tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post7251658376058432952..comments2023-09-25T02:24:22.087-07:00Comments on Anne R. Allen's Blog: Seeking Zoticus Weatherwax: Tips for Naming Fictional CharactersAnne R. Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-34511647080281881502010-04-10T07:08:52.018-07:002010-04-10T07:08:52.018-07:00I named my characters by creating a new language.
...I named my characters by creating a new language.<br /><br />Yes, I'm doing it the hard way.Nighfalahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01745824744507928211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-8904181962214284672010-04-09T11:28:05.984-07:002010-04-09T11:28:05.984-07:00Awesome post, Anne.
Google is God people. And no...Awesome post, Anne.<br /><br />Google is God people. And not only for names.<br />In order to sue for libel, you need to have a very strong case and how that grievous harm was done. So, for most authors, this will not be a problem. If you don't find an issue on Google, you're probably safe. But keep in mind that there are a lot of "famous" people out there who just don't happen to be famous to <i>you</i>.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-66245265122909663422010-04-09T07:48:03.948-07:002010-04-09T07:48:03.948-07:00Excellent post on the names. It's funny, ther...Excellent post on the names. It's funny, there are so many resources from which to draw names and yet people still do so many strange things with them. Oh, and Anna is right - make your characters names distinct from one another. Very confusing to the reader (not to mention the writer) if names are too similiar.Peggy Bechkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16237136250763362974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-5624289545705192010-04-06T19:21:59.962-07:002010-04-06T19:21:59.962-07:00Great post! I used to have a job that required doi...Great post! I used to have a job that required doing a lot of mass mailings - there were some name gems on those lists! I actually just had to rename a character (after working with the manuscript for over a year) because I realized, rather belatedly, how very similar her name sounded to the main character's. Oops! :-)Anna Staniszewskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09316883819771607655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-87225225917660846412010-04-06T13:21:28.218-07:002010-04-06T13:21:28.218-07:00I have been guilty in the past of using 2 Scottish...I have been guilty in the past of using 2 Scottish names beginning with D and then confusing them at the beginning of the book. It's not that difficult (for me) to do things like that! Thank goodness my closest friend (who's Scottish) pointed it out to me!! I didn't even notice..<br />Shame on me.<br /><br />REALLY GOOD POST - With loads of places to check.<br /> THANKS!Ann Marie Wraighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14524746255813452836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-70228801724187025392010-04-05T13:10:41.179-07:002010-04-05T13:10:41.179-07:00Anne, it's happened in the UK - arguably one m...Anne, it's happened in the UK - arguably one more reason why English libel law seriously needs an overhaul, but Jake Arnott had to pay damages to a cabaret singer for doing this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-416690/Cabaret-singer-wins-libel-claim-crime-writer.html<br /><br />Might be a special case because Arnott's books depend on having a lot of real people in the background, but I know there was also a famous English libel lawsuit in the 20s or 30s (which must have set the case law for this one) where an author had picked an uncommon name for an accountant character which happened to belong to a real accountant.... I think the court held that the author should have shown reasonable diligence by checking the register of chartered accountants.<br /><br />I'm *95* per cent sure that this wasn't a satirical law report made up by AP Herbert...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-31751432046208303572010-04-05T10:47:05.505-07:002010-04-05T10:47:05.505-07:00I'm always starting character names with the s...I'm always starting character names with the same letter. And I have a character called Kate. But all my names just seem to work for the characters.Clare C. Greenstreethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07276596173503207746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-44674744025080682082010-04-05T09:38:51.450-07:002010-04-05T09:38:51.450-07:00Churadogs, I think Mirandizing by tee-shirt might ...Churadogs, I think Mirandizing by tee-shirt might be a good idea for all fiction writers.<br /><br />I've never heard of a lawsuit by a real person who's had a fictional character named after him--but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. With a name like Anne Allen (kind of the female version of John Smith) I probably have grounds to sue a lot of writers.<br /><br />Has anybody out there heard of a libel lawsuit from a person whose name appears in a novel?Anne R. Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02420000168356370825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-48804072290740073152010-04-05T06:43:49.902-07:002010-04-05T06:43:49.902-07:00Are names copywrite-able? Or sue-able over? Like ...Are names copywrite-able? Or sue-able over? Like if you named a character John Winkleman and up popped about a dozen John Winklemen threatening to sue you?? Or would John have a case only if he could prove you personally knew him and had deliberate malice by putting him in your novel as a thoroughly bad character? If you bought and wore that t-shirt saying, "Be careful or I'll put you in my novel" considered sufficient self-defence against lawsuits, especially by John?Churadogshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701649330085709021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-14260298006570108222010-04-05T00:16:12.168-07:002010-04-05T00:16:12.168-07:00Great advice, Anne. I particularly like the remind...Great advice, Anne. I particularly like the reminder that popular names differ between the US, UK, and Canada (and Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, I would imagine). Not something I would have thought to consider!Alison Pearce Stevenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00955543150406880055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-42311021422768885482010-04-04T13:04:41.410-07:002010-04-04T13:04:41.410-07:00Anne
Great post
Your advice about where and how t...Anne<br />Great post <br />Your advice about where and how to find names is so helpful.I check my character's names for meaning as well. Names are important.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15459671422564355990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-72188439638759416072010-04-04T12:44:10.503-07:002010-04-04T12:44:10.503-07:00Great post. Two of my favorites: Teaman Treadway a...Great post. Two of my favorites: Teaman Treadway and Trudy Troutman, together of course, in a romance. Trudy actually gave me permission but I think Teaman is a "B" movie star now so, probably not. Never thought to Goggle a name to check for conflict. Good advice.Christine Ahernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14968409907141389324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8385052143211121638.post-80824855629389007442010-04-04T12:09:52.017-07:002010-04-04T12:09:52.017-07:00Great advice, Anne. I would, also, like to add th...Great advice, Anne. I would, also, like to add that if you work for a public agency and come in contact with people's names daily, keep a list at work!! My all-time favorite is Lavinia Glick, culled from an overdue library book notice list.cc93443https://www.blogger.com/profile/02818681564563656619noreply@blogger.com