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!!!