DO. NOT. name every single character of your book with a weird name *and* a strange nickname. If I have to wade through Jeremiah "Nostril" Fluffenbuffer having a conversation with "Pork Chop" Hepzibah Snogglebastermeier as they chase after Zelda "Twinkle Toes" Latishanda Grogglesnow and her best friend, Matilda "Princess" Eliana Schoenblad (See? You have a headache already just wading through that sentence don't you?), then I will throw your book across the room and say things my children shouldn't hear and it will all be your fault.
And I just might rant about it on my blog.
16 comments:
This is very good advice. Thank you.
Um, stay right there while I go fire up the Find/Replace dialog...
Hehehehe....
I did name the itenerant preacher in my novel, Everlasting Love .. but I made a point to have every other name in the book be pretty normal. It's all about balance, I think.
And the image of you throwing the book is funny .
Haha! It is good advice. I have an older post about names and this same advice. Rant away! *grin*
I'll have to get you a copy of mine when it comes out so you can rant.
I am wishing now that I had named a gluttonous Nephite "Porkchop Alma"
So what you're saying is you don't want to read about Hepzibah Bianca Marmalade-Ermintrude?
Man, I totally thought I'd found a beta reader in you!
ROTFL! So...what were you reading? Inquiring minds...
I do have a headache from reading that. ;) I'd chuck the book and let loose a few naughties myself.
Hee hee, I'll make a note of it.
David - Ha Ha! I might just read it so I can laugh.
Windy - We might have to leave that option open for now...
Hahahaha! Great advice. I tend to have a nice mix of traditional names and original. But love your take on it: I will throw your book across the room!" hahaha! I kinda sorta felt that way about Peeta in The Hunger Games. Loved the book, was not fond of the names in it.
Hi Jaime! Thank you for following my blog--I really appreciate it!
I know what you mean about using long and exhausting names! I actually stopped reading a book with long weird fantasy names with about a thousand main characters (exaggerating here). I got a headache!!!
LOVE your ranting!!
:)
I so agree with this post! I just changed a few of my character's names, not because they were "weird/long" but because they all sounded the same. For some reason most of my girls' names started with a C and only contained the vowels "a" and "i." Had I wanted to do it on purpose, I'm sure I could not have found a singe one!
My head hurts and my eyes have completely shut down in self defense after reading that sentence. :) Those books do make a satisfying thud when they hit the wall!
LAUGHING! Love it.
Very funny - post and so true. It was great hanging with you at the party last week.
Don stole my comment. The nerve.
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