It occurred to me tonight

[Rob_Royale]

That I'm going to have to come up with a spreadsheet just to keep up with the names of my characters. Especially as they begin to cross over from story to story. So that I don't accidentally reuse one and confuse myself and the readers.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I use a separate Word file with the names of the characters and where they appeared, but maybe a spreadsheet is an even better solution.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have maintained an Excel spreadsheet since I started writing that I use for storyboarding the ones I am working on currently, but also as a repository for the character names, locations, and timelines for each story. There is a sheet that lists all character names, both used and available, and a sheet that logs the timeline for when all of the stories occurred so that characters age correctly as they move to new stories, and even a sheet for agent/publisher contacts for those that go into mainstream channels.

One file organizes all.

 

[Voboy]

I did that early in my writing. I thought it was important not to re-use names.

Then I realized it doesn't matter all that much. Two reasons:

1. In the real world, which I'm striving to emulate, names recur.
2. If I re-use a name it's because I've forgotten its first appearance. If I've forgotten that, everybody else probably has, too.
2a: If there are a smattering of readers who do realize it's a repeat? See reason #1.

In addition, the list VERY rapidly became way too unwieldy to use effectively. Although, to be fair, I wasn't using a spreadsheet. That might work better.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There are also numerous free websites that allow you to create family trees. You can create a “character tree” showing the connections between them and enter pertinent details in the notes section.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That I'm going to have to come up with a spreadsheet just to keep up with the names of my characters. Especially as they begin to cross over from story to story. So that I don't accidentally reuse one and confuse myself and the readers.

One benefit of doing a lot of autobiographical stuff is avoiding this. As long as you remember the occasional pseudonym.

Em

 

[Emilymcplugger]

I guess on the plus side the longer you go on the more fun you can have with silly names.

Gregg Leggs
Morris Wallace
Edwina Medina etc.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't think it matters much. Unless you do something specifically to link one story to another, readers are not likely to notice if you reuse names. They won't be confused, and they won't care. I try to keep using different names as I keep writing new stories, but I don't try very hard.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I found myself reusing a bunch of names. And then wondering 'what if Ail/Becca/Cathy/Gareth in this story was the same as the one in that story?'

How might they meet, and what would happen if they did?

I still have multiple Cathy/Kathys who are not the same person, and two Ali's (one female, one male).

I really should create a spreadsheet at some point, because I can remember obvious info, but keeping track of who got nipple piercings, who likes being touched in a certain way vs who hates it, who studied or worked doing what where when... it's confusing.

To be fair, I rather live in hope of acquiring a fan dedicated enough to notice any mistakes!

 

[jehoram]

I don't keep a spreadsheet, but I have maintained lists of characters in my longer series, so I can keep track of who's married to (or sleeping with) whom and what they look like.

 

[ronde]

I don't worry about names except for a few of my stories that are serials, i.e. same main characters but different plot and situations. In those, I'm careful to keep the names the same. For anything else, I often re-use names. I like relatively common names because they're easy to read. I also re-use names because some names can say a lot about a character. There's usually a real life difference between a woman named Mary and a woman named Roxy, or between a guy named Richard and a guy named Dirk.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I don't think it matters much. Unless you do something specifically to link one story to another, readers are not likely to notice if you reuse names. They won't be confused, and they won't care. I try to keep using different names as I keep writing new stories, but I don't try very hard.

I would agree, but I keep seeing this sort of thing reoccurring on my latest activity page. If there were uses of the same name, it might be confusing to someone who's reading multiple stories in a sitting. I'd rather not have that happen.

 

[alohadave]

I would agree, but I keep seeing this sort of thing reoccurring on my latest activity page. If there were uses of the same name, it might be confusing to someone who's reading multiple stories in a sitting. I'd rather not have that happen.

View attachment 2244832

Unless they are leaving comments, they probably aren't confused.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Unless they are leaving comments, they probably aren't confused.

 

[Voboy]

I would agree, but I keep seeing this sort of thing reoccurring on my latest activity page. If there were uses of the same name, it might be confusing to someone who's reading multiple stories in a sitting. I'd rather not have that happen.

View attachment 2244832

Differentiate the characters by behavior, appearance, habits, and last name, and it won't happen. Guaranteed.

 

[djrip]

I do avoid reusing names generally, because my characters sometimes recur and so it's easiest if I can say, if they have the same name it's the same person. But if I keep adding stories I probably won't keep strictly to that forever.

 

[XerXesXu]

To a large extent, I use the same names for the same functions when writing the story, then after completion and before editing, choose new names, and FIND/REPLACE.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

That I'm going to have to come up with a spreadsheet just to keep up with the names of my characters. Especially as they begin to cross over from story to story. So that I don't accidentally reuse one and confuse myself and the readers.

Welcome to my slice of hell. Pull up a seat and enjoy a fresh can of worms.

 

[Altissimus]

There's so many CSI-type TV dramas (Lucifer included) using the phrase "The victim's name is..." that it's only a matter of time until your number comes up.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I would agree, but I keep seeing this sort of thing reoccurring on my latest activity page. If there were uses of the same name, it might be confusing to someone who's reading multiple stories in a sitting. I'd rather not have that happen.

I reckon readers are clever enough to realise either, "different story," or, "who cares?"

I think too many people treat readers as if they have IQs similar to their shoe sizes, and as a consequence, over-think things. Keeping a spreadsheet to list character names sounds absurd to me - do you do that with your friends? How bad is your memory?

 

[oneagainst]

Just finished up the preface for Only Consenting Adults, and for the first time decided to put a character list in, totalling up fifty-one significant characters. It *is* my Avengers Endgame, but that's a lot of people to cram into 24 chapters, often in little cages....

 

[Rob_Royale]

I reckon readers are clever enough to realise either, "different story," or, "who cares?"

I think too many people treat readers as if they have IQs similar to their shoe sizes, and as a consequence, over-think things. Keeping a spreadsheet to list character names sounds absurd to me - do you do that with your friends? How bad is your memory?

Put simply. I care.
Right now with 12 stories, I probably won't have a problem, but it might pop up in a couple of years when there are thirty stories. How you feel about it is of no concern to me, but dissenting opinions are fine too. Thanks for chiming in.

 

[TxRad]

Put simply. I care.
Right now with 12 stories, I probably won't have a problem, but it might pop up in a couple of years when there are thirty stories. How you feel about it is of no concern to me, but dissenting opinions are fine too. Thanks for chiming in.

I have 300 stories posted and I don't have a problem with character names. Of course I don't have stories with fifty chapters of the same half dozen people. Character names are character names. The title of the story changes everything.

 

[Demiurging]

I've got a mind map that I use for this, separating characters by the stories they appear in and then the genre. I only write in one universe, so it's useful to know where people are to arrange connections. Also makes it an easy one-stop-shop for remembering how I've described them after I forget

 

[Djmac1031]

I try not to reuse names either, but I know I already have.

There's certain ones I know I won't reuse; Jenna for instance. I definitely want to keep that one unique to my series.

I like the spreadsheet idea, may do it for fun at some point.

But I don't think it's a disaster if I use the same name for different characters, especially if they're completely different stories.