's Watch

    Dogberry's Watch Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Contest Winner 2022

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    I'll be that guy and say some people never name their main characters. But I'd say as long as it's important to you, at least on the first page somewhere should be fine.
     
  3. Kalisto

    Kalisto Senior Member

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    It depends. Not all characters need to be named. Sometimes leaving them unnamed will give more of an allegorical nature behind them. However, if you do intend to have a character named, then it should be as soon as the narrative allows it. I personally don't like reading books where for a very long time, the character is never given a name or a title if they aren't meant to have a name.
     
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  4. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Yeah. I say don't create unnecessary mystery. If you're going to cough up the character's name within the next few paragraphs, do it at the start instead. Beware the delayed introduction. It's not intriguing. It's irritating.

    The kind of story that begins with 'a man' walking into 'a tall building'—which, in the next paragraph turns out to be his church, and he's the preacher there, name of Fred Bloggs— is just pure annoying.

    Fair enough, keeping the identity secret if you want the reader not to know who that character is. (A mysterious figure escaping out a back window carrying a bloodied knife, etc...and the rest of the story is about discovering who that person is.) But folks are busy trying to get oriented when they start reading a story. So do what you can to orient them as quickly as possible.
     
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  5. LoaDyron

    LoaDyron Contributor Contributor

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    Hello, friend. :superhello:

    Depends on how do you want to introduce your character. The readers like to know the MC name straight away, because if you create too much mistery, your readers may think you wasted their time. But, if you wish not to reveal your MC name that's fine, but don't drag it too long.

    I hope this helps. Keep on good work and have fun. :superagree:
     
  6. Alesia

    Alesia Pen names: AJ Connor, Carey Connolly Contributor

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    My issue right now is I have a certain narrative/dialogue flow and adding the sister's name before the end of the initial dialogue exchange seems "shoehorned" if you get my drift.
     
  7. Oz_brown

    Oz_brown Member

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    Couple of options -

    1. Why not just name her right off the bat? The first time you use ‘my sister’, just use parentheses to add her name. ‘I didn’t want to talk about it but my sister, Julia, just wouldn’t drop it.’

    2. Depending on the tone of their conversation, you could have the narrator use her sister’s name. If your narrator is exasperated, or interrogating, or happily surprised by some news of her sister’s - there are a bunch of reasons she might say her sister’s name directly to her.

    But if there’s no good reason to be mysterious about it i’d just opt for no. 1.
     
  8. Stormburn

    Stormburn Contributor Contributor

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    Is your PoV 1st Person? Here's an example of the MC's name introduction in the Hunger Games:
    "Hey Catnip," say Gale. My real name is Katniss, but when I first told him, I had barely whispered it.
    This happens on page 7.
    Collins begins introducing us to Katniss in the opening paragraph:
    When I wake up (yeah, I know new writers are told never to open the book with someone waking up. But, it works here)the other side of the bed is cold... the paragraph ends with This is the day of the reaping.
    The reader is introduced to Katniss, her family, world and situation while the Katniss herself is further established through the use of character voice. Even though Katniss name isn't dropped until page 7, Collin's had spent those pages getting the reader involved, and caring about the MC.
     
  9. Thundair

    Thundair Contributor Contributor

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    I like to see the name. If the character is named Guido Serduci, it tells me a little bit just like Billy-Bob or Jean-Claude.
    Also, I feel better if there are names on dialog tags, so I know where I am in the conversation.
    With no name on a dialog tag might be something like this..
    The tall blond said, “Hey, good looking, d’ya wanna go out for a beer.”
    The tall blonde said, “I could never go out wit the likes of you.”
     
  10. Alesia

    Alesia Pen names: AJ Connor, Carey Connolly Contributor

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    Thanks to all for the replies. Here's what I came up with. I don't know why it still feels odd to me. Probably just me

    There's option A:

    You gotta be kidding me. I snatched the device off the nightstand, tapped the accept button, and put the phone to my ear. My sleep-drunk brain didn't think to check the caller ID.


    "Hello?"


    Every muscle in my body tensed when I heard my sister, Alison's, voice.

    And option B:

    I'm not a morning person. I hate waking up before my alarm goes off, and I fucking loathe people who try to make conversation before I've had at least three cups of coffee. My response was not overly polite.


    Alison?" My voice was scratchy from sleep. "It's the middle of the night. What do you want?"
     
  11. Checkov

    Checkov New Member

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    mmm - isn't about artistic direction and the nature of the work and the impact on the reader? I believe one the greatest novels in the last 2 decades The Road by Cormac McCarthy the two leads are just Father and Son, no names. I could see a book lead to the last word being the name of the lead character. So when, how, where, is all moot depending on the artistic direction, imho.
     
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  12. guy9859

    guy9859 New Member

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    There should be names for the main characters. Secondary characters could stay with first names depending on the amount of interaction they get. Writing is part art and part craft. The average reader is not a writer.
     
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  13. StoryForest

    StoryForest Banned

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    I think it's a matter of the narration and writing voice. Some books get by without ever revealing a name simply because it wasn't needed in the telling the story while others use names whenever possible because the writer finds it helpful to place a label for their character. Neither is right or wrong, it's just a preference that usually comes out through your writing. If it's not coming out naturally, leave out and proceed with the story, you can always go back and add it in later. If anything, once you have more of the story down, you can better identify the most appropriate place to reveal the name vs forcing it now and have to create scenes before/after it that don't necessarily contribute to the story.
     

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