December 18, 201114 yr I need names for characters in a book. Two male names. One who has lost his mind and is in hiding, the other a stranger who is something of an unknown but appears to be working for the police. The unknown one might not give his proper name so I could do with two names for him. It is set in any time between now and 50 years time (I'm unsure of whether it's just if the world was a little different, or if this is what it has become from the world we have today - it's not radically different). I did have a name for the one in hiding but I've changed my mind since it's my Dad's work colleagues name and I'd feel weird using it, even though it fits well. I'd like the one in hiding to be in the title of the book The Prescribed Realities of "insert name", so it'd be good if it would sound good in that context too. Thanks in advance.
December 18, 201114 yr Author A female name would be good too. I think I'll use Sarah (as reference to Radiohead's Lucky), but I may need a last name to go with it. Actually, two names for her.
December 18, 201114 yr Author Well I gathered that. I meant like county wise... I don't think I'll be referencing that. It's set within various rooms and safe houses. Somewhere in the countryside but not completely desolate. The main character is well spoken though and comes from a city, so not too Northern :p
December 18, 201114 yr Hmmm...Jonathan/Jonny for the one who lost his mind? Or Daniel/Danny? But I don't know why your title makes me want to put a 3 syllables name.
December 18, 201114 yr Author He was originally called Danny Bloom. Maybe it does suit him and I should stick with it after all.
December 18, 201114 yr I don't think I'll be referencing that. It's set within various rooms and safe houses. Somewhere in the countryside but not completely desolate. The main character is well spoken though and comes from a city, so not too Northern :p Yeah I guess. It always takes me ages when I have to come up with a name, because I spend too long thinking about random stuff like where they're from :nod: I like Raymond, don't know why. and Charlie for the fake name and some weird name for his real name like Jasper :wacky:
December 18, 201114 yr Author I do quite like Charlie for the stranger. He will be in his forties, reckon that's old enough to be called Charles?
December 18, 201114 yr Author http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1970s.html http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1980s.html This is America but it could be helpful.
December 18, 201114 yr Creating names for characters is very difficult. You wouldn't think so, but, there is much more to it than 'just a name'. I've written two one book thus far - with three on the way - and I kind of hate creating names. That said: Charlie/Charles is an appropriate name for the stranger character. I'd say keep that one. What about Mark/Marcus for the unknown? I don't live in the UK, so I am not too sure about semi-popular names, but, I feel a name like that would fit the role.
December 18, 201114 yr Ah, what were your books about? Yeah, I'm liking Charlie/Charles. My first one is Dreaming Wide Awake. It's about a man who slowly falls into a land of dreams and begins to have an apparition follow him in both reality and fantasy. (I have a really hard time describing it, for some reason.) It was made years before Inception, so when it is published, I hope no one will bug me about it. The second, which I finally started writing, is a post-apocalyptic novel. I'm trying to figure out where I'll go besides the "Oh, look. Everyone's dead." approach. I'm looking forward to it.
December 18, 201114 yr Author Cool. Have you decided what brought about the apocalypse? Mine was originally about perception and the way peoples opinions which they hold so dearly can change like the flicking of a switch when their own beliefs are challenged, whilst other views seem to harden when criticised. It's now becoming influenced by 1984 as I recently worked with a man who was obsessed with conspiracy theories and some of his theories were, whilst a little over the top, thought provoking. Now it's about both those things and ends with a killing spree, so that'll be fun to write haha.
December 18, 201114 yr Cool. Have you decided what brought about the apocalypse? Mine was originally about perception and the way peoples opinions which they hold so dearly can change like the flicking of a switch when their own beliefs are challenged, whilst other views seem to harden when criticised. It's now becoming influenced by 1984 as I recently worked with a man who was obsessed with conspiracy theories and some of his theories were, whilst a little over the top, thought provoking. Now it's about both those things and ends with a killing spree, so that'll be fun to write haha. I have, but, I am going to pull a The Road and just drop hints throughout the book and not give an actual answer. I really, really like that. 1984 is an outstanding book, and its legacy is great enough to do what you're doing and do it well. Do you have a blog or anything about the book? I'd like to hear more about it.
December 18, 201114 yr Author I don't have a blog that I use regularly. I wonder if I should. In the meantime I'll write the basic plot on here if you wanna see it, or what I have so far. I'll stick it up a little later.
December 18, 201114 yr Whatever happened to that person who made a thread within the last few months about helping with some story? For the main character, I think it should be a disjointed name for a disjointed individual, Tom Walley, I think it fits interestingly into the title of the book. Nothing popped into my head for the cop guy.
December 18, 201114 yr Author Cheers for everyone who has made suggestions, even if I don't directly respond to you. I am reading and considering them. Reilly, do you mean Whalley? I do like that last name. It was the last name of my first crush and also one of my tutors the other year. Or do you mean Walley like Where's Walley?
December 18, 201114 yr Neither, it's "Where's Wally" not Walley, and Walley is a surname. I prefer it to Whalley to be honest, but I suppose Whalley is more disjointed.
December 18, 201114 yr Author It will be my first effort at writing properly, so no I'm not a writer haha. I'm not an anything. Some day I might be a something though. Just don't know what.
December 18, 201114 yr Find your life's purpose. :bigcry: Sorry for the Greco-Roman names (Persephone FTW?). You can always use John and Jane. :D I like Lucius for the suspicious character though. :sneaky:
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