The (re)naming of characters

[2metaldog]

While I was on a doll forum the other day, there was a thread about what your doll's name was, what that name meant and why you chose that for that particular doll. I thought it would be interesting to answer and started to do just that when I realized that my note keeping has slacked off somewhat. I usually write down what meaning (if any) there

Comments

[tameiki]

Leave it as is and create a new character with the other name and have the two meet. They can then commiserate together about how people mispronounce their names. *ducks and covers*

[2metaldog]

I have existing characters that could get together and do that, thank you very much miss smarty-pants.

[tameiki]

*blows kisses and makes kissy-face noises*

[2metaldog]

I see you insolent gesture and raise you a teaser from Into The Deepest Dark

[marasmine]

Changing a character name is always tricky. I find that a different name makes them behave differently - even with minor characters.

I changed an inn keeper's name once and he went from being surly and suspicious to being helpful and cheerful. His original name was too similar to another minor character of slightly more importance. The inn keeper's change of character wasn't a major problem, but it did make me twitch on every edit.

Changing a major character's name is more problematic. I'd say leave Eilian as he is because he is published - or make the name change a deliberate act and plot point. As you said the revised name is more appropriate as far as you can remember.

I would have guessed at Eilian being pronounced Eye-lee-ann.

[2metaldog]

I've done a name change before in edits for a throw-away character as I'd accidentally named two of them Mike. However, they weren't important to the story (they were both random zombies actually) and it affected nothing to change the name of one of them.

Names are important and it does impact things to change names. I have one character that refused to be named properly and I had a hell of time finding his name. I'm still not 100% convinced he has his right name, which is annoying as he's existed for 2 years now. I think that's why I haven't quite finished the short with him and his partner.

See? There's that pronunciation thing again. I think it bugs me so much because my last named is almost never pronounced right when people see it spelled and people always write my given name wrong (although it's generally pronounced correctly).

[charisstoma]

I've seen people edit prior published stories. Could be a good lead-in/publicity for the next part of the story line. As long as it's mentioned that it's an edited republishing of an earlier work and the author will often offer the edited version to people who have previously bought it, people usually don't seem to mind.

[2metaldog]

Well, since TQ is no more, I do need to figure out what I'm going to do with not only that story but everything else, too. I'm hedging closer to changing his name because it is bugging me.

[ramenkuri]

Since it's bugging you, I would change the name. You can put a note in subsequent stories and post a notice on your site.

[2metaldog]

The name change is looking more and more like what's going to happen as the more I think about it, the more the current name bugs me and pushes me to change it.