Rob Bignell's Blog, page 326

How to come up with characters' names

One of the most important decisions you’ll make as a storyteller is the names if your characters. If the names don’t ring right with readers, it can wear on them despite that the rest of your story is exceptional. Consider that the primary male character in a romance novel typically has a very strong, masculine name, so Lucas and Griffin work as Alpha male names but Sheldon doesn’t. In science fiction’s “Star Trek,” several names were considered for the commander of the starship, the series’ lead, before “James T. Kirk” emerged as the best one.

So how do you come up with a character’s name? It’s a matter of searching for and playing with names until you land on the right-sounding one.

Here are some different techniques that clients I’ve worked with have used for coming up with character names:
g Anagram maker (works well for fantasy book)
g Ancient names (modernize them)
g Atlas (look up names of exotic foreign cities and towns, then alter the vowels and consonants; for example Nepal could become Palen or Palne)
g Baby name website/book
g Census records (works well for historical fiction)
g Dead languages (find a word in that language that describes your character; works well in science fiction or fantasy books)
g Google translate (put in a word that describes your character and then find the equivalent of it in a foreign language)
g History books (works well for historical fiction)
g Hymnals
g Obituaries
g Phone books
g Puns (works well for humor stories)
g Symbolic association (a good example is Luke Skywalker; this is like leaving a cookie for the reader)

If you write a lot and plan to publish a number of stories and novels, be sure to keep a name list. Each time you stumble across a great potential name, add it to the list. And while names aren’t interchangeable between characters, the discarded names from the today’s story might by the perfect name for tomorrow’s tale.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or a small town like Boring, Oregon, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Avoid these flubs when seeking book signing

Certainly one of the promotional efforts you’ll want to undertake with your self-published book is a public book reading/signing. Such a reading/signing can help your book get press coverage in local media and help fulfill your personal dream of living the author’s life.

Setting up a book reading/signing requires a little salesmanship and diplomacy. A previous entry covered how to arrange a public book reading/signing, but apparently a couple of authors missed it. While recently corresponding with the owner of a bookstore where I’ve held five different events, she mentioned a couple of authors who really gave her a headache when making their requests.

The first one was less the fault of the author than one of those nondescript marketing companies hired by a writer. The email from the marketing firm to the bookstore owner read:

Hi,

We are currently considering a Children's Book Tour with the author and/or illustrator in your area in August, September or October. If you are interested in hosting a free event at your location, please click here to provide us with some basic information for us to evaluate your possible participation.

Thanks and have a great day!

There’s plenty wrong with this generic email. First, it doesn’t address the book store owner by name and so indicates that the author/marketing company knows nothing about the store. Secondly (and perhaps most importantly), it doesn’t list who the author and illustrator are. Imagine a salesman calling you but not telling you what he’s selling! Third, it takes the attitude that the author/illustrator are more important than the bookstore when stating click here to provide us with some basic information for us to evaluate your possible participation. The author should seek to enter a mutually beneficial relationship with the bookstore, one that says, “I can bring people to your bookstore, and you can provide me a venue to sell my books.” But such is the problem with hiring a marketing firm that is more interested in telling authors that they contacted thousands of potential venues rather than one that actually lands them.

The second author got all of the above right but threw a fit that the bookstore would not follow through with what were excessive demands. First, he wanted the bookstore to order and pay for event quantity books. For mom and pop bookstores (about the only ones self-published authors can get into), ordering books through Ingram carries an 8% charge and paying for shipping to send them back. He also wanted a projector and screen. Most small bookstores don’t have that kind of equipment. Simply put, authors need to bring their own books and equipment (a chair and table being the exception) with them unless they’re on a national bestseller list.

The result of these efforts? The bookstore owner passed on the first author and isn’t interested in having the second one back when his next book comes out. Two authors have lost the opportunity to sell their books in an affluent market with a number of book-buying readers.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like San Francisco, California, or a small town like Nimrod, Oregon, I can provide that second eye.

 

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How to line up page numbers in table of contents

One of the most annoying problems self-publishing authors encounter when formatting their book in Microsoft Word is lining up the table of contents. Fortunately, it’s actually quite easy to do, an after you’ve done it a couple of times, you’ll have it memorized.

In your open Word document, go to the table of contents. Type a single space and then the number 1 after the last letter of each line that you wish to list in your table of contents. In a table of contents for one of my books, that would look like this:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Amnicon Falls State Park 1
Island Trails 1
Other Park Trails 1

Next, highlight your entire table of contents. In the Home ribbon, click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Paragraph section. A pop-up will appear. Under the Indents and spacing tab of the pop-up, click the Tabs button in the lower left corner. Click Clear all on the lower right side.

The next step is to set up your tabs that will line up your page numbers. You’ll first need to type in a number in the Tab stop position box. This number differs depending on your book’s trim size and how far over you want your page numbers to appear. Generally, you will type in a number that is about a quarter of an inch from the book text’s right margin. You’ll likely have to play around with different numbers to get it right where you want it to go.

