Login | Register







Post new topic This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.  [ 5 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Characters with Changing Names
PostPosted: August 3rd, 2011, 4:38 pm 
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: November 16th, 2009, 9:13 pm
Posts: 2045
Location: Eniret
Okay, a little bit of a dilemma here - Have any of you ever had a character who was known by one name, but was then found out to be someone else entirely?

I have this problem with not one, but two of my characters. And for the first little while I can't decide what to call them. I mean, we know her as Mary, but when Mary suddenly turns out to be Sue, what does the character who thought she was Mary call her in the descriptions? Mary? Or Sue? :P

_________________
2 Corinthians 3:17 ~ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

eleutheria - Greek for liberty

My blog:
http://exhortationsbyelizabeth.blogspot.com
A fan of my book?
http://facebook.com/wingstrilogy/


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Characters with Changing Names
PostPosted: August 3rd, 2011, 4:48 pm 
Foundational Member
Foundational Member
User avatar

Joined: January 27th, 2011, 2:13 pm
Posts: 3226
Being the amateur that I am, I would do one of three things...have the narrator switch names casually:

Casually wrote:
Mary-I mean...Sue reached down to pick up the broken vase.


Have the character in the book, the one that's writing the book, refer to her as Sue and then have the narrator switch to Sue...so...something like:

Dialogue Change wrote:
"So you're Sue now?" I said.
Mary nodded.
"Oh...that might take some getting used to, Sue." I chuckled.
Sue smiled.


Or...more of a serious approach would be to sort of put a sentence in there that states the change has been made.

Plain and Simple wrote:
So that was the secret and it had been discovered. She was not Mary, but rather, Sue. Silently, I resigned to start calling her by her real name and with that, she became Sue...


Of course...all of those examples are really just for examples, I'm sure you can write it better, but you know, hopefully I explained the ideas well enough. :P

Bethany Faith


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Characters with Changing Names
PostPosted: August 10th, 2011, 8:06 am 
Foundational Member
Foundational Member
User avatar

Joined: September 8th, 2010, 10:11 am
Posts: 13933
Location: Where ever my computer happens to be.
Good ideas, Bethy, but I don't know many places where E's book would flow like that, making it hard for her to implement those. But I could let her speak for herself. ;)

I would say one of two things, E. Either Mary (now wonders who Mary really is) tells everyone to call her by her real name, or she tells everyone to call her by her previous name.

Or

You could have your characters slip up and call her Mary, instead of Sue, from time to time, while slowly having the slip ups occur less and less, to the point where eventually, you just use Sue instead of Mary.

_________________
Airianna Valenshia

The Rainbow in the Storm- My Blog

Be careful of your thoughts; guard your mind, for your thoughts become words. Be guarded when you speak, for your words turn into action. Watch what you do, for your actions will become habits. Be wary of your habits, for they become your character. Pray over your character; strive to mold it to the image of Christ, because your character will shape your destiny.

Ideas can germinate from the smallest seeds. Collect those seeds, and let them grow in the back of your mind. You may be surprised by what finally blooms.

When God takes something from your grasp, he's not punishing you. Instead, He’s opening your hands to receive something better. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

Works in progress:

The Diegosian Mark, 115,600 words (Preparing for Publication)
The Diegosian Rider, 121,400 words (Finished)
The Diegosian Warrior, 15,000 (In Progress)


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Characters with Changing Names
PostPosted: August 10th, 2011, 6:41 pm 
Moderator
Moderator
User avatar

Joined: November 16th, 2009, 9:13 pm
Posts: 2045
Location: Eniret
I have the characters correct themselves a few times, mostly in internal monologue, but most of my problem is with narrative. I mean, which name DO you use?

_________________
2 Corinthians 3:17 ~ Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

eleutheria - Greek for liberty

My blog:
http://exhortationsbyelizabeth.blogspot.com
A fan of my book?
http://facebook.com/wingstrilogy/


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Characters with Changing Names
PostPosted: August 10th, 2011, 7:05 pm 
Foundational Member
Foundational Member
User avatar

Joined: September 8th, 2010, 10:11 am
Posts: 13933
Location: Where ever my computer happens to be.
Which ever one she is actually going to go by, I think.

_________________
Airianna Valenshia

The Rainbow in the Storm- My Blog

Be careful of your thoughts; guard your mind, for your thoughts become words. Be guarded when you speak, for your words turn into action. Watch what you do, for your actions will become habits. Be wary of your habits, for they become your character. Pray over your character; strive to mold it to the image of Christ, because your character will shape your destiny.

Ideas can germinate from the smallest seeds. Collect those seeds, and let them grow in the back of your mind. You may be surprised by what finally blooms.

When God takes something from your grasp, he's not punishing you. Instead, He’s opening your hands to receive something better. The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

Works in progress:

The Diegosian Mark, 115,600 words (Preparing for Publication)
The Diegosian Rider, 121,400 words (Finished)
The Diegosian Warrior, 15,000 (In Progress)


Top
 Offline Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.  [ 5 posts ] 


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron