Thirteen Things about Great Heroine Names



Here are some names I'd consider giving to one of my heroines:

1. Amarna – Of Arabic origin, named after the ancient city "el-Amarna", located on the east bank of the Nile River built by the Pharaoh Akhenaten of the late 18th Dynasty (circa 1353 BC). I fell in love with this name watching a documentary on ancient Egypt.

2. Blanche – Of French origin, means "white."

3. Calista – Of Greek origin, means "the most beautiful." Who doesn't want a beautiful heroine?

4. Glenda –Of Welsh origin, means "clean and good."

5. Gilda – Pronounced JILL-da. Of English origin, means "covered with a thin layer of gold", of Germanic origin, means "offering." I've loved this name ever since I saw the film, Design for Living. Gilda was played beautifully by Miriam Hopkins.

6. Isabella – Of Hebrew origin, means "My God is a vow".

7. Jemma – Of Latin origin, means "jewel."

8. Larissa – Of Russian origin, from the ancient city of Larisa.

9. Mabel – Of French origin, means "lovable." I like this name because I'm a fan of the work and life of Mabel Normand.

10. Pagan – Of Celtic origin, means country dweller.

11. Tallulah – Of Gaelic origin, means "abundance, lady, princess."

12. Taryn – Of American origin. One of the alums from my sorority had this name and I always liked it.

13. Zhana – Of Hebrew origin, means "God is gracious."

Which of these 13 names would you consider giving to one of your heroines? What other names do you think would be great for a heroine and why?


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Who's on first?

The tall, lanky brunette sat at the conference table. The attorney took a sip of tea and looked at her trial notes. The Hungarian mother scratched her head. The left-handed woman jotted down a note. The Oxford graduate re-adjusted her chair. Megan checked her watch. The beautiful woman wiped her eyeglasses. The widow looked around the room . . .

and saw that she was still alone at the conference table.

Huh?

Are you thinking, "What? How could she be alone? What about all those other people in the room? The attorney, the mother, the brunette, the lefty, etc.?"

In the above scene, all those descriptors (from Hungary to Oxford) refer to the same person. Megan was a tall, brunette, left-handed widowed Hungarian mother who went to Oxford and became an attorney. If an author refers to the same character by more than one name or descriptor in the same scene, readers are going to get confused. Stick to one name per character per scene, maybe even go so far as to keep it to one name per character per scene per viewpoint character.

If your viewpoint character calls her, "Megan," then she must be called "Megan" throughout the scene in which you're in this viewpoint character's head. If the next scene is from a new viewpoint character's head, and that person refers to the same character as, "Martuska," then this new viewpoint character should refer to her as "Martuska" throughout the scene and probably never as "Megan," "the lanky brunette" or "the B-52's fan."

Authors can use different names and descriptors as subtle ways of sneaking in bits of information or backstory about the character, but this is really more of a telling of the story. Not good for those who write by the philosophy, show, don't tell. By the end of the above scene (if you'd been able to understand it correctly), you would have learned a lot about our gal Megan, but it would have been cheating. Telling is usually cheating the reader.

If readers need to know that Megan was an Hungarian mother, find a way to bring out that organically within the story, through scene and dialogue, or even a flashback. Just don't confuse the readers. Once they're pulled out of a story, they may not go back into it. Stick with the one-name-per-character-per-scene-per-viewpoint-character rule and you'll have a headstart on keeping your reader in the story.

Thirteen Things about Great Hero Names



Here are some names I'd consider giving to one of my heroes:

1. Bryce – Of Scottish origin, means "of Britain."

2. Chaz Of English origin, means "free man." Diminutive form of Charles. I’ve only known one person with this name, from my early childhood. I’ve always liked the sound of it.

3. Delvin Delvin – Of Old English origin, means "bright friend." I've only known one person so far with this name.

4. Dex Short for Dexter. Of English origin, means "dyer of clothes." The Latin meaning is "right-handed", "auspicious." Great sounding name. Plus, I liked the character of that name Cary Grant portrayed in “The Philadelphia Story.”

5. Garrett dates from the Middle Ages. May also be a variant of Gareth or Garth.

6. Nigel Of English origin, means "champion". I’ve always liked this name. Who wouldn’t want a champion for a hero?

7. Oberon Of German origin, means "noble bear." Form of Auberon. King of the fairies in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream". I also like it because I love the work of actress Merle Oberon.

8. Quentin Of Latin origin, means "fifth." Quentin has 8 variant forms: Quent, Quenten, Quenton, Quint, Quinten, Quintin, Quinton and Quintus.

9. Rafe Of English origin, means "wolf counsel." The medieval pronunciation of the name "Ralph." I just like the sound of it.

10. Tarquin Of Latin origin, was the name of two Etruscan kings of early pre-republican Rome (about fifth Century AD). The son of the last king caused the famous Rape of Lucretia, the Roman matron who killed herself rather than live in shame. This event led to the downfall of the Tarquins and the change of elected consuls to rule Rome instead. It has been depicted in poetry and drama in various languages.

11. Theron Of Greek origin, means "hunter."

12. Vonn is a variant of Van and Von. I knew someone in college with this name.

13. Zoltan Of Hungarian origin, means "life."

Which of these 13 names would you consider giving to one of your heroes? What other names do you think would be great for a hero and why?


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Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Protagonist Punch

How an author brings his protagonist onstage for the first time is a critical piece of the writing process. In our short attention span society, authors need to find ways to suck readers (audience for film) into the story and keep them there. One way to capture the reader's/audience's attention is by introducing the main character in an irresistible way, while communicating his or her important traits.

Once authors know the protagonist's strongest characteristic, what makes him or her likable and what makes him or her flawed, they need to weave these points into an enticing scene which introduces that character to the reader. Authors must then also consider compelling ways in which to introduce the villain and supporting characters.

Think of the opening to the film, Raiders of the Lost Ark. In a brief sequence of scenes, the audience is shown that the hero is an American who travels the world in search of treasure. He's astute, tough, and lets no one get in his way. The viewer knows he can use a whip, that he likes his fedora, and that snakes are not his favorite animal. Everything the viewer needs to know about this character is introduced early in the story. When starting a new story, take time to toss around ideas of ways to effectively communicate key traits in the protagonist's introduction to reel readers in for the duration of your story.

Listing

Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, stuck in the middle of a project or just about to start a new one, the listing brainstorming technique can help open up your writing. The information you produce in the listing process adds texture to your work and also helps in the revision process.

The first listing tool every writer should have on his/her desk is thesaurus. A visit to that book can often help you gain ideas needed for your current work in progress. To use listing in the fiction area at the beginning of a project, start at the protagonist level. If you're writing a novel told from the heroine's point of view, make a list of 25 different occupations your heroine could have. She could be a spy, writer, airplane pilot, retail store manager, opera singer, etc. Choose an occupation from your list, i.e., spy. Now make a list of ten attributes for your spy. Your spy heroine is: Attractive, but not supermodel beautiful, athletic, sometimes has a problem with her temper, etc. Now extrapolate from this and from each attribute, list ten ways which illustrate that attribute. For example, the heroine sometimes has problems with her temper when her boyfriend shows up late for a date, when she hasn't had caffeine in the morning, when someone she's trailing puts a roadblock on her path, etc.

Listing can also be done concerning plot. Say you want to write a story about a reporter who goes on vacation in London only to get sucked into an international espionage ring as a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Start making your initial lists: Where is the reporter when he/she first encounters this international espionage ring? Taking a tour of Buckingham Palace? Getting stuck somewhere in the fog? Buying a seemingly benign item in an old antique store? Take each item on this list a step further. What specifically happened at this place? Who else was there?

There's no right or wrong answer in the listing process and you don't have to list a prescribed number of things in each list. The point is to jumpstart your brain so that your creativity is in full swing and to get you into your story.

This development of lists from your initial lists helps you move forward by making choices concerning your story and/or character development. Often we try to make our story choices all in our head, only to forget important details later. Listing helps get story choices on paper to get the project moving. Now go make those lists!

13 Writing Books I Can't Live Without

It was tough cutting this list down to thirteen. Many books come and go, but I have a host of wonderful books on the writing profession that I keep in my permanent collection. Listed here are books in the areas of writing, promotion and legal as they pertain to the creative writing profession. Please list your favorites in the “Comments” section.


Thirteen Things about 13 Writing Books I Can’t Live Without

1. How I Write, by Janet Evanovich and Ina Yalof. This is a good, basic book on writing a novel.

2. Starting from Scratch: A Different Kind of Writers Manual, by Rita Mae Brown. This writing book is unique in that the author looks at the big picture of the life of the author and keeping that in balance, along with some fantastic writing tips. Highly recommended.

3. Writing the Romantic Comedy, by Billy Mernit. This is currently my favorite writing book. Don’t let the title deceive you. Mernit’s seven beats can be applied to any story, regardless of genre or format. Thus, it’s not just for those writing a romantic comedy screenplay. I refer to it on a regular basis for story analysis and examples.

4. The Hero with a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell. Campbell studied different cultures throughout history and discovered a lot of common themes. George Lucas utilized Campbell’s work when he was creating the first “Star Wars” movies. Another author wrote a book based upon Campbell’s work, but I prefer the original. The adventure of the hero and the cosmogonic cycle are explained in detail, citing historical examples.

5. How to Be Funny, by Steve Allen. This book is a wonderful tool, not only for actors and stand-up comedians, but for any writer wanting to incorporate more humor in his or her writing. It takes a serious look at creating and performing comedy.

6. What to Name Your Baby, by Maxwell Nurnberg and Morris Rosenblum. Everything has meaning. Names often give a profound insight into a person. I like this book because it’s fairly extensive, but find any baby name book that you feel drawn to and it will help you in your character research. Some useful baby names sites on the Web include: BabyNames.com, Baby Names World and the Social Security Administration has the 1,000 most popular baby names for every year beginning in 1880.

