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My character doesn't like her name. Help

goldhawk

Troubadour
She had kinda a lonely childhood. Her and her mom were drifters and outcast. No siblings

I'm sorry to say this but that's a cop out. Who decided they were outcasts? How did they find out? Were they called derogatory names every where they went? What were those names?

Humans are social animals and seek each other out, especially children. Saying they were loners does not mean they didn't have any relationships at all. How did they interact with the people they met? Were there some who didn't care they were outcasts? Did they met other outcasts?

I'm not saying you should develop a comprehensive biography of your characters. But you should have at least a rough idea of what their past was like.
 

Nomadica

Troubadour
@ goldhawk
You assume that because my MC had a lonely childhood that I don't have an idea what her past was like? It's good to get constructive criticism. If you simply thought my idea was boring or had some holes, thats fine but calling it a cop out, implying that I chose that history out of laziness so I didn't have to think of a background is a wee bit insulting. My MCs background has a huge impact on who she grew up to be and is part of the story. You seem to assume I don't know why she and her mom were outcast? I didn't list the details here because that's not what tis thread was about, not because I don't know them. I didn't imply that she never had any childhood interactions but non of those interactions would be likely to result in a nickname she would want to use. And she wasn't famous so she didn't develop a derogatory nick name that stuck as she moved around. A character doesn't need a big social life throughout the whole story to be interesting, if they did, Castaway, Never cry wolf and The room would never be movies. Yes people and children seek out each other in normal circumstances but stories aren't always about normal circumstances.

I think you made a lot of assumptions before asking enough questions.
 
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goldhawk

Troubadour
You assume that because my MC had a lonely childhood that I don't have an idea what her past was like? ...

I think you made a lot of assumptions before asking enough questions.

Yup, too often it is laziness. And children often give other children derogatory nicknames. It's not until they learn some manners do they stop.

Choosing a character's name does involve knowing some of her background. Unless you just want a name that sounds right to you.
 

Nomadica

Troubadour
I'm not sure if you read my whole post

Are you trying to debate this point?
Choosing a character's name does involve knowing some of her background. Unless you just want a name that sounds right to you.
Cause I thought I made it clear that I have a good understanding of her past (though I'm still working out how her parents got together) I'd say assuming that someone doesn't know Their MC's history when you didn't ask and you don't know anything about the story is laziness.
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
Ya know, it really does not matter who's arguing for what. You know why you chose the name, so you know this comment does not fit. Goldhawk can just be incorrect about that, but he's probably still right in that some people do things for lazy reasons. Heck, many people do things for lazy reasons.

Let's just say the comment does not apply and let it be that.

And honestly, none of you seems to know what a yellow dragon is, so I am having trouble thinking you are all not lazy. Yorgle would likely eat the lot of you.

Are you still looking for help with this name? If it were me, I would stick with Zara. I don’t see anything wrong with it.
 

Nomadica

Troubadour
My beef was with him assuming I didn't know anything about my MC's history When I didn't say anything to imply that. It seemed rude
 

Nomadica

Troubadour
Anyways, Thanks all. I think I'll go with Atara. And pmmg I am so sorry about your fear of sea horses
 

pmmg

Myth Weaver
Oh no, I pity you, cause one day you will see that dragon and you may think it a seahorse and it may eat you. I would not want such a fate to befall.
 

gia

Scribe
Perhaps you might consider an interesting back story on why she has the name Zara. She might hate it, but there was a reason she has it. Perhaps she goes by a nickname?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Exactly what I was thinking....She could end up renaming herself and then everyone from her past still calls her Zara....(took that right out of my own life)
 

Dark Squiggle

Troubadour
I have given other people nicknames and had to bear many nicknames myself, some of which have followed me hundreds of miles. I even inherited one from my father once. People give them to you if you stick out, and if everyone else likes them , they stick. They can come from an in joke you didn't understand the first time, from a fight you got into, from a word you said too much, someone's sense of humor, canned ones like 'Einstein' - anything at all. A scene where your MC gains her name could be very interesting.
 
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