Ireth
Myth Weaver
I recently received a comment on one of my stories that basically said the names I used were distracting and made the reader in question lose interest. The story is set in medieval Scotland, and for the sake of authenticity I chose Gaelic names such as Uilleam and TÃ mhas, rather than the Anglicized forms William and Thomas. Other Gaelic names are used extensively throughout the whole of the novel; some are more pronounceable for someone who doesn't know Gaelic than others are. Compare names like Aileen and Conall to Oighrig and Aodh, and you see what I mean.
My question is, should I sacrifice the authentic Gaelic flavor of my characters' names for something more reader-friendly? I always have trouble changing a character's name once it "sticks"; the characters in question have had their names unchanged for years while I was writing the first draft.
My question is, should I sacrifice the authentic Gaelic flavor of my characters' names for something more reader-friendly? I always have trouble changing a character's name once it "sticks"; the characters in question have had their names unchanged for years while I was writing the first draft.