Choosing Character Names

Are you having trouble naming your characters?

At the moment I'm in the process of changing the names of the main characters in my work in progress. What started out as a sequel to my first two novels, has evolved into a time-slip adventure mystery of epic proportions. And while my earlier novels were comedies, this one is filled with danger and drama.

But where do you look for character names? How do you find a name which speaks to you – a name which brings your character to life?

photo: Jeff Licence

I had a lot of fun with the name of the main character in my first novel, Pond Magic. Lily Padd was the obvious choice for a girl who was turning into a frog; it opened up opportunities for humorous gags and a solid reasoning behind the teasing she received from the story's villain, bad boy Rick Bastek.

But Rick's name was more difficult. He needed a surname with harsh edges and a mean sound. In the end, the telephone directory helped me find the perfect fit. Meanwhile, the story's French exchange student asked for a touch of royalty, and while Monaco is not a part of France, Rainier le Dauphin was hatched as a name that sounded noble enough to be authentic. And I liked the play on the meaning of le Dauphin.

In my novel, Snap Magic, two new characters were introduced: the mean girl, Ellen Middleton; and Lily's love interest, Storm Chaseur. Ellen was based on a covert bully I went to school with, whose name was not Ellen, but my old school friends guessed it was her all the same. It felt good when the character Ellen received her comeuppance at the end of the story. (Don't mess with a writer.)

Storm's name came from a real person, a friend's adult son. And I was thrilled when he came along to the book launch of Snap Magic and I signed his book for him. Was he a storm chaser? No, but hey!

Names, like stories, can pop up anywhere. The newspaper is a terrific resource and I recently found a wonderful name generator that gives you similar-sounding names to one you may like but are unsure of. It's called Name Hunter on the baby name site Name Berry. Behind the Name is also a fun site, while some of the super villain names generated on Fantasy Name Generator would be ideal for a grunge band – Necrotic Ninja was my favourite. The Fantasy Name Generator site is worth checking out fully however, as it also includes 'real' names with surnames in a multitude of languages. That's gold!

While you're having fun generating names, pop the possible contenders into a notebook or note page on your phone. When I find a particularly funny name I then do a search on Facebook to see if there are any actual people out there with that name. Yes, I found a Lily Padd – in fact more than one.

Now I'll leave you with this cute video, which is actually an advert for a New Zealand hardware store. See if you can make out the names of each kid in the class. Their parents obviously do too much DIY.

How do you choose your characters' names?

Standing Up to Write

When I visited the house of German writer and artist, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (the oft-called 'last universal genius') in Weimar many years ago, I was taken by his original writing desk. To stand before the great writer's creative space thrilled me. I was quite literally standing in the spot he wrote his great works; you see, he wrote while standing up. His desk was tall, five feet high and on a slant like a podium.

Goethe's writing desk in his garden house

Since then I've discovered other genii who also wrote whilst on their feet. Sir Isaac Newton wrote his entire 'Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy' standing up. Ernest Hemingway also wrote standing at a chest height desk on which he'd placed his typewriter. He once said, 

"Writing and travel broaden your ass, if not your mind,

 and I like to write standing up."

German philospher Friedrich Nietsche, and American electrochemical engineer Libb Thims also wrote standing up.

Even Aristotle is credited with walking about while talking and thinking.

So, with so many great thinkers to vouch for the benefits of standing up to write, a while ago I purchased a standing desk for myself. (You can see in the photo I'm writing at it now.)

My standing desk

It's actually a 'bar' table that I found in an ordinary furniture shop and was designed for dining at with 'bar' stools. Luckily for me this was the trend at the time. The shop assistant couldn't fathom why I didn't want any stools as well.

I also have a wooden wedge I place at my feet and stand on to stretch my calf muscles while I work. It's on a 45 degree angle as recommended by my physiotherapist. He also recommends standing on one foot and on tip toes for short periods of time to improve balance and strength. I can do all that at my standing desk. 

A friend of mine recently bought a Varidesk which can be raised to varying standing heights and just sits atop your ordinary desk. This is a great space saver and worth checking out.

Of course, I do still write at my sit-down desk, which is a slanted art desk, and also in my favourite reading chair, mixing it up and changing rooms according to the time of day, weather and my mood.

Where's your favourite place to write?

