Rambling Time

Ok, I know I said I got an idea for a blog post. And I did. A good one! But I just don't feel like writing it today. Maybe sometime next week. I'm a bit stressed out so I thought I would just ramble for a bit instead.

So I'm still working on all of those things from my last blog post. I've almost finished the first guest post, just need to tidy it up a bit. I keep procrastinating but having it hanging over my head just stresses me out more because I feel really bad about not having it done. Then once that's done I'll start the second one. I still don't know the what the wifi situation will be in Florida, so I'd like to get all this stuff done and some extra blog posts before I leave.

I really don't think those drawings I talked about are going to happen. Maybe if I get a free moment to just sit down and not feel like I should be doing a million other things instead...

My freaking cat is sick again! This time with some kind of stomach bug, I think. I'll spare you the gross details but I will say it usually involves me having to clean his tail or paws after he gets out of the litter box. I thought it was just because of the heat because he got better for a day or two but now he's sick again. I don't know what to do. I can't afford to take him back to the vet since I spent so much the last time he was sick. But if he doesn't get better before we leave, I don't think I can go to Florida. It's just stressing me out worrying about the cat all of the time and not knowing what I should do about it.

Don't even get me started on life stuff! My fiance and I have been talking about moving to LA instead of New York (which would have been my first choice, but anything is better than staying here). I'm stressed out about money and wondering if I'll have enough to make it to when we move. I've got a one day NY trip next month and then my dad's 60th birthday is in July so I wanted to wait until after those because if we move all the way across the country, it's gonna be way too hard to come back for them. But I don't know if my money is going to last that long. My fiance filled out a form to get his student loans forgiven since he works for a hospital and has already made over 5 years of payments, so I'm really hoping he'll qualify because that would really help us out.

Uhh...anything good to share...hmm. Last night my niece had her first dance recital! I used to dance when I was around her age, too, so it was really fun to see.

That's about it. I'm just gonna try not to have a nervous breakdown over here. Have a nice weekend, everyone!!

Oh Right, I Was Supposed to Blog Today...

I woke up this morning blissfully unaware that I needed to write a blog post. Then I turned on my computer and went through the usual routine: email, Twitter, Blogger....ohhhhh. Right. It's Wednesday. I'm supposed to blog on Wednesdays. All I could do was whine, "But I don't want to!"

I think my blogging momentum has finally come to a screeching halt. It's probably equal parts A to Z burnout and just running out of ideas. I've been blogging three days a week all year and it's hard to keep up and come up with ideas. I do have a list of blog ideas, but I feel like I've already picked through all the good ones. If I talk about my writing progress, I feel like I'm just repeating the same stuff over and over again. I'm sure I've already blogged about running out of ideas before, too.

So what am I blogging about today? Nothing, really. Sometimes the ideas just don't come to you. Maybe on Friday I'll have a better idea. That's usually the way it goes. Maybe something will happen with my writing that will inspire a post (Monday's post was kind of like that).

For now I've got sooooooo much stuff to work on. I'm trying to set up for The Muse Party Blogfest. I need to write my post and a "prep" post for the Friday before that (which should be amusing). I also wanted to draw some pictures for it and I'm really not that great of an artist so it'll probably take me a while. I've got TWO posts for other bloggers that I'm working on (one that I should have written months ago). I'm reading a book from my CP (I think I can call her my CP now since I'm actually reading her stuff, lol). AND let's not forget I'm trying to write/outline/brainstorm THREE books. I can't pick which one to work on so I just work on all three.

Aw crap thinking about that just gave me an idea for a blog post!!!!! Oh well.

UGH. All right. I need to get out of here so I can work on all of those aforementioned things. And maybe write a blog post for Friday...

When Characters Run Amok

Most of the time (if you're like me, anyway), your characters dictate what happens in a story. You may not know what's going to happen next, but if you give your characters a bit of freedom, they may lead the way and figure it out for you. Which is usually great. You want your characters to feel like real people and to do realistic things and make choices that feel natural and not crafted by some supreme overlord...I mean, author. But is it possible to give your characters too much freedom? If you let them get too far away from you, will they do something that makes no sense? And then you're left trying to figure out where to go next or to even use this moment at all.

Think about all of the characters in your story like you're keeping them in a giant pen. You have to constantly make sure the gate is locked and no one gets out. You may let one out once in a while but never let them get too far and eventually you have to herd them back in with the others. And if one gets loose on you, all hell could break loose.

I know it sounds silly, because we created our stories and our characters, so they should be following our ideas, right? Well, not always. If you're really stuck trying to figure out what should happen next, sometimes your characters will figure it out for you. Maybe you just think of every possible scenario and whichever one feels right is the one you end up using. Or maybe an idea just randomly pops into your head and even though you never considered it, it feels perfect. So giving your characters a little freedom can be a good thing if it helps you figure something out.

But there is a very good possibility that your characters could take it too far. Maybe you're too busy paying attention to your main characters and one of the minor ones gets loose and does something silly. I'm dealing with the aftermath of this right now, actually. So I have my main WIP and I've been on the fence about writing a sequel for it for a while, but I did have a second book idea in mind. And I had a character who I imagined being basically just some cardboard cutout in the background. At some point where I wasn't paying attention, he snuck out of the pen.

Suddenly I imagined this character revealing something about himself that made zero sense. He wasn't an important character, so why would I need to know anything about him? If I included this information, the reader would probably be left scratching their head saying, "So?" But the more I thought about it, the more ideas came to me, and eventually I had a complete idea for a third book. Sounds crazy, right? It all happened so fast I didn't even know what to do about it. All because I lost control of one insignificant character. Now I'm stuck not only with another book to right, but with the task of making this character more important than I initially planned. It's not really a bad thing, in the end, but I did not see this coming at all.

So watch out for those stray characters. They may get away from you and do something you never imagined could happen.

A to Z Reflections

Well, I suppose it's time to officially wrap up this year's A to Z Challenge. It's been a blast and I will miss all the fun but's it's also a relief to get back to regular blogging and *gasp* maybe working on my novel! But first, reflections!!!

This was my second year doing the Challenge, and I feel as though each year I'll get a little better at it. Last year, I didn't have a theme and wrote every post on the day it went up. This year I planned a little bit more. I did have a theme (The Name Game!!) and before April began I had a list of topics for every letter (except 2 that needed to be figured out). I didn't write anything until the last day of March. I thought this would be the end of the world because I initially wanted every post written before April even began. 

It wasn't a disaster, though. What really saved me was having those ideas already figured out. My theme was sort of complicated in regards to putting topics with letters. I was able to rename topics so they could fit different letters, and so I was able to fit in every idea I wanted to write about. If I was figuring this out day to day, it would have been impossible. Actually writing the posts was not as hard as just figuring out where they would go. I thought I would eventually get ahead, but the best I ever did was writing posts the day before. A few I even wrote on the day they were posted, depending on how much I had procrastinated the day before (usually to the point where I was too tired to write the posts). 

I really liked my topic. I had fun with it. Some ideas came to me right away, others took a bit. I did feel like my enthusiasm wore out as the Challenge went on, and that my earlier posts were better quality than the later ones. I also kind of gave up on finding pictures or gifs to go with the posts. It was a hard topic to find pics for, so after a certain amount of searching and not finding anything, it was easier just to forget about it. 

Where I was really disappointed in myself was in visiting other blogs. I did not get around to a lot of new blogs. I would usually start the day by just going through my blog feed, but since a lot (A LOT.) of blogs I already follow were doing the Challenge, it was a lot to get through. A few times I did try to pick at the list, usually looking at the WR blogs, but I didn't do this as much as I wanted. I was also a minion/sidekick for the first time this year, so I did get to check out a lot of new blogs that way. 

All right, I'm rambling again so I'll wrap this up! Having a theme was super helpful, as well as planning out all of my ideas. I think if I do the Challenge next year, I'd like to actually write the posts ahead of time so that I'll have the month of April just to look at blogs. 

Don't forget to sign up for The Muse Party Blogfest!!! I've already gotten more signups than I thought I'd ever get (you guys are awesome!), but there's still room for more! It should be lots of fun! 

Another Crazy Month

It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's the posting day for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Click the link to learn more and sign up!

So it's finally May and the A to Z Challenge is over. Most bloggers would want to take a second to breathe. Well, not me, apparently. I feel as though this month is going to be just as psychotic as the last, only with less focus. I've got so much going on and so much I need to do and I feel like it's impossible.

First of all, I'd really like to keep the blogging momentum going, which is great in theory, but can be exhausting. It's mostly because I haven't missed or skipped a day at all this year (I've posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, except of course for April where I posted every day except Sundays!). I'd really just like to keep that going. There are two major problems I see, however: running out of ideas and just burning out.

Then, of course, like the crazy person that I am, I decided to host a blogfest at the end of the month (see shameless plug below). It's not like it was a spur of the moment idea. I've been thinking about it for months. But it's still a big thing to take on.

I also really really really want to finish rewriting/editing Uneven Lines by next month so I can do Pitmad. I don't think it's going to happen but I'm probably not going to officially give up until that day comes. It's the rewriting that drives me nuts. You'd think after four years and writing it three times already, I would have figured out how to properly end this book. Nope!

And then there's life stuff. My fiance and I are trying to figure out what to do with our lives, where we want to move to, when we want to get married, yada yada. My money is close to gone so I have to figure out what to do about that and I spend pretty much every second of every day doing crowdsource work just because it's something. And we're also going to Florida at the end of the month for his grandfather's 80th birthday, and I'm all in a panic wondering if they have wifi because if they don't that means I can't blog or work or pay my bills and I will just be a nervous wreck.

*deep breath* All right, I'll wrap this up before it turns into a novel. Maybe I just need to take a little time each day to relax. Drink tea or do yoga or something. Or try to schedule myself. Oh, who am I kidding? That never works! I'll probably just continue to live life like a chicken with its head cut off!

SHAMELESS PLUG!!!!

For my fourth blogging anniversary, I'm hosting a blogfest! It's a party where you can come and bring your muse or a character from one of your books. Click the picture to get all of the info and sign up! It's happening on May 25 and all you have to do is answer some questions about you and your muse, some of the things you like, and how much fun you'd have at my virtual party! So join in!!! :D

Jordan Takes Over: The Reluctant Co-host

**The first Monday of every month, I let my muse take over the blog. I apologize in advance.**

Did you miss me?? Is everyone sleeping? Well, that's what I was doing all through April while all of you were losing your minds, so I'm all nice and refreshed! Anyone out there??

Anyway, if you were awake (or sane) enough to stop over here on Friday, you may have seen a certain announcement. We're throwing a party! Yay? Ok, look. Parties aren't really my thing. I don't have a great history with them (looooooooong story). So now I'm forced into not only going to one, but co-hosting it?!! Ugh.

But I'm not going to be the one who ruins everything. I'd need a good reason to do that. And I guess I'm not the most helpful of muses so I can at least help out with this. Plus it could be fun and not a disaster. Who knows? What I do know is that YOU (Yes, you. The one reading this right now.) should come! Why? So you can show off your muse and see how well you two would interact. Plus you get to come to a party! Normal people like that, right?

All right, so I'm gonna tell you all of the details in case you missed them. So if you want to come (because you do), here's what you have to do. The party is happening on Monday, May 25. You can bring your muse or one of your characters. On that day, answer the questions below on your blog.

1. Who is your muse (or character)? Tell us a little bit about him/her and why you brought them. 
2. What are you guys wearing? Dressing up or keeping it casual?
3. It's a potluck! Did you bring something yummy?
4. Open bar! What are you both drinking (booze or otherwise)? 
5. Wallflowers or social butterflies? 
6. What song(s) will you and your muse sing for karaoke?
7. What's your favorite party game?
8. Which one of you is more likely to end up dancing on a table top?
9. Has your muse been a good date and would you ever hang out with them again? 

That's pretty much it. I'll even make it easy for you and leave the sign up list below. Go on! You know you want to! You'll have a great time. Will I have a great time? Well, that's debatable. Let me guess! You all have chicks for muses so there aren't going to be any hot guys at this party. *longest sigh ever* I mean, I haven't made out with a girl since...well, since the last party I went to, actually. Weird. But! Don't think I didn't notice that there's going to be karaoke. I'm going to put all of you guys to shame. You've been warned.

All right, that's about it. Was I persuasive enough? I hope so. It's kinda my thing.

JP

The Muse Party Blogfest!

So the A to Z Challenge is over and it would be a great time to take a blogging break, right? WRONG. Why? Because I'm a crazy person. You didn't know that?

My fourth blog anniversary is coming up this month and I thought I'd do something special! I've had this idea for a while, and it seemed to fit in with the overall mood of my blog, so...drum roll please.....I'm throwing a party! 

Well, a virtual party, anyway. A muse party! Where you and your muse can come and we can all have some fun and get to know each other.

It's pretty simple! The Muse Party Blogfest will happen on Monday, May 25. I will be hosting a party and you and your muse can come! On that day you can post on your blog and answer the questions I've provided. I'll be answering them as well and of course visiting all of the blogs who participate! 

If you don't have a muse or you just don't want to bring them, feel free to bring a character from one of your books (published or not!). I'm hoping this will be a fun way to express your own tastes and maybe to get to know your muse a little better!

Here are the questions: 

1. Who is your muse (or character)? Tell us a little bit about him/her and why you brought them. 

2. What are you guys wearing? Dressing up or keeping it casual?

3. It's a potluck! Did you bring something yummy?

4. Open bar! What are you both drinking (booze or otherwise)? 

5. Wallflowers or social butterflies? 

6. What song(s) will you and your muse sing for karaoke?
7. What's your favorite party game?

8. Which one of you is more likely to end up dancing on a table top?
9. Has your muse been a good date and would you ever hang out with them again? 

Feel free to also add on any other details you'd like to share!

Sign up on the Linky List below if you'd like to participate! If you need more persuading, stop back here on Monday. My co-host for the party may have a few things to say...

The Zzzzz Factor

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

As we wrap up the A to Z Challenge, I thought I'd share an overview of tips to help you out with naming your characters. Because the last thing you want is for your readers to be snoring over your dull, predictable character names, right? Here are some ways to keep things interesting!!!

• Just pick whatever name feels right for your character. Who cares if your book takes place in the 1600s where no one would ever have that name? It just makes your character mysterious!
• Name some characters after celebrities. They’ll totally want to read your book if their names are in there, right? 
• Always address the character by name in every line of dialogue. How else will the reader know who's being spoken to? 
• Making up character names can be fun so why not do it all the time? It doesn't even matter which genre you're writing. Made up names can keep thing interesting! 
• If you change your character’s name halfway through writing the novel, there’s no need to go back and replace it in what you’ve already written. It will keep the readers on their toes. 
• Give each character about 10 different nicknames and use them randomly. 
• Name the villain after your ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. Full, middle, and last. They’ll get the message. 
• Give all of your characters unisex names and don't use pronouns. Your reader will be trying to guess your characters' genders through the whole book. 
• To simplify things, have every character’s name start with the same letter. Heck, just give them all the same name.

I'm sure by now you've realized this was a joke. Most of these tips are horrible ideas that will never work. But hopefully this post didn't make YOU snore!! Congrats to everyone who finished the A to Z Challenge! We did it!!!

You Can Call Me...

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

Having a name for your character is probably the most important thing to figure out. That name will be the most common way for the other characters in the story to address him. But another way to address a character is to use a title. Which ones you use will vary from character to character, and could depend on things like their gender, relationships, or profession.

The titles you'll use the most usually go with a character's last name. So if you're planning on using a title, you should probably figure out your character's last name first. You've got the basic four, of course: Mr., Mrs., Miss, and Ms. Mr. will be used for men, obviously, while the ones for women can depend on her marital status or personal preference. There will be plenty of characters and instances where you'll need to use these titles. Most kids will refer to their neighbors or friends' parents using Mr. & Mrs. Most teachers will also go by these titles (through high school, anyway). Basically any time a child has to address an adult, this is probably how he/she will do so.

A character may address an authority figure in the same fashion, such as a boss. These titles will also be used when someone is trying to be formal or professional, perhaps with a client. Using "Sir" or "Madam" is another way to address someone that doesn't actually use his or her name. Maybe your character needs to talk with a customer at their job and rather than forcing a name on the reader, this could be the easiest way to address them.

Plenty of characters will require a title in regards to their profession. If you're writing a mystery, you may have to use Detective or Officer before a character's name. There are religious titles used when addressing members of the clergy, such as Father or Reverend. A college teacher will most likely go by Professor. Doctor can refer to an actual medical doctor or anyone with a Ph.D. You may have had a few professors in college who demanded to be referred to as Doctor (I sure did!).

It all depends on your story how many different titles you'll need. You may have a Mayor, Governor, or President. A person's station in life could determine their title. You could also have a Lord or Lady, or royalty like Princess, King, or Queen. When addressing royalty, you may have to use "your Majesty," or "your Highness," rather than the character's name.

No matter what the situation, using a title will usually have a feeling of formality to it. Make sure the title you're using fits both the character it belongs to, and feels comfortable for the person saying it. Some situations may require titles, whereas others may not.

What sorts of titles pop up in your stories? Is that gif anyone else's favorite Reid moment ever??? (I'm sorry, I could only think of one real question. I need my coffee...)