7. The Elements of Grammar, by Margaret Shertzer. This is a great grammar tool.

8. Story, by Robert McKee. My critique partner was not fond of this book because it’s very analytical. I mean SERIOUSLY analytical. It’s not a book I read cover-to-cover, but I often refer to it for reference when I need help with the structure of my story.

9. How to Write Irresistible Query Letters, by Lisa Collier Cool. This little book packs a lot of useful information on query letter writing as well as other aspects of the publishing business, including rights often purchased in a literary contract.

10. Be Your Own Literary Agent, by Martin P. Levin. This is a great resource for promotion and for gaining insight into the literary agent’s job.

11. The Savvy Author’s Guide to Book Publicity, by Lissa Warren. This is a nice basic guide to book publicity, containing general tips on promotion, interview tips, and specifics of the book publicity process.

12. The Copyright Handbook, by Stephen Fishman. If you don’t like a lot of legalese (the author is an attorney), you might not like this book. However, if you want to know more about copyright law, how it applies to written works and what it means to you, this book will succinctly tell you everything you want to know.

13. Negotiating a Book Contract: A Guide for Authors, Agents and Lawyers, by Mark L. Levine. This is a guide for authors, agents and attorneys. I think this book should be in every professional writer’s library. The author is an attorney, and a lot of contract examples are listed. It contains a wealth of information concerning the main clauses in a publishing contract. It’s complete, concise and will answer many of your publishing contract questions.


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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Character Ques

It’s often been said that character is plot. To know your character is to get him or her moving in your story and to suck your readers in to find out what happens to the person you’ve created.

Beyond the basic checklists often created to help develop particular demographic information, writers need to add details of the person to create more of a window into the character’s psyche. Going beyond generic traits into more personal nuances of the character provides readers with more depth of his depiction and enriches the story, regardless of how much of the character’s personal details are revealed to the reader.

Here are some questions to help encourage your character to reveal more personal information about himself/herself.

1. What would your character say if she suspected someone had just lied to her?

a. "That’s a pile of horse manure."
b. "Bullshit!"
c. "Liar!"
d. "You know that’s not true."
e. "Are you sure you’ve got your facts straight?"
f. "You don’t say?"
g. ?

2. Your character always laughs at:

a. slapstick comedy
b. sarcasm
c. dirty jokes
d. Monty Python movies
e. his own shortcomings
f. others’ misfortunes
g. ?

3. Your character most respects:


a. A parent
b. A personal friend
c. Princess Diana
d. Michael Jordon
e. Oprah Winfrey
f. The Pope
g. ?

4. What sort of movies does your character watch?

a. romantic comedies
b. horror movies
c. action thrillers
d. documentaries
e. porn
f. anything made before 1965
g. ?

5. Your character most closely resembles:

a. her parent
b. her sibling
c. her best friend
d. the cable guy
e. her favorite movie star
f. an unpopular political figure
g. ?

6. How does your character celebrate New Year’s Eve?

a. by himself, with a case of his favorite beer
b. by himself, with a glass of milk
c. at his ex-lover’s house
d. at a lavish party with a hired escort
e. with his friends, hanging out at a log cabin
f. making love to his wife
g. ?

7. When taking a long road trip, your character prefers to be:

a. in the driver’s seat
b. in the passenger’s seat, navigating
c. in the passenger’s seat, daydreaming
d. in the back seat, sleeping
e. on a bus
f. hitchhiking
g. ?

8. What smell evokes the strongest memory for your character?

a. hospital antiseptic
b. warm chocolate chip cookies
c. Chanel #5
d. the week-old corpse he found in the basement
e. shoe polish
f. hot asphalt
g. ?

9. What’s the last piece of clothing your character bought for himself/herself?

a. an expensive suit/dress
b. cowboy boots
c. a terrycloth bathrobe
d. silk underwear
e. a rubber body suit
f. a ski mask
g. ?

10. What trivial fault is your character most ashamed of in herself?

a. an addiction to children’s aspirin
b. an ugly tattoo on her butt
c. an unpaid library fine
d. a fear of water
e. a speech impediment
f. stealing funds from a former employer
g. ?

What other questions/options would you add to help get to know your character?

Fiction Writing Meeting in Omaha

Writer Dan Reynolds will be hosting a fiction writing discussion at the next Omaha Nightwriters group meeting this Thursday, May 17th at 7:00 p.m. at Panera Bread, 136th St and West Maple Road in Omaha. Dan will lead the group in a dialogue concerning:

* The Benefits of Joining a Critique Group

* Getting Input vs. Working in a Vacuum

* Professional Relationships

* Developing a Healthy Outlook (Accepting Criticism)

* How Do You Deliver a Good Critique?

* Novel Ideas (Spurring Creativity)

* Writing Strategies

* Researching Your Story

* What Sells, What Doesn't

* Software Tools, etc.

Dan will have many of these software tools on a FREE CD for anyone attending the meeting. There is no fee/membership required to attend the meeting.

The Omaha NightWriters are writers of every genre - from non-fiction to mystery novels. Members also write screenplays, stage plays, