Names

[sinisterbehavior]

I think the most difficult part in writing scripts for me is picking names. Everything else flows because i can actually visualze it, but choosing names is never easy for me. i was wondering how much emphasis other writers place on the names of characters, and any helpful tips as to going about choosing these names.

[Vigorish9]

check he box scores of a baskeball game is how i get a lot of my names.

names are important.

vig

[maestrowork]

Take a drive and jot down interesting names (towns, cities, landmarks, etc.)

Open up a phone book and start picking.

Going through your book shelves and start mixing and matching.

Check out a "Baby Names" book from the library.

[Writing Again]

When I'm writing I want to write, not stop over details: Often I just name the character for a trait they have or function they perform in the story: Then when I'm driving, washing dishes, listening to a boring story; I will work on finding a name that is appropriate to my character.

I agree names are important and should not be hurried. I've always come up with the perfect name well before the story was finished writing.

[dpaterso]

Stay in your seat and watch the end credits. Take note of interesting names, swap first names and surnames around until you get a match that sounds right. As long as you don't go for something obvious like George Pitt and Brad Clooney, who's to know? But names, unless you're in showbiz and use one that's made up, tend to be random -- rugged heroes don't have to have ruggedly heroic names and beautiful heroines don't have to have beautifully heroic names. If you constantly search for great-sounding names your characters could end up sounding like porn stars. Sometimes a Joe sits down beside a Mary in a roadside diner, and that's just life's lucky roll.

-Derek
-----------------------My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)

[Writing Again]

rugged heroes don't have to have ruggedly heroic names and beautiful heroines don't have to have beautifully heroic names. If you constantly search for great-sounding names your characters could end up sounding like porn stars.

Do porno movies use real scripts? I don't mind prostituting my writing (It wasn't that great to begin with).

The perfect name for a character should suit the character, not a high sounding race horse running on the outside. In my current crop of stories I have a Nancy, a Jack, and a Glen. Each seems to fit that character, not the others. If I try to force names on characters that don't fit they reject them.

[dpaterso]

Do porno movies use real scripts? I don't mind prostituting my writing (It wasn't that great to begin with).

I'm sure scripts do exist, but they're painted on the set ceiling. I just meant avoid extreme hero names like Donny Blitzen, Buck Stallion or Rick Squarejaw, lest you give the wrong impression. ;)

The perfect name for a character should suit the character, not a high sounding race horse running on the outside. In my current crop of stories I have a Nancy, a Jack, and a Glen. Each seems to fit that character, not the others. If I try to force names on characters that don't fit they reject them.

I usually let my fingers type whatever name they want to type, it saves me a lot of time. If I don't like them later there's always search/replace. In a previous job I had access to online country phone directories, which I saved just before a new system was introduced. I admit these help me when I'm looking for, say, Italian-sounding names for Mafia dons, or Russian-sounding names for Russian Mafia dons.

-Derek
-----------------------My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)

[maestrowork]

I think I hate, though, are stereotypical names. It just means the writer is lazy.

Jose, Rico, Bruno, Nick, Natasha, to name a few.

[sinisterbehavior]

thanx for all ur advice. i think ill go with the natural approach and just go wit what my fingers type first.