first person naming?

[David46893]

If I’m writing a first person story (So its “I did this, I did that) do I need to let the reader know that my name is “Fred” (or bill or George)?

So creating an emotional attachment between the reader and ‘me’ because they can now identify a little with me?

And if so.. how do I do this?

Do I start out by saying “Hi! My name is fred and this is my story

Or is it a case of another character saying “Hey fred what are you doing to that wombat?

 

[PennLady]

This is going to depend a lot on the reader, but here's my two cents. And my usual disclaimer: I don't generally care for first-person stories; on the other hand, I found myself writing one, so I guess we all go outside the box from time to time.

So, I don't care for stories that start off:

"My name is Jack. I'm this tall, that heavy, with this color hair and eyes. I go to the gym, I do this, I do that."

That's all a laundry list and I find it pretty boring, and kind of lazy. I don't see why those details can't be dropped in later, either in conversation with another character or in comparison observations, e.g., "I was on the tall side, but this guy had me beat by a good six inches."

For the name specifically, I'd think there lots of ways to get that across without having the narrator "speak" to the reader. He could look at an envelope and read the name: "Jack Smith, 123 Main Street -- Yep, that's me."

He could answer the phone:
Narrator: "Hello?"
Character: "Hey, Jack. It's Dan. How's it going?"

I realize a lot of this depends on how you set up your story, and how soon your narrator will be encountering other characters, and things like that. If he's solo for a while, I'd try the envelope thing, or something like it. He could be thinking about something someone said and replay the thought in his head, perhaps, something like: I thought about the last time I saw Jane. Jack, she'd said with a shake of her head, you never change.

This makes me realize that in the story I'm writing, the narrator doesn't reveal his name until several pages in. I may have to change that. Anyway, hope that helps.

 

[estragon]

DG Hear, MFG, usually names his narrator (and he writes extensively in FP) in the first sentence or two, and it doesn't seem to put off his fans. And I would always read and heed whatever SA Penn Lady has to say. But, as usual, YMMV.

 

[jomar]

I have a bunch of first person stories where no name is given at all. I suppose one could even argue that not providing a name allows the reader to slip into the story a bit more easily. Kind of like being vague/broad on physical details lets the reader shape things to their own tastes.

 

[LazzieLace]

I would echo Jomar's thoughts. Sometimes the name just isn't important. If I do include a name it is using when another character calls them by name. It depends on the story and what you want to achieve by writing in FP.

I tend to slip into FP for drafts, or if I get stuck and need to get into the character's head.

Personally if I see a story with "I'm Fred and this is my story" I read no further as I figure it is probably some guy just wanting to tell us a memory rather than trying to engage the reader and tell the story in depth.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I write many of my stories in first person. Early on, I didn't give "I" a name. "I" was essentially an extension of me, and I wanted to remain somewhat anonymous. Since then I have written more of my stories from the viewpoint of a fictitious "I", and that "I" gets named very early in the story. Generally, I do it in the format suggested by Pennlady--another character addresses "I" in a conversation, either on the telephone or face-to-face. Sometimes the character introduces himself to another character.

"Would you like a beer?" I offered, hoping that a change of subject would reverse the flow of blood to my cock.

"Yes, thank you. I'm Astrid, by the way."

"Here you go, Astrid," I said, handing her an ice-cold beer. "My name is Ramon. "

"Nice to meet you, Ramon."

"The pleasure is all mine."

"I can see that."

I stared into her eyes as a bewildered expression formed on my face.

"Your excitement is showing."

Astrid looked from my eyes to my crotch. Following her eyes, I looked down and saw that I had already reached half-mast.

 

[sr71plt]

There's no need to name the "I" in a first-person story until there's a need to do so. Usually the longer the story and the more characters it has in it, the greater the need to eventually name the "I" to aid the dialogue mapping. The more intimate/intense/introspective you want it, the longer you'll hold out before giving "I" a name.

We once had a story critiquer around here who said you had to give every character a name right off the bat. She was full of it.

 

[mynameisben]

Dialog with another character who addresses the "I" character by name is usually the best way to go, but there are other options. Your "I" character could think or talk to himself and address himself in second person.

"Think, Jack Williams, think! You've been in situations like this before."

Or, you could even refer to yourself in third-person.

"You slapped Jimmy? Jimmy feels pain. Oh, Jimmy is mad now!"

Or, you could be the happy-go-lucky type who is often moved to song.

"I yam a farmer, I has a dog and Bingo is my name, O! B-I-N-G-O..."

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Just have other characters call to you by name.

also, shameless advertising of my how-to writers aid of this exact problem

http://www.literotica.com/s/character-description-dos-and-donts

 

[David46893]

So is this an unnecessarily ‘fancy’ way of introducing the characters?


If you live in west Los Angels you might know us, so my name isn’t David just as my wife’s name is not Ann – but these names will have to do. I



???

 

[sr71plt]

I don't see any reason why that wouldn't work. I can also see that it might not add anything to the story unless someone addresses him later as David or the David name has some significance to the story. It all depends on what comes later in the story.

 

[Weird Harold]

Do I start out by saying “Hi! My name is fred and this is my story

Or is it a case of another character saying “Hey fred what are you doing to that wombat?

More than the reader, it depends on the story. Any of the suggestions given so far will work, ranging from no name at all to a self-introduction. The one thing you probably don't want to do is introduce your narrator with a "reward poster" self description; dole out the description piecemeal as each point becomes relevant to the story.

Knowing everything about a character is fairly important for maintaining continuity, but there is no need to spell out everything the author knows about the character for the readers.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have had the reader learn "my" name through another character. In the last story I posted here, I go through my beginning and as "I" am in a store I have a police officer look at me and say "So Jamie you staying out of trouble"

In another story I have a the character sitting there fantasizing about something and someone snaps him out of it by calling his name. Personally I like that better than naming myself.

 

[Stella_Omega]

So is this an unnecessarily ‘fancy’ way of introducing the characters?


If you live in west Los Angels you might know us, so my name isn’t David just as my wife’s name is not Ann – but these names will have to do. I



???

It's good!

For one thing it tells me where these people live, and it also tells me that he's got secrets to keep, except I'm going to be privileged to hear them.

it also tells me that he's going to tell the story to me in his own voice-- and he might interrupt his own story to mention something important, or tell me how the experience felt to him, or what his wife told him at a different time.

 

[David46893]

re For one thing it tells me where these people live, and it also tells me that he's got secrets to keep


thank you! that was exactly what I was aiming at! a combined location & 'something is going on'

the names are secondry

 

[Boxlicker101]

Damon Runyon wrote hundreds of short stories in the first person without ever revealing the name of the narrator. Or, you can start a story the way Dragnet used to start. Personally, I never identify myself in a FP story, but other characters address me by name.