What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. |  Well, I'm thrilled to say it finally happened again. The first time I was in bed. This time I was in the shower. Both times felt awesome. Seriously, where are your minds, people? I'm talking about names. More specifically, about titles, and the gut-wrenching process of coming up with them. |
Naming a novel is just as difficult, or easy, as naming a baby or pet, although I suppose it's far easier to change a title than a person's name. For me, once a thing or a pet or a character reveals its name, that's it. No changing, no monkey business.
I know many novelists who switch around their characters' names at the drop of a hat, casually telling me, "Oh, remember Susan? She's now Ellen." While such practice is perfectly reasonable, especially in the days of Find and Replace, to me it's unfathomable. My characters give me their names pretty readily. I knew Isadora's name as I typed the very first sentence of the first draft of Discovering Ren. Max came next, as did Seth. I had to think a bit on Margaretta, but she's pouty so no wonder. Roger Mathews, bless him, walked onto my page fully formed like Athena from Zeus, although he didn't reveal his military title or his status as an ordained minister for some time. (He's touchy on those subjects.) In fact, I had the whole cast of characters well before I ever had an actual title for their story. It was just "the book."
I know many novelists who switch around their characters' names at the drop of a hat, casually telling me, "Oh, remember Susan? She's now Ellen." While such practice is perfectly reasonable, especially in the days of Find and Replace, to me it's unfathomable. My characters give me their names pretty readily. I knew Isadora's name as I typed the very first sentence of the first draft of Discovering Ren. Max came next, as did Seth. I had to think a bit on Margaretta, but she's pouty so no wonder. Roger Mathews, bless him, walked onto my page fully formed like Athena from Zeus, although he didn't reveal his military title or his status as an ordained minister for some time. (He's touchy on those subjects.) In fact, I had the whole cast of characters well before I ever had an actual title for their story. It was just "the book."
Finally, one night in 2008, I think, I woke with a start, sweating, with this voice in my head saying, "Discovering Ren. It's so obvious." And upon reflection, it was. Why hadn't I thought of it before? The book is about learning who you truly are, who you're called to be, and living up to that calling. Duh.
When I finished the first draft in December 2009, I already had the sequel bursting its way out of my head, but it had to wait while I edited DR. I'm now at 91,000 words and counting, but until today I was beginning to despair of ever coming up with a title. (It's "the sequel." How original.) And then I walked into the shower, and once again I got smacked upside the head for my stupidity, but my toy surprise was the title.
Nope, I'm not telling. Not yet. But trust me, it's good. It's right. It's a name.
Peace!
When I finished the first draft in December 2009, I already had the sequel bursting its way out of my head, but it had to wait while I edited DR. I'm now at 91,000 words and counting, but until today I was beginning to despair of ever coming up with a title. (It's "the sequel." How original.) And then I walked into the shower, and once again I got smacked upside the head for my stupidity, but my toy surprise was the title.
Nope, I'm not telling. Not yet. But trust me, it's good. It's right. It's a name.
Peace!
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