Recently I was leading a discussion with the local writer’s
group and the topic was on character names. I’m a firm believer in having
distinctive names for the main characters in my stories. Sometimes I’ll even go so far as to have the
name be a subtle hint about how that person may behave. Names are critical. Good ones can really
carry the story. And it’s a great opportunity to make each character
distinctive, so the reader can create their own image of them.
That’s always been my style. I’ve always thought it was the
best way to do it. Now I’m not so sure.
Last week I read Lee Child’s latest Jack Reacher novel “Make
Me” which was thoroughly enjoyable. Child knows how to draw you into the story
and never let you go until the last page.
It was during this book that I noticed something. Many of the
characters, particularly the antagonist and his crew, are never named. Never.
Child used occupations to convey the information. One guy was the counterman at a diner.
Another was a one-eyed motel owner. Another was a hog farmer. He did name two
guys who were related, that had an unfortunate run in with Reacher during the
story, and then referred to them either as ‘the one kicked in the nuts’ or ‘the
one who got his bell rung’. So their real names were unimportant.
Child may have used this technique before, but it was the
first time I noticed it. That probably stems from the recent conversation with
the group. So it just goes to show, you
need to find the method that works best for you. Tell the story your own way.
Check out these older posts!
http://marklove024.blogspot.com/2015/06/authors-warning.html
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