Character X

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

This is really an anti-name post. Most of the time you'll come up with names for your characters, especially the most important ones. But every once in a while, you may write a story where you don't have a name for your main character. Having a minor character or a character who only shows up in one scene with no name isn't really a big deal. The less we see a character, the less we're likely to care about him or what his name is. But not giving your main character a name can be tricky.

A nameless character will probably only work in certain circumstances. You'll want a good reason for doing so. It could be symbolic, maybe having something to do with identity or if the character feels insignificant. If you don't give your main character a name and you don't have a reason, it may come off as strange and unnecessary.

The format of your story will also help with how natural the nameless character feels. It will probably be easier to pull off in a short story because the reader isn't with the character as long and may not even care about knowing his/her name. If you're writing a novel, a first person narrator will probably be the best way to go. Unless another person is addressing him, he will be using "I" instead of his name most of the time, anyway. It may even take the reader a while to notice that you haven't given him a name. You can also use placeholders to refer to your characters: boy, girl, man, woman. Or perhaps their relationship to other characters can be used: father, mother, etc.

It can be a daunting task, but it's definitely been pulled off before. Just a few well-known examples of novels with nameless narrators or characters include Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. If you've read a book with a nameless character, did it bother you? How long did it take you to notice? Or did you notice it at all? If you want to use a nameless main character, it should feel natural and go along with the story you're writing. If you try to shove it in the reader's face, they may just find it strange.

Have you ever used a nameless main character? Read any other books that do so? 

Zadekiel Release Day!

If you're looking for my A to Z post, click here. Hey, I can have two posts in one day if I want...

Today is the release day for Zadekiel, Book 2 in the Path of Angels series by the awesome Patricia Josephine (you probably also know her as Patricia Lynne!). I got hooked into this series with the first book, Michael, so I definitely wanted to help spread the word today! Patricia is here to talk about choosing the name for her main character (See? Everything ties together.), and you can check out my mini-review for Zadekiel below. Can this count as a "Hey, I Read Your Book" post? I'm gonna go with yes...Take it away, Patricia!

What’s in a name?

After Michael, I decided I wanted to find some more unique angel names. That’s a little tricky when I need archangel names. There aren’t that many. When I picked Zade's name, I hadn't really looked into the meaning, but it's interesting how his character developed and matches this.

Zadekiel
Angel of Prayer
Zadekiel is an angel of charity, solace and gentleness. This loving angel radiates comfort to those who are afraid, wounded or grieving. He also kindles a desire for spiritual development in the human heart and is considered an archangel, governing over the order of Thrones and Dominions. He is present in the bible as the angel who prevents Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac to God. He guards the powers of invocation.

*    *    *

The path is lost.

With Michael gone, the mantle of leadership falls to Zadekiel. In this time of darkness, with tempers running short, Zade struggles to guide his brothers. Hope comes in the form of a green haired woman with a unique gift. She represents a way back to the path they lost when Michael disappeared.

Zephyr fills books with cryptic poetry, a powerful compulsion, which is more a curse than a blessing. With no control over her ability, she struggles to live a normal life. When she meets Zade, he insists her ability is a gift from God. Reluctantly, she agrees to join the cause–it’s hard to dispute a man with wings.

Now the path is found, but one question remains. Will it lead to further darkness?

Check it out on Amazon and Goodreads! Also pick up the first book in the series, Michael, here.

About the Author:

Patricia Josephine never set out to become a writer. In fact, she never considered it an option during high school and college. She was all about art. On a whim, she wrote down a story bouncing in her head. That was the start of it and she hasn't regretted a moment. She writes young adult under the name Patricia Lynne.

Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo, has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow, and an obsession with Doctor Who.

Twitter | Website | Google+ | Wattpad | Goodreads

Sarah's Review: 

Having loved the first book in this series (and also willing to read any and all types of romance), I was excited for the story to continue. The thing I really like about these books is the complexity of the relationships. In the case of Zade and Zephyr, the latter is an atheist who also has a compulsive urge to write, and the fallen are after the book she wrote. Not only does Zade have to protect her, but has to convince her of the truth and deal with his feelings for her. The relationship does have a bit of an insta-love feel, which can be hard to pull off, but in this case, I think it works, particularly because of Zephyr’s attempt at denying what is happening. The story itself moves along at a good pace, with a great mixture of action, suspense, and just a little bit of sexytimes. And (vague spoiler!) I was very, very, very happy when two particular characters popped in to save the day. The worst part about reading this book was reaching the end and not having the next one to read yet. Can’t wait for its release!

Also check out my review of Michael here!

What Does Your Name Mean?

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

There are plenty of things to consider when choosing a name for your character. You could think about culture and ethnicity, how popular a name is, or just how it sounds. If you want the name you choose to hold a little bit more significance, one thing you can do is find a name with a particular meaning. You can choose a name whose meaning reflects who your character is or even his place within the story.

Name meanings are almost as diverse as the names themselves, so there are many different possibilities for choosing a name’s meaning. You can pick a name that means light, dark, power, strength, hero, warrior, beautiful, friend, or lucky. Some names have meanings related to animals, like wolf, lion, or even dragon. Other name meanings are related to nature, like river, fire, sky, or moon.

The name could reflect a character trait, or the character’s actual role within the story. Maybe the name represents something that your character already possesses, or something that they will achieve over the course of the story. All of your characters could have meaningful names if you wanted them to. Your main character’s name could mean hero, while his sidekick’s name means friend, and the love interest’s name means love. This may be a bit obvious, but it’s just one way to look at how you can utilize a name’s meaning.

Of course, you don’t have to choose a name with a significant meaning, but it kind of goes along with the idea of putting symbolism in your book. You don’t have to do that, either. But if you do, it’s just an added bonus, something the reader may or may not pick up on. Pointing out a name’s meaning will probably feel silly within the story, so the only way a reader will figure it out is by looking it up. Most readers aren’t likely to do so, but those who make the effort will get a very awesome surprise.