My Top Ten Tips for Story Writing

Below you'll find some quotes by me as editor of the Junior Redlitzer Anthology 2014, published in the Redlands City Council's Redlands Magazine as well as my Top Ten Tips for Story Writing. 

"Think of a character, give them a challenge and delve into your imagination for ways to overcome it – you are now well on the way to becoming a junior Redlitzer finalist." 

"What young writers have to keep in mind firstly is that the Redlitzer is a short story competition. There is only so much that can be covered in 1000 words." 

"But we want a complete story from start to finish, not an essay. So make it active more than descriptive, jump straight in."

Angela, a former teacher, says the best way to start is simply put ideas down on paper "no matter how crazy."

"It's when you start firing your imagination that you start to get ideas that are original," she says. "And remember that as a short story it is just a snapshot in life - a very short timeframe."

Photo by Melanie Holtsman

My Top Ten Tips

1. Find inspiration for stories by: reading newspaper features; finding objects on the beach; childhood memories; old diaries; two randomly chosen nouns (like sausage/queen); using story starters (eg. http://www.literacyshed.com/the-story-starter-shed.html) etc...

2. Decide on who will be the main character of your story and keep the secondary characters to an absolute minimum of two or three. Give your character a name, something they love and something they have a fear or loathing of (eg. love of a family pet and... fear of heights.) 

3. Give your main character a problem, which they must solve or overcome - or at least struggle with within the 1000 words. (eg. the beloved family pet is stuck in a tree.... main character must overcome fear of heights to save it.)

4. Brainstorm/mindmap your main character's problem and possible outcomes. What does your character want more than anything? Think up crazy obstacles and solutions. Weird, funny, fantastical are all good.

5. You may plan your story first and then write it, or the other way around. Absolutely NO sub plot in a short story.

6. Keep your story within a short time frame. It is like a snapshot of the life of your character. 

7. Your first sentence is the hook. Jump right into the drama and action. Dialogue is also a good place to start, or thoughts. Introduce the main character's problem as soon as possible. Don't start with description.

8. The middle of your story should show your character trying to overcome their problem/ achieve their goal with obstacles in the way.

9. The resolution of your story may have a twist - short stories often do. Surprise your reader!

10. When editing, think about the tense, the point of view (ie. first person or third person) and grammar. Cut out all the bits that are telling or describing too much. Show your character's emotions through dialogue, thoughts and actions.

The Redlitzer Junior Anthology will be launched at a gala event on Saturday, October 18, 2014 at which the Editor’s Choice Award for the best story will be announced.

Creative Challenges

There's a lot happening on Facebook besides the usual petition signing and cat video sharing. For the creatives amongst us Facebook is a place of connection, a place where writers, illustrators and artists can meet, share and inspire each other.

You may remember I convene the Monday Writing Sprint on Facebook. It's been running (pun intended) for three years now and the regulars who show up every week for an hour of non-stop scribbling swear it jumps starts their writing week and creative flow. At the very least it's a reminder to pop our bums on a seat and write.

But that's not the only group I belong to on Facebook. I'm also an active member of the Brisbane Illustrators Group which meets once a month at the Collectors' Cafe at the Museum. We share news, tips and play illustration games. At more serious times we hold exhibitions of our work and have a showcase website.

Then recently my writer friend Tania McCartney began the 52 Week Illustration Challenge group with a set theme for each week of the year. #illo52weeks We're now up to Week 10 - Pattern -  and the illustrations being posted onto the group are so diverse and inspiring that I have to be careful not to lose myself (and time).

Here's my quick watercolour from Week 6 - Machinery

Lastly, a brand new group for writers has popped up on Facebook - the 38 Week Flash Fiction Challenge, run by the energy-packed Sheryl Gwyther. It's only about 24 hours old, but already three stories are up, all on the first week's theme - Frog. After writing a short novel with a strong froggy theme, I thought I didn't have any more amphibian stories in me, but today I posted one to the group. I thought I'd share it here with you also. Pop over to the challenge to read some others.

Here is my 'frog-themed' flash fiction story:

The Email

What did he mean, choose which one I want?

Meg clicked on the image and waited for it to download. A close-up of a bookshelf filled with frogs appeared on the screen - plastic, brass and ceramic frogs, lying, hopping and doing handstands.

Shaken, Meg bit her lip and breathed in deeply through her nose. She could pick out the place and time she had bought each one: a flirtatious weekend in Adelaide, a trash and treasure day at school, the Potter’s Barn at her local markets. Each one a reminder, each one lovingly chosen and wrapped in bubble wrap before the short walk to the post office.

She had even had trouble convincing her mother-in-law she didn't actually collect frogs.

'But you have a whole selection of them.'

‘Yes, but… it's a joke, a private thing, between Lisa and me.

The puzzled look.

'Okay, thank you. The frog tea towel is perfect! It'll go with the calendar you gave us for Christmas so well.’

Then Meg noticed it.

Tucked in behind a skiing frog in a santa hat, a faded greeting card, its surface speckled by yellow mould spots, leant against the back of the shelf. She had kept it all these years? The card with a frog in a beret and a cravat. The card she had sent Lisa from Paris in the days when they were both still young and single and living a world away from each other on either side of the world. The card that had started it all.

Meg shut her eyes as familiar tears welled. The words inside she knew by heart. They'd laughed about them often. It was their little in joke, the whole reason the frog gifts had been exchanged in the first place, the whole reason Lisa had nicknamed Meg’s husband Kermit. A silly frog card - ‘You have to kiss a lot of toads before you meet the handsome prince’. Kev was a prince for sure, but Lisa's had turned out to be a toad.

And now she’s gone and he wants me to choose just one.

Meg clicked, then paused as her finger hovered over the ‘block sender’ button.

© Angela Sunde

Radio Interview Tips

Being an author is about more than just writing. I've spent the last few weeks liaising, planning, organising, delegating, photoshopping, creating, booking, nagging and promoting the Inside Story event this Saturday at Black Cat Books - a Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators world wide celebration, showcasing fourteen Queensland and northern NSW author/illustrators as they share the inside story behind their books.

As organiser and MC for the day I was also interviewed on 612 ABC radio by the lovely Kelly Higgins Devine. Whilst not the first time I have been on radio, it is always a rush. My dear sister, who is experienced as a former radio presenter, has given me a tip which I always remember:

"Smile broadly when you speak and it will lift your voice and engage the listeners." 

So I did. I grinned like crazy. The feedback from a friend of a friend was, "She sounded very enthusiastic."

Of course, my intention was to promote the Inside Story event, but radio is about engaging listeners and so the presenter will lull you into a conversation which inevitably leads you away from your task - to promote! With only minutes to get your information across, it can be tricky to negotiate questions like 'Where do you get your ideas from?' whilst trying to make sure the listeners know there will be PRIZES and what time they should get to Black Cat Books.

So here's another tip from my sister:

"Break your message into three points and focus on these."

I had scribbled on a small piece of paper:

1. What is it? 14 authors share the Inside Story behind their books at a simultaneous event taking place in twelve cities worldwide.
2. Why come along? Meet real life authors/illustrators, win prizes and eat cake.
3. Where/when is it? Black Cat Books, 179 Latrobe Street, Paddington, Brisbane; 10am, 2nd Nov

A friend on Facebook said I sounded "calm and professional."

Well, now you know that was a con! Professional maybe, but calm.... the smiling helped.

The Key to Successful Writing is Simple: PERSISTENCE

I started writing in 2007 and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that everything in the publishing industry takes time - loads of it. So patience and persistence are two virtues I'm learning to develop, whilst chipping away at my novel and sending out submissions.

Today I'm honoured to host author, publisher and all round good guy, (he has a black belt - ok?) Paul Collins, here Under the Apple Tree to talk about persistence and share with us his latest novel in the Maximus Black Files series, The Only Game in the Galaxy.

In a galaxy of cutthroat companies, shadowy clans and a million agendas, spy agency RIM barely wields enough control to keep order. Maximus Black is RIM’s star cadet.

But he has a problem. One of RIM’s best agents, Anneke Longshadow, knows there’s a mole in the organisation.

And Maximus has a lot to hide.

Paul Collins has written over 150 books and 140 short stories. He is best known for The Quentaris Chronicles (The Spell of Undoing is Book #1 in the new series), which he co-edits with Michael Pryor, The Jelindel Chronicles, The Earthborn Wars and The World of Grrym trilogy in collaboration with Danny Willis. Paul’s latest book is The Only Game in the Galaxy, book three in The Maximus Black Files. The Beckoning is Paul’s first adult novel http://tinyurl.com/ny6urwy.

