I know this seems silly but......

[alltherage]

How do you choose the names of your characters? Are you thinkng of someone in particular when you choose? Does the character's name affect the action or character developement?

I tend to really ponder the character names. If I am writing in a long form I have to feel the names of the characters. After only a brief time each time I think of the character I see them. I have often encountered a new situation and thought what would Sarah do, what would Maggie feel. It seems to help to identify strongly with the name. Does this even make sense?

 

[Caria Knight]

I am just the opposite. So far I haven't been able to put any names into any of my stories. When I write without names I can picture what's happening as if it were me but as soon as there's a name I can't do that anymore. It's made it difficult to write without constant repitition but I've seemed to muddle through a few.

 

[alltherage]

I am just the opposite. So far I haven't been able to put any names into any of my stories. When I write without names I can picture what's happening as if it were me but as soon as there's a name I can't do that anymore. It's made it difficult to write without constant repitition but I've seemed to muddle through a few.

That is interesting. Maybe I will give it a try as an exercise.

 

[P. B. Walker]

Baby Names...

it doesn't sound right to be looking at baby names when you are right a sex story... but I swear it's great. I've found about half a dozen sites on the web that have thousands of baby names and what they mean. I usually browse one or two of those sites until I find several candidates and then I choose from those. Most of the time I have an idea of which letter I want the name to start with ("a", "b", "c", etc.) and the way these sites are laid out, they are all sorted alphabetically. So if you want a name that starts with W, just go to the W's and browse away. It works great, I swear.

Happy Name Hunting,

- PBW

 

[garyblue]

Whispersecret has written a fair to middlin' essay on this very topic. Goto http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=5367

g

 

[Cockatoo]

I save 'em

Whenever a cool name pops into my head, I file it away for later use. "Alison Wunderland" is the protagonist in "Show Me," and virtually all of "Strap on Something New" came from the idea that there's a set of old fashioned names that you don't see on anyone younger than 90, like "Lucretia," "Esmerelda," and "Henrietta." I figured they'd get recycled and altered, too.

I have yet to use "Anita Bier," but I'm saving it for something special. Don't anybody else go using it.

 

[Weird Harold]

Re: I save 'em

I have yet to use "Anita Bier," but I'm saving it for something special. Don't anybody else go using it.

You should be Punnished for using names like that.

I do see names shaping the characters to some extent. Suzanne is a name for a snobbish character, while Suzi is more a free-spirit or tomboy type name.

I will never write a story about "Jennifer" or any other name that commonly appears in the title of an erotic story. (Do a story title search for stories about "Jennifer" and you'll see what I mean.)

If you're writing in First Person, think about how many times you think your name. Names are for others to use -- inside our own heads, we're all "named" I or ME.

 

[Guest]

Many times, I try to choose a name that suits the character's personality. For example, I wanted Solomon Magus personality to reflect both a "peaceful" way of dealing with problems, and he was also to be a wizard. "Solomon" means "peaceful", "magus" means "magician".

In one of my voyeuristic stories, I wanted the girl to be someone sweet and succulent; I named her "Pamela", which means "all-honey".

 

[Wanderer D]

Because most of my writing is Fantasy, the names tend to fit my idea of what names would be depending on what part of the world (my created world) they came from. For non-realworld names I just sound out options in my head until a good one leaps out at me.

Mistress told me that she also uses baby books for names and I think it's a really good idea that I may have to use if I'm ever in need of more R/L names.

 

[karmadog]

What's in a name?

Usually, when I'm writing, I start out with letters-- X, Y, Z-- etc. As the story and the characters develop, a name will just come to me. There are probably subconscious associations with people I knnow or other characters, but I try not to analyze them too much. Another great resource for names is the phone book. I use this only when I am really stuck.