Have you ever chosen a character name by meaning? What does your name mean? (Mine is princess!)

Variety in Character Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

Chances are your book will have more than one character, and most of those characters will need their own names. Each name should work for each individual character, but you should also think about how all of your characters’ names work together. If you have characters who are constantly interacting, then their names should probably have some variety.

There are plenty of different relationships that could happen between different characters. You could have family, friends, couples, or just acquaintances. The closer two characters are, the more often they will be likely to interact throughout the course of your story. So their names will be on the same page. A lot. And if those names are too similar, it might confuse the reader.

There are plenty of ways to mix up the names in your cast of characters. Just having a variety of names with different syllables could help. A mixture of short and long names would feel realistic. Maybe some characters go by their first name, others have a nickname or prefer their last name to be used. Have a mixture of unique and common names. If every character has a long, extravagant name that no one’s ever heard of, the reader may get annoyed with reading these names. You also probably don’t want to have every character’s name start with the same letter (unless, say, it’s a theme within a family and they are the only characters).

It sounds pretty easy, right? There are, however, plenty of naming techniques to avoid. You wouldn’t want your characters’ names to rhyme, for example. Let’s say your two main characters are Matt and Pat and they own a cat and work in a hat shop. Ok, I kind of took it to the next level there, but it sounds silly, right?

Couples can also be tricky to name. You don’t want their names to be too similar, like Adrian and Adrienne, or even Michael and Michele. Or (and this should probably go without saying), giving them the same unisex name. It may seem cute at first, but the reader could have a hard time keeping track of which character is doing what. Which would make for very interesting sex scenes, but is something that’s just too confusing to pull off.

How do you maintain variety with your characters’ names? How do you come up with names for your couples? 

Unisex Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

Most names will only work for one gender. Boys have boy names and girls have girl names. But this isn’t always the case. There are also plenty of names out there that can work for a boy or a girl. These names are called unisex names, since they are not gender specific. While some may be used more often for one gender than the other, it is still possible to use them for both. So why not give your character one?

An expecting parent may choose a unisex name because they really like it and it will work no matter what gender their child is. But as a writer, you already know the gender of your character. So why choose a unisex name? The simple answer is just that you like the name and it fits the character (or the character tells you his name and you have no say in it).

FUN FACT: Unisex names are illegal in Iceland (with exactly one exception). There are preapproved male and female lists made by the Icelandic Naming Committee.

There probably aren’t going to be a lot of situations where your story will require you to pick a unisex name for your character (unless you’re writing something where you don’t want your character’s gender known). Like most other names, it should just be because you like it. The way it sounds or its meaning should just fit your character. Trying to force meaning out of the fact that your character has a unisex name may actually be risky.

The name itself really should have nothing to do with the character’s gender, sexuality, or even just how they behave. For example, giving your girl a unisex name because she’s a tomboy. It’s perfectly fine to give her that name, but probably not to point it out, or to make it seem like your character acts this way because of her name. You may get a few readers rolling their eyes. 

A unisex name can be fun to use, though. Maybe you choose a name that’s usually a boy’s and give it to a girl, and maybe that just adds a bit of quirkiness to her character. Maybe two characters meet for the first time and one is surprised at the gender of the person they meet, having only heard their name. Hilarity ensues. Who knows?

WHAT I’VE DONE: Oh come on, do I even have to say it? Oh, all right, some of you may be new here…I feel like there should be fireworks or something…

*kicks muse* Weren’t you supposed to set up the pyrotechnics??

*snooooooore*

I’m pretty sure he’s faking. Anyhoo, my muse/MC has a unisex name: Jordan. I’m really fond of unisex names and I have no idea why. I’ve also used Madison, Cameron, and Jamie (I think that’s it…for now…). 

Have you ever given a character a unisex name? For a full list, check out Behind the Name!

Twins, Siblings, & Families

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

There are plenty of characters who could pop up in your stories. More than likely at least one of them will interact with their family members. These characters could be minor or extremely important, depending on your story. So how do you name these family members? If your main character has a twin, sibling, or other family member, you could find a way to link those names together and make it more interesting for the reader.

Twins can be particularly fun to name. Their names don’t have to necessarily be related at all, but there are ways to connect them. You could have both names start with the same letter or be the same number of syllables. There are other tricks you could use, as well. You could find names that are anagrams of each other (like Amy and May), or even names that are the reverse of each other (Aidan and Nadia). Or you could look up name meanings and find two names that mean the same.

Also think about how connected your set of twins is. Are they extremely close or do they try to separate from one another and form their own identities? Is one good and one evil, or some other version of opposites? You could find a way to reflect that in their names.

WHAT I’VE DONE: In the untitled NaNoWriMo novel that never was, one of my MC’s, Gabriel, has a twin sister named Grace. I knew I wanted their names to start with the same letter. Of course, in my search for the sister’s name, I came across Gabrielle (or Gabriella), but thought that would be super creepy.

Like twin names, sibling names can but don’t necessarily have to be connected to one another. Some parents may plan their children’s names long before they even have them. But unlike twins, when the first child is born they aren’t going to know when or if they will have more children, or what gender those children will be. So most likely they will choose names for each individual child.

There are other ways to connect sibling names, though. You can have an entire family of names starting with the same letter. My maternal grandparents’ names both started with a D so they named all of their children with D names. You could also come up with themes for your fictional families. I once had a novel idea where three sisters were named April, May, and June. You could name a group of sisters after gemstones—Ruby, Jade, Pearl. You could name your characters after flowers, or give them all historical figures’ names. There are so many different possibilities for name themes. If you want to connect your sibling characters’ names, this is one way to do so.

Names can sometimes be a tradition within families. Children can be named for their parents, grandparents, or other distant relatives. Your main character could be the second (Jr.), third, or fourth in line of family members of the same name. How does having an inherited name affect his personality? Does he hate the name or is he proud of it? Does he have a different nickname to distinguish him from the other family members? Does he plan on passing this name on to his own child?

How do you name family members in your stories? Ever written about a set of twins?

Some People You Know (and Their Names!)

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

There are plenty of places where you can find names for your characters. If you just look at things in your house—books, DVD cases, magazines—you’ll find an endless supply of possible names. But you may not even have to get up to come up with a name. If you had to make a list of the first names of every person you’ve ever met, how long would it be? You’d probably be sitting there for hours, right? So why not use one of those names?

This can actually be a bit tricky. If you think of a name and it just happens to be the same as someone you used to work with or was in your kindergarten class, you probably won’t have a problem. If it’s someone closer to you, it may be a bit harder. It depends on why you want to use this particular name. Does it have anything to do with the actual person, or do you just like the name?

If you’re actually trying to model your character after someone you know or have known (and it’s not a memoir), then it’s probably not a good idea to use their name. Unless, say, it’s your best friend and they’re totally on board. And of course, naming your villain after an ex can be extremely tempting. But it may be better to mold the character around the way the person behaves or things they have done, rather than using their name. 

On the other hand, first names should be pretty free to use. If it’s a name that everyone is familiar with, then it’s unlikely that you’ll get in trouble for using it. Especially if it’s somebody you don’t know anymore, or barely knew at all, and the character doesn’t actually resemble the person.

The problem for your character is that you have to separate who he/she is from the actual person whose name you’re using. If you don’t want this person’s personality traits influencing your character, it may be difficult if it’s a name that you automatically associate with someone you actually know. Try to think about why you want this particular name for this character. What does the name mean to you and how does it fit the character? Using a name that belongs to someone you know may not be the easiest thing to do, but if you really like a name, and it fits with how you see your character, go with it. 

WHAT I'VE DONE: Ok, this one's a stretch, but I do have a slight revenge based name. A minor character in UL, Brian, is very loosely based on a girl I used to be friends with (because teenage girls and boys go about things differently, so he really bears little resemblance to her). But I've kinda always had it in the back of my mind that he has the same last name as her. I don't actually use it in the story so I figure I can get away with it. But if anyone ever asks...

Have you ever named a character after someone you know? Did you just use the name or was the character like that person? 

Research & Resources

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

Sometimes when you're naming a character, the name will simply pop into your head. Even when you find yourself this lucky, however, you may still need to do some research to make sure your name is accurate. And if you can't figure out a name, there are plenty of resources out there that can help you. Here are some tips and places you can go to help you figure out those pesky character names. 

Research Tips

• Once you've figured out your character's full name, Google it. You want to make sure it doesn't belong to a well known character or a famous person. 
• Make sure your character's name fits their ethnicity, especially their last name. If you haven't figured out your character's ethnicity, do some research on their physical traits to figure out where they could have come from. 
• Also make sure the name you've chosen would actually be used in the time period your book is set. 
• Check out name meanings to find something that reflects your character's personality, or just for that added bit of symbolism (there may be an entire post on this subject in the future...)

My Favorite Resources

• Behind the Name: My absolute favorite name site. Each name entry includes the meaning as well as where the name came from and what cultures use it. You can also look up names from Ancient and Medieval times, as well as mythology. And check out their separate site for surnames! 
• Nametrends.net: This site allows you to look up a name and see how popular it has been in different years. It also includes US maps to show which states the names have been popular in. 
• Fake Name Generator:  This site generates a random name with an added bonus of an entire identity, including address, email, and mother's maiden name. It also lets you choose what culture/ethnicity you'd like the name to come from. 
• Fantasy Name Generators: This site will create a fantasy name for every fantasy series, and can also come up with names for pretty much everything else you could imagine--places, pets, band names (wait a second! I'll be over here for a while...) 

What sort of research do you do when naming a character? Have any favorite naming sites?

Quirky Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

You have a lot of choices when it comes to figuring out a character’s name. You can go with a first name that’s popular or common—one that everyone has heard before. Or you can go with something that’s a little more unique.

What exactly makes a name quirky or unique? It could mean different things depending on the name. There are plenty of names out there that aren’t as common as others. A unique name could just be one that you’ve heard of maybe a few times, but isn’t quite as popular as those names you tend to hear every day. Some names may be more common in different places, but unheard of in others. And there’s always the option of creating a brand new name, which could work depending on your genre or your character’s backstory.

So why would you want your character to have a quirky name? The good thing about a unique name is that it will stand out. People will remember it. It’s a great way to have your main character stand out right from the very beginning, and it may just give your character a little something extra to their personality.

The bad thing about a unique name is pretty much the same as the good thing. It’s going to stand out, meaning that people could question it if it’s really out there. This probably won’t be a problem if it’s just a name that’s fairly uncommon. If you choose a name that no one’s ever heard of, though, you’ll probably need to address it. The reader will want to know where this name came from and how it affects your character’s life. How does he/she deal with having this name? Is it something she embraces or does she hate it? A unique name could impact how a character sees herself.

FUN TIP: If you do want a unique name for your main character, it may be a good idea to give your supporting characters more average names. Your main character’s name will be more memorable than the others’, and it will make the characters more believable. If you think of the names of all the people you know—how many of those names are unique vs. average? There could be a mix, but there are probably more common names in that group. You’ll want your group of characters to be the same.   

Do you prefer quirky or common names? Have you ever made up a name? 

Popular Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

There are so many different things that can influence how you choose a character's name. You may want to choose a name that is unique and interesting, or you may want to choose one that is more common and believable. It will all depend on who you want your character to be and the kind of story you’re writing. One thing you can take into consideration is how popular a name is.

Think about the first names that were popular when you were growing up. When I was in school, there were a lot of Ashleys, Brittanys, and Michaels, for instance. A popular name will probably come to mind first if you just try and think of a random name, because it’s probably something that you’ve heard over and over again. The more people who have a particular name, the more popular it is.

When it comes to naming your fictional characters, knowing which names are popular may help you figure it out. If your book takes place in a particular year, knowing which names were popular is important. Even if you want a unique name for your main character, you still have plenty of other characters who need names. Giving them popular or common names may make your cast of characters seem more realistic. If every single character has a unique or strange name, the reader could be thrown off. Popular names occur in real life, so they should probably occur in your story.

FUN TIP: The Social Security Administration keeps track of name trends in the US. If you want to see which names have been popular from year to year, check out their website!

So what causes trends in name popularity? Pop culture can be a HUGE influence on what people name their babies. If a TV show or movie is particularly popular, new parents often jump on the bandwagon and name their children after its characters. For instance, the name Arya was at #942 in the US in 2010. In 2013 it had risen to #277. Game of Thrones premiered in 2011. Coincidence? Not even a little bit. 

Movies, television, and books are constantly influencing name trends. The name Luke started to rise in popularity after the first Star Wars movie was released, and has been popular ever since. Willow gained popularity after Buffy the Vampire Slayer first premiered. Official 2014 numbers aren’t out yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Elsa is in the top 100 after the popularity of Frozen.

You can, of course, name your characters after other characters, although this can be tricky. But just knowing what names are popular can help you figure it out, whether you want a popular name, or even if you want one that isn't...

Do you choose popular names for your characters? Come back on Monday for pretty much the exact opposite of this post...

Other Things that Need Names

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

Today we're going to play a little bonus level of The Name Game. This post isn't about naming characters, but about other things that may be in your stories that also need names. We've talked about people and animals, but what about all of the various objects that go by specific names? Coming up with names for these things could be as hard or even harder than deciding on a character name. Here are just some possible examples of things that you may want to name in a story. 

Places. If you create a fictional setting, you may need to name a town, country, or even a planet. Plenty of buildings and businesses will also need names: schools, stores, restaurants.

Groups and Organizations. Clubs and teams will most likely need names. If you’re creating a fantasy or even a cult story, you may need to name a religion. BAND NAMES (I still haven’t come up with a name for Jordan’s band. I’m avoiding it because I don’t need it right now and it’s the hardest thing ever.). And evil organizations, of course. 

Body Parts.  I know your mind just went straight to the gutter, but let’s not forget things like fists or muscles. Obnoxious? Yes. But do people do it sometimes? Yup!

Vehicles. Boats usually have names. So do spaceships if you’re writing Sci-Fi. Some people even name their cars (I named my car after a character in my favorite musical! Because that's normal, right??). 

Weapons. Lots of people name their guns, knives, and other weapons.

Other Inanimate Objects. Your computer, laptop, or phone might have a name (most likely so you can yell it when there are technical difficulties). Children will usually name their stuffed animals and other toys (I had over 300 stuffed animals and they all had names…and I knew every last one of them).

Really, anything could have a name if you wanted it to. You could have a character who names every dish, utensil, and piece of furniture, although that may get a bit confusing keeping track of all those names. Some of these things like places or organizations really should have a name if you want it to seem realistic, whereas something like a car or gun could just be an interesting character quirk. 

How do you come up with names for places or groups? Do you have names for any random objects?

Nicknames

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

Pretty much everyone has had a nickname at some point in their lives, whether it was something your friends called you in high school, or just your significant other calling you “honey.” There are so many different ways to get a nickname, whether you love it, hate it, or just put up with it. Choosing nicknames for your fictional characters can make a huge impact on your readers. You can pick something that is significant to the character and shows who he is and how he lives his life.

A nickname can hold a lot more meaning than a first name. It’s most likely chosen or created by someone close to the person or even the person himself. It can be reflective of his personality, or something that he has done or has happened to him. A character’s actual name would be chosen by his parents before he’s even born. A nickname, however, is usually something that holds meaning to who he actually is as a person. It can come from his physical characteristics (like hair color or body type), his occupation, or where he comes from. Really, the possibilities for nicknames are endless.

There are plenty of ways to use nicknames within your story. Your character could already have it before the story begins, or something could happen during the story that causes its creation. Maybe something embarrassing happens that creates a nickname that continues to haunt him. Nicknames could be good or bad. A person’s friends might give him a nicer nickname, whereas people who aren’t that close to him could call him something derogatory. A nickname can be a great source of emotion for your character. If he hates it and has to deal with it on a daily basis, then that could just be another thing he has to work through during the course of the story. 

When you choose a nickname for your character, think about why he needs it, who gave it to him, and how he responds to it. All of these things will factor in to how significant the nickname turns out to be in your story.

Terms of endearment are another form of nicknames you can use. If you have a couple in your story, they most likely won’t refer to each other by their first names all of the time. They’d be more likely to use something like “baby,” “honey,” or “sweetie.” These terms are just something that will make the characters feel more realistic, because using them is something that we all tend to do. It’s also just something that hopefully the reader will find adorable when they picture these characters interacting.

WHAT I’VE DONE: Surprisingly, I haven’t thrown in too many nicknames into my fiction, but a few terms of endearment do pop up now and then. Tom repeatedly calls Jordan “gorgeous” in UL. In real life, my fiancé and I call each other “sweetie” and he calls me “princess,” as well.

Have you ever given one of your characters a nickname? What do you call your significant other? 

Middle Names

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

Most of these posts have been about first names, and yesterday I talked about giving your characters last names. Now there’s just one portion of a person’s full name that’s left: the middle name! Like the last name, the middle name isn’t always necessary to have for your fictional characters. It isn’t usually something that will pop up very often within the story. But it does help you form a stronger identity for your characters.

Middle names aren’t all that likely to show up within a story. Like real life, they’ll probably be used mostly when you’re in trouble with your parents. When you hear your full name, you know things are serious. Whatever reason you have for using a character’s middle name will vary from story to story. A character’s middle name can mean nothing, or it can be very significant, whether it’s through symbolism or just family backstory.

If you don’t end up actually using the middle name, choosing one can still be fun. Your character will feel more real to you because you know his entire name. So how do you choose one? A middle name can be something traditional within a family. The middle name Elizabeth has been passed down from my mother to my sister to my niece. I got my paternal grandmother’s middle name. Another common tradition is using the mother’s maiden name as a middle name. Or you can just choose whatever middle name you’d like. It can be as random or as significant as you’d like it to be.

You’ll want to think about how the whole name flows together—first, middle, and last. Choose something that sounds good and feels right to you for this character. There are plenty of possibilities when choosing your character’s middle name. Some people have more than one middle name. Historically, having a very long name shows a higher rank in society. Some people choose to go by their middle name rather than their first. Maybe your character hates his first name or is named after a family member he wants to forget. Middle names don’t have to be useless for a character. They can hold some significance as well.

WHAT I’VE DONE: I’ve only given four of my characters middle names, but for some reason, Jordan’s was the hardest to come up with (he couldn’t just tell me because he wanted to be a jerk, apparently. *snort* Muses…). For a while I knew I wanted it to start with an M and eventually settled on Mason, and created a whole backstory for it as well. Mason was his grandfather’s name and would have been his, too, if his grandmother had her way. Since his mother hates her parents, she never uses his middle name. I can picture her starting to yell at him, screaming, “Jordan M—” then getting thrown off and forgetting what he had done to get in trouble in the first place.

Do you give your characters middle names? Where did your middle name come from? 

Last Names

**My theme for this year's A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you'd want to know about naming characters.**

When it comes to naming a character, the first name is most likely going to be the most important thing for you to figure out. But if you look at your characters as if they were real people, then their first names really only make up part of what their full names should be. And if you want your character to feel like a real person, then he should have a last name. 

Of course, last names usually won't be as important as figuring out the first name. It won't be used as often. Depending on the character, it may not be used at all. Every single character who pops up in your book doesn't necessarily need a last name. It would probably be distracting trying to keep track of all of them. Your minor characters probably don't need them, but it's probably a good idea to give last names to your main characters. It may come up, and it may not, but it's good to have it in the back of your mind. 

You probably won't be as passionate about a character's last name as you will be about their first, and that's perfectly fine. It doesn't always make up a huge part of their identity like a first name does. It can be something common or generic and still not make the character seem boring. What it really does is make them feel like a real person. Even if you don't use the last name, it's a good idea to know it so they feel more real, more concrete in your mind. And if you need to sneak it in somewhere, then you already have the name on hand and don't have to spend a lot of time searching for one. 

FUN TIP: Can't come up with a last name? If you've got a phone book lying around (yes, they still exist...), close your eyes, pick a random page, and point your finger somewhere on the page. If you like the last name you land on, use it! 

So when will you actually use a last name within a story? Some people go by their last names more often than their first. At my last job, pretty much everyone called me Foster. So whether your character goes by his first or last name can depend on where he is and who he's with. His family will most likely use his first name (or his full name if he's getting yelled at, but more on that tomorrow...), but maybe some of his friends call him by his last name. 

It can also come up when mentioning family members. If your MC's parents are constantly being referred to as Mr. and Mrs., then obviously you need to know your MC's last name. You'll want a last name that actually fits with the first. They shouldn't have similar letters or sounds, or both have a ridiculous amount of syllables. You'll really just want them to flow together, to actually sound like a name that someone would have. 

WHAT I'VE DONE: I only gave the two main characters in Uneven Lines last names (plus the MC's mom, of course). One of Jordan's friends, Brian, pretty much always calls him by his last name, Palmer. I don't even know why. He's just one of those guys, I guess. 

Do you give your characters last names? Has anyone ever called you by your last name? 

Killing the Name

**My theme for this year’s A to Z Challenge is THE NAME GAME. Everything you’d want to know about naming characters.**

Sometimes a character’s name comes to you right away. Other times you have to research it, go through countless lists of names before you find the right one. No matter what works for you, at some point you will choose a name for your character and you’ll start writing. Sometimes, though, you may discover that the name you chose is no longer working, and you have to change it. This can be devastating, but if you feel it’s necessary, it may be the only choice to make.

There are plenty of reasons why a name won’t work for a particular character. If the names of all of your characters have too many similarities (same number of syllables, starting with the same letter), it may be smart to mix this up a bit (I’ll have a whole other post on this subject for the letter V). Maybe the name is too similar to someone you know or someone famous. Or maybe the name just doesn’t feel right. Every time you write it, it just feels off. It doesn’t fit the way you picture this particular character.

There’s also other people’s perspective on the name to consider. If you have one person read your work and they don’t like a name, that doesn’t necessarily mean you need to change it, unless they give you a good reason. If everyone you have read it hates the name, and their reasoning makes sense to you, then you probably should take it into consideration. Ultimately, though, the choice to kill a name is totally up to you. If you love a name and think it’s working, then stick with it.

WHAT I’VE DONE: I actually need to rename a character who is in my sequel ideas for Uneven Lines. The drummer in Jordan’s band so far has been named Joe, but I thought having two characters’ names start with the same two letters wasn’t going to work (and I certainly wasn’t going to rename Jordan!). I’ll probably pick another one syllable name, since the other two guys in the band also have two syllables in their names (Eric and Adam).  

It can be difficult to change a character’s name when you’ve already grown accustomed to it. A secondary character may not cause you as much grief as a main one, but there is still a process to work through. You’ll have to consider everything about this character’s identity. Why wasn’t the name working? What sort of name will work? Will the new name go well with the other characters’ names? It may take a while to find that one perfect name, but it’s out there and you can find it.  

It’s kind of like ripping off a Band-Aid. Once you know you have to change the name, try to figure out the replacement as soon as possible. You don’t want to dwell on the decision or you may second guess it. Also, be sure any mentions of the original name are replaced with the new one. Do a search in your documents to find and replace them. You don’t want your character’s old name haunting your story like a ghost!

Have you ever had to change a character’s name? Why did it need to change?