The hardest part about writing a story

[Philip]

Heather wrote: "To begin with, I can't find one that suits him. For another, he's not talkative and unlikely to volunteer it."

Names are always tricky. I have just, finished (sort of almost maybe) a short story where neither the lead male or female character are named. Other characters are just not them.

Then I have a spy thriller series which has so many characters I provide a list at the start, but is further confused with aliases and fake identities, plus jargon like target one and person of interest. I do keep them in order originally via a spreadsheet but now in my software, and I use a name generator sometimes.

Internet to the rescue for different cultural names for ethnic or religious groups. If I can't think what to call them xxx or yyy go in the MS to start. Easy search and replace. I started using my default name for everything, Fred, (sorry any real Freds out there) but that got to confusing and there were too many.

My final confusion on names has been writing another short story very loosely based on my own past where I not only have to remember the real names of people but come up with an alias for the MS.

[Heather]

babynames.com is a good start. You can search names by meaning, filter by ethnic origin and gender. Always useful.

[Andrea]

I am writing a prequel novel to my debut novel Turnstiles, and I am working hard to make sure the timeline fits with the first book and that all of the holes are filled and the loose ends are tied up. My characters in the book also encounter intense confrontations with themselves and each other, and I am building up the dialogue in my mind, as well as the courage, to approach these scenes with the emotional depth that needs to be conveyed.

[Dwayne]

Heather wrote: "To begin with, I can't find one that suits him. For another, he's not talkative and unlikely to volunteer it."

I've dealt with characters like that. Give him a name that doesn't suit him at all. Eventually he'll let you know somehow what his name should be. Works every time.

[Philip]

Dwayne wrote: "Heather wrote: "To begin with, I can't find one that suits him. For another, he's not talkative and unlikely to volunteer it."

I've dealt with characters like that. Give him a name that doesn't s..."

I like that idea

[Heather]

40,166/50,000

[Alexander]

I have a problem with natural dialogue. Sometimes when I do conversations I go WAY overboard and write like six pages, and by then the conversation would have deteriorated into petty bickering. LOL.