He is also the publisher at Ford Street Publishing.

Paul has been short-listed for many awards and won the Aurealis, William Atheling and the inaugural Peter McNamara awards. He recently received the A Bertram Chandler Award for lifetime achievement in Australian science fiction. He has had two Notable Books in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards.

He has black belts in both ju jitsu and taekwondo – this experience can be seen in The Jelindel Chronicles and The Maximus Black Files.

Welcome Paul and thanks for visiting:

Paul Collins - guest post

 ____________________________________________________________

The key to successful writing is simple: PERSISTENCE.

It’s taken 30 years to see my adult horror novel The Beckoning in print. Originally typed on a counter in a St Kilda bookshop, it was typed into a computer in the mid 90s, saved via various storage devices such as 3.5 floppies, CDs, zip drives (remember them?) and finally USB sticks.

Diversity is another key word in a writer’s career. Writing for adults might get a writer some kudos – writers of children’s books sometimes get asked when they’re going to write a real book – but it doesn’t pay the rent.

It took me twenty years to realise that writing books for adults and many short stories that I’d never make a financial career of writing unless I diversified. Luckily for me I fell into writing for children and HarperCollins took my first book, The Wizards’ Torment, in 1995. Over a period of time I realised something else: cross-subsidisation. There are few A list authors who can make a living at writing alone. Part of my strategy was owning various bookshops while I typed stories on the counter.

These days I run a publishing company called Ford Street Publishing www.fordstreetpublishing.com, a speakers’ agency called Creative Net www.fordstreetpublishing.com/cnet, and I also write www.paulcollins.com.au. Combined, I make a living.

Somewhere along the line I decided that writing everything from picture books through to young adult fiction was spreading myself a bit thin. I now mainly concentrate on YA literature.

According to publishers and booksellers, young adult fiction – or YA, as it’s known in the trade – is today’s hottest publishing category. It shares the virtues of youth itself – energy, intensity and passion. And just like adolescents themselves, YA novels revolve around drama and tackle Life’s Big Questions.

Until the erotic fiction titles in the 50 Shades of Grey series took its place, the Hunger Games trilogy by Susanne Collins was at the top of Australia’s best seller list – for all fiction – not just YA and children’s books. And YA titles continually rank among these lists.

YA used to be defined as literature with adolescent themes for readers ranging from 12 to 18 – but these days this range seems to have extended in both directions – covering readers from as young as 10 up to their mid-twenties – and many adults are reading YA books as well.

YA novels are often about the period of transition between childhood and adulthood – a time when young people are asking questions like ‘Who am I’ and ‘Where do I fit in’ and even ‘Do I fit in at all?’

They focus on issues that are commonly found in teen culture: identity, sexuality, personal and social issues, depression, substance abuse, relationships with both family members and other teens. They offer a world which young people can identify with – and which can help them find a safe passage through these difficult years.

Apart from a ripping story, you need to start with memorable characters that are well-rounded. They need flaws if they are to be believable, and for your readers to relate to.

Your readers need to bond with your characters right from the beginning of the book – even if they’re a bad guy like Maximus Black in my trilogy, The Maximus Black Files – give them some traits that make them irresistible so your reader cares enough about them to cheer them on throughout the ups and downs of the storyline.

YA books need plenty of conflict and suspense to keep those pages turning.

With science fiction, you build a universe with elements so real that the reader can easily fall into it with a suspension of disbelief.

Voice and style must be distinctive enough so that the reader wants to keep coming back for more.

Personally, I love the main characters that are ‘bad’. Think Modesty Blaise, think Artemis Fowl. The problem is, these characters are fundamentally good. They’re Robin Hood characters, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.

Hence, I indulged in a little mayhem and created an anti-hero called Maximus Black http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3S-eKDYqpEs. There’s nothing to like about him (he’s a psychopath!), which is why major publishers shied away from the series. However, surprisingly enough, readers of this series have taken to Maximus. And possibly for all the reasons I’ve outlined above about writing young adult, or new adult literature as it’s now called. I like to think I’ve bundled all that stuff into The Maximus Black Files.

Time will tell if I’ve been successful!

Paul

The Only Game in the Galaxy

Author: Paul Collins

Publisher: Ford Street Publishing

Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/mshxpsx

RRP: $9.99

Print: http://tinyurl.com/lfubra6

RRP $19.95