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writercises2014-01-10 02:51 pm
mbarker.livejournal.com) wrote in writercises2014-01-10 02:51 pm
NANOWRIMO: Vonnegut and Wonderbook #2: Character And Names
Original Posting Nov. 24, 2013
Now this one sounds familiar. Kurt Vonnegut recommends:
"2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for."
Someone that we empathize with. Someone that we want to see win. Give the reader someone they can root for. A sympathetic protagonist? Sure, why not.
And then we have Neil Gaiman recommending, "Name wisely." A good name makes a good character. It needs to fit the character, and you may have to spend some time looking around and trying out different names. But once you have the right name, you're ready to go.
Of course, on day 24 of nanowrimo, hopefully you've already got that character for the reader to root for and probably a name of sorts. Still, there's always subplots and new scenes where you can put this advice to use. Make sure that every named character has a good name, one that fits them and works. And make sure that we've got someone to root for. Someone with a goal, someone that we would like to see succeed.
Kind of like you, writing away to achieve that pinnacle of success known as Nanowrimo! Write, write, write!
Now this one sounds familiar. Kurt Vonnegut recommends:
"2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for."
Someone that we empathize with. Someone that we want to see win. Give the reader someone they can root for. A sympathetic protagonist? Sure, why not.
And then we have Neil Gaiman recommending, "Name wisely." A good name makes a good character. It needs to fit the character, and you may have to spend some time looking around and trying out different names. But once you have the right name, you're ready to go.
Of course, on day 24 of nanowrimo, hopefully you've already got that character for the reader to root for and probably a name of sorts. Still, there's always subplots and new scenes where you can put this advice to use. Make sure that every named character has a good name, one that fits them and works. And make sure that we've got someone to root for. Someone with a goal, someone that we would like to see succeed.
Kind of like you, writing away to achieve that pinnacle of success known as Nanowrimo! Write, write, write!