After setting the number, under Alignment, click the circle next to Right. This tells the software to line up all of your numbers on the page’s right side.

Below that under Leader, click on the circle that matches what you would like to use. Usually books have no leader while academic papers use ellipses (which is option 2).

Hit OK. That brings you back to your manuscript’s table of contents.

Place the cursor in the space between the last word of a line and the 1 (For example, in the sample table of contents above, I’d place the cursor in the space between Park and 1.). Then hit tab. The 1 should shift to the right. Repeat with the next line. The 1 should shift to the right and appear aligned directly below the previous line’s 1. Keep repeating until you’ve done all of the lines in your table of contents.

The last step is to add the actual page numbers. Do this by highlighting each 1 and typing the appropriate page number. The numbers you type will remain aligned.

This alignment is only necessary for your paperback. An ebook wouldn’t have page numbers but instead would link chapter and section titles to the spot where they start within the book.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Chicago, Illinois, or a small town like Humptulips, Washington, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Editing clients publish first novel, ‘Bad JuJu'

Editing clients Karl Bort and Thekla Madison have published their first novel, “Bad JuJu in Cleveland.”

The crime story begins when four men are found brutally slain in an abandoned house on Cleveland’s east side, one with ties to City Hall and all marked with a mysterious symbol. Detective Nicholas Silvano is called to the case, but he finds this drug-deal-gone-wrong is anything but ordinary and the search for an elusive killer is on.

With FBI Agent James Reis creating roadblocks at every turn, Silvano teams up with DEA Agent Charley Goetz on a manhunt that takes them from Cleveland to the shady side of Florida, where anything can be had for a price. The stakes become higher when the killer makes it personal, forcing Nick to face feelings he’d been denying for so long.

About the Authors: Karl is a retired Cleveland police officer. Thekla is a former UW-River Falls classmate who worked with me on the student newspaper there.

The book is available for purchase in paperback or ebook online.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Chicago, Illinois, or a small town like Humptulips, Washington, I can provide that second eye.

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Use caution when employing empathic universe

A common technique that genre writers use is customizing the environment of their story so it matches the main character’s mood. In doing so, the author creates an empathic universe. Examples would be a lightning flash in the opening lines of a Gothic horror story or rain falling during a funeral.

Also known as a melodramatic setting (The term empathic universe was coined by Cambridge Science Fiction Workshop’s David Smith.), it regularly appears in melodramatic and romantic writing.

The problem with this technique, though, is it’s a cliché. Rain doesn’t always fall at funerals, the sun doesn’t always shine when the protagonist becomes hopeful, and fog doesn’t always descend when a character is confused.

This is not to say that an empathic universe can’t be artfully done. Nathaniel Hawthorne puts it to good use in “The Scarlet Letter” when describing the girl Pearl in a sunny glen to show her purity.

To prevent the melodramatic setting from being cliché, follow a couple of simple guidelines. First, don’t employ an overused meaning for a weather system. A dramatic wind need not apear when tension rises. Instead, think of weather patterns as deeper metaphors and introduce them only when appropriate. For example, what if wind represented “life,” moving in crests and drops but ever forward? The wind then could be described at a portion of the story when the protagonist is cognitively aware of his surroundings. Secondly, use the empathic universe subtly. Rather than making it the focus of a sentence or an entire paragraph, sneak it into the description or action as a phrase or short clause. This then keeps it from being the center of the reader’s attention.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like New York, New York, or a small town like Bantam, Connecticut, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Three potential ways to end your story

In every story, there comes a turning point or an ultimate moment in which the situation has become so intolerable that the main character must take a decisive step and emerge victorious. This scene is known as the climax.

Also called a “final obstacle,” the climax comes at the end of the story’s rising action. The main character metaphorically has reached the mountain top and either must push off the antagonist or be pushed off. Because of this, the climax is a scene of escalated action. It is that part of the story when the main character resolves the story’s central problem.

There are three possible ways the story can for the main character – or three general climaxes – that you can write. The main character can:
g Succeed – This by far is the most common climax, and it invariably means a happy ending. After all, the main most readers will ask as reading your story is “How will the main character overcome solve this problem?” Most readers have become so familiar with storytelling strategies that they never wonder if the main character will be successful.
g Be defeated – In such stories, the character typically is his own worst enemy. Circumstances might lead to his failure but usually it is some flaw or weakness in his character, which results in poor decisions. Typically such stories are more literary in nature and focus on a message or theme about human morality.
g Abandon the goal – On rare occasions, the main character may realize that solving the problem will not make his life or those of others any better. Such tales often aim to make large statements about human morality and the nature of our existence.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Denver, Colorado, or a small town like Dewey Beach, Delaware, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Five Great Quotations about Editing

“Prune what is turgid, elevate what is commonplace, arrange what is disorderly, introduce rhythm where the language is harsh, modify where it is too absolute.” - Marcus Fabius Quintilianus

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” - Thomas Jefferson

“Write drunk; edit sober.” - Ernest Hemingway

“Inside every fat book is a thin book trying to get out.” - Unknown

“There are two typos of people in this world: those who can edit and those who can’t.” - Jarod Kintz

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you hail from a big city like Miami or a small town like Wapanucka, Oklahoma, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Do’s and don’ts of character names

Most couples when expecting a child will spend hours trying to settle on a name. They scour through baby name books, write out lists, and say aloud combinations, just to get it right. As a writer, you likewise should give their characters’ names that same degree of attention. After all, the wrong name can violate the consistency of the imaginary world you’ve created or just plain leave the reader befuddled about who’s who in the story. 

When settling on a name for a character, follow these general guidelines by ensuring names are:
g Easy to remember – In part, that means not making them too long or unpronounceable. “James Bond” is easy to remember; “Maximilian Słobodziane” isn’t. In science fiction or fantasy, too many apostrophes in a name makes it difficult to recall.
g Evocative – A name ought to bring strong images, memories, or feelings to the reader’s mind. In romances, for example, authors typically give the male love interest a strong, masculine name, such as “Brandon” or “Mark.”
g Distinctive – Do not make it too similar to another character’s name. Characters rarely should have names that start with the same letter unless there’s an overriding reason to do so in the plot (Such as a mother giving all three of her daughters’ names that start with “J” because you’re establishing her character trait as someone who wants a “cute” family).
g Not unintentionally hilarious – Unless you’re writing humor, this is a no-no. Don’t create the corollary of a Tom Swiftie by calling your character “Ima Hogg.”
g Gender specific – This will avoid problems when a pronoun is first used to refer to your character. For example, if you describe Pat cleaning the house as the story begins, some readers’ stereotypes will kick in and presume Pat is a woman, so the first time you use “he” or “him” to refer to Pat, the reader will be confused.
g Congruent with character’s nature – Unless writing a humorous book or scene, you wouldn’t give an alpha male character a feminine name such as “Percival” or “Summer.”
g Appropriate for their occupation – Would an Army sergeant who’s a combat veteran go by the name of “Joey” or “Joseph”? Probably not. He’d be “Joe” or have a nickname such as “Fightin’ Joe” in homage to the Civil War soldier.
g Conforms to the culture created – If writing science fiction or fantasy, for example, think about the root language that culture speaks, especially if the character is an alien. A good example are Klingon names in “Star Trek”; Kor, Kang and Koloth all are harsh sounding words and so work.

In addition, introduce your characters’ full names right away. Referring to them solely as “Captain” or “Starmarine” soon will become stilted and awkward. Instead, introduce the character as “Captain John Bennett” so that he can be referred to as “Bennett” by the narrator, “Captain” by the crew, and “John” by his best friend.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Raleigh, North Carolina, or a small town like Strong, Maine, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Seek nonfiction endorsements for your book

One way to generate interest in your book is to obtain an endorsement of it from an expert, especially if writing nonfiction. Such experts in the field that your book addresses can write either a blurbs or forewords/prefaces/intro-ductions. They can speak intelligently about your book’s subject matter and writing style to others interested in the topic, and those in the know usually respect their opinion. You probably know a number of experts in a profession as you’ve met them as researching your book. If not, however, you can find names of potential experts by identifying participants in LinkedIn discussion groups. Such people want to share their views, and you'll know their titles/background/contact information.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Seattle, Washington, or a small town like Uncertain, Texas, I can provide that second eye.

 

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Place hyperlinks in your nonfiction ebook

One of the advantages of an ebook over a paper book is the ability to link to other pages with a mere touch of your fingertip, which is especially useful if you write nonfiction. While a paper book’s footnote or bibliography requires the reader to physically move to a library or bookstore to obtain a copy of that book, links can be set up within ebooks to take you to that book, usually by purchasing it online right from your ereader or tablet. Or a link in your ebook might take a reader to a video you’ve posted on YouTube or your social media sites.

These hyperlinks also can be used to link text within a book. For example, the table of contents can be linked to the corresponding chapters, while footnote numbers can be linked to the full list of notes at the end of the ebook.

If using Microsoft Word to create your ebook, making a hyperlink to another website is easy. Simply use the linking function as if the ebook were a file or document you were going to send electronically. The links will survive the upload of your ebook to both Kindle DP and Smashwords.

To make a link within your ebook, which is being created using Microsoft Word, follow these instructions.

One question that often arises is if the URL for a website should be written out in an ebook. Arguably this is unnecessary in an ebook, which are downloaded through the Internet, so the ereader likely is connected at other times to wi-fi. Most ereaders and tablets will display a web page you. Even if the ebook is being read where there is no wi-fi connection (such as in a car), the reader always can bookmark the page containing the link, which seems far more convenient than writing the URL down on a piece of paper for later reference (Apparently to be used when the reader has a wi-fi connection and can access the page through the ebook.). Of course, in the paperback version of your book, the URL needs to be spelled out as there is no link.

Need an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper proofread or edited before submitting it can prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you face heavy competition, your writing needs a second eye to give you the edge. Whether you come from a big city like Austin, Texas, or a small town like Bald Knob, Arkansas, I can provide that second eye.

 

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