Cassy On Picking Character Names

Alex and I always like to promote NaNoWriMo every year (ok, so this is only the second year we've been blogging for NaNo, but still.  We've done it every year so far.)  You'll see our word count over on the side so you can keep track with us.  And like my NaNo advice last year, this year Alex and I are both going to chime in with a little writing help.

Every week, we're picking a writing topic, and we'll both tell you how we approach that particular writing challenge.  This week:

Picking Character Names

Usually, when I pick character names, I just pick names that I've liked over the years.  One year, I named a character Natalia (a name that I've used over and over again for everything.  It was my very first screen name.)  I remember one named I picked was Siquea, because I thought it sounded very fantasy (ok, there might have been more to it than that, but it was about ten years ago that I picked out that name.)

Sometimes, I admit it, I'll copy.  I'll hear name different places and I'll remember then and reuse them.  If it's a fairly minor character, I just do something really generic like "Anne" or "Kimberly."

Once in a blue moon, I'll go to Google translate, pick a word that I think applies to the character, and translate it into abut 50 languages until I find one that I like.

There are a million ways to pick a name for your character, just make sure it's something that you can spell.

Don't forget!!  We're giving away a copy of Scrivener this week!  So enter now, enter often. Your one sentence story could win you a copy!!