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patron saint
May. 23rd, 2025 04:17 pmSome fantasy patron saints are already given. St. Cyprian against witchcraft. St. Anastasia Pharmakolytria against evil potions.
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two years pass
Mar. 12th, 2025 10:15 pmWell, no, it's not quite that simple. Two years pass, their twins are born, the twins grow to a year old -- and then the story takes up again.
I think we're going to have a scene discussing names, and then the birth, and then perhaps some with the babies crawling -- and then the story will take up again.
I think we're going to have a scene discussing names, and then the birth, and then perhaps some with the babies crawling -- and then the story will take up again.
big, little, big, little
Feb. 14th, 2025 10:52 pmWas plugging along on a story.
Knew there was a character, a servant, who knew about a cursed prince. Needed him as a plot device to keep the prince alive, and also he gave me a way to keep the prince busy. Made him a big solid guy, a huntsman.
So writing along on the outline and realized that I had to name this servant. I dug up a name, decided it looked good, and if it's a diminutive, it's ironic he has it.
Put it down on the character list. Character started to wonder whether he could be a lean and wiry huntsman instead.
Ah, the game of names.
Knew there was a character, a servant, who knew about a cursed prince. Needed him as a plot device to keep the prince alive, and also he gave me a way to keep the prince busy. Made him a big solid guy, a huntsman.
So writing along on the outline and realized that I had to name this servant. I dug up a name, decided it looked good, and if it's a diminutive, it's ironic he has it.
Put it down on the character list. Character started to wonder whether he could be a lean and wiry huntsman instead.
Ah, the game of names.
game of names
Feb. 4th, 2025 11:58 amOne more reason to give your characters distinctive names, on top of avoiding confusing readers (dyslexics in particular).
You don't want your spelling checker to suggest one for the other. You certainly don't want it to miss that you mistyped a name as the other. And if you have autocorrupt on, it may do it for you.
You don't want your spelling checker to suggest one for the other. You certainly don't want it to miss that you mistyped a name as the other. And if you have autocorrupt on, it may do it for you.
contriving that coincidence
Sep. 3rd, 2024 07:53 pmRevising along, revising along -- and stopping dead. No, these characters are acting illogically, they need to have reason to believe she's who she claims to be.
ponder, ponder, ponder
Oh, yes. I grab a minor character from earlier, who would recognize her, and plop her forward in time. She recognizes the heroine from before.
Still doesn't get a name.
ponder, ponder, ponder
Oh, yes. I grab a minor character from earlier, who would recognize her, and plop her forward in time. She recognizes the heroine from before.
Still doesn't get a name.
introductions
Jun. 25th, 2024 10:34 pmI introduced seven characters into a story before a time gap. En mass, they all arrived at once.
Then, after the time gap, the heroine knew their names.
Revising time: put the names in before the gap. Also put in notes about their characters so there are some hints to tell them apart besides the names.
Real fun revising and realizing that one of the seven had been left out of the naming. . . .
Then, after the time gap, the heroine knew their names.
Revising time: put the names in before the gap. Also put in notes about their characters so there are some hints to tell them apart besides the names.
Real fun revising and realizing that one of the seven had been left out of the naming. . . .
name of games
Jan. 24th, 2024 11:51 pmWhoops.
Never did manage to name the minor villainess/significant plot device who's about to be instrumental in bringing our hero together with some other characters after years of isolation. True, she only appears in a brief portion of the tale.
Still, went name hunting.
Never did manage to name the minor villainess/significant plot device who's about to be instrumental in bringing our hero together with some other characters after years of isolation. True, she only appears in a brief portion of the tale.
Still, went name hunting.
the game of names
May. 3rd, 2023 11:40 pmThere is a great gap in the story. It's part of the structure.
But I introduced seven characters before the gap, and didn't manage to work in their names. The gap occurred. And now the point of view character already knows all their names. Unsurprisingly, they were all in the castle together, and all the other servants left.
Sometimes it can be interesting to juggle.
But I introduced seven characters before the gap, and didn't manage to work in their names. The gap occurred. And now the point of view character already knows all their names. Unsurprisingly, they were all in the castle together, and all the other servants left.
Sometimes it can be interesting to juggle.
the game of names
Apr. 5th, 2023 11:34 pmThe first step in filing off the serial numbers is changing the names.
This can be a trick when the old name has a magnetic attraction.
Today I am discovering it can be a trick even you hate the old, because the old character needs a suitable and fitting name, and the changes from renaming fight against it.
sigh
This can be a trick when the old name has a magnetic attraction.
Today I am discovering it can be a trick even you hate the old, because the old character needs a suitable and fitting name, and the changes from renaming fight against it.
sigh
supersuits and sobriquets
Mar. 29th, 2023 11:39 pmDramatic code names and the distinctive costumes are part and parcel of the genre. It's hard to hit enough tropes to make it superheroes if you don't include them. But they are really hard to world-build. And probably have the most variation.
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deep thinks on magical development
Feb. 19th, 2023 03:48 pmI was pondering the world I was making and realized that since wizards make things that will generate monsters long after the wizard is gone. . .
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the game of names
Aug. 17th, 2022 11:47 pmI was ripping off a character, and needed a name for him. For once, the character's original name had no attraction. . . and left a void in its place. I wrestled with a number before one managed to attach itself.
And another character might be confused with some others, so I tried to change her name to -- Stella, and was worried about whether it's too recent. Then I realized it might be confused with yet another character, more easily than the first name with THOSE characters, and so turned it back. In the meanwhile, it turns out it's Renaissance, so a bit late.
The cast of thousands needs a lot of names. And raises much potential for confusion.
And another character might be confused with some others, so I tried to change her name to -- Stella, and was worried about whether it's too recent. Then I realized it might be confused with yet another character, more easily than the first name with THOSE characters, and so turned it back. In the meanwhile, it turns out it's Renaissance, so a bit late.
The cast of thousands needs a lot of names. And raises much potential for confusion.
the ways of the witch
Nov. 5th, 2021 08:57 pmOutline was stirring. The other witch was taking shape. I pondered her character, and how she needed to more complex from her niceness to the heroine vs. her nastiness to the hero.
Poke, poke, poke --
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Poke, poke, poke --
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a bee, a wolf, a duck. . . .
Sep. 14th, 2021 10:53 pmOnce yesterday's love interest introduced herself, her part of the story fell together. So I could consider the important part of the story, where the hero has to carry out the impossible tasks.
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every prince should have one
Jul. 31st, 2021 07:59 pmHmm. . . the story is plugging along and I know that they know bad things about this prince. . . and then I give him a backstory for it. . . and then it occurs to me. . . .
There are other princes in this story who should get them.
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There are other princes in this story who should get them.
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