Friday, May 25, 2007

Names

Rule one: if you're writing fantasy and your character is named Trrrryygo'r'dn'yynnllith, you're working it too hard start again.

Seriously.

Rule two: do look up the name of your character, and the entyomology of it; but you don't need to tell the reader, not unless it's part of your story, or part of some natural dialogue. If you say 'and this man, Stephen Michael, whose first name means crowned one and whose second name means who is like unto God, and which is the name of an archangel, he was good-looking,' if you say anything NEARLY like that, you need to seriously consider taking some classes.

Subtlety is the rule.

You tell your reader what they need to know. Imply the rest. They'll love you for it.

At least, I love authors like that.

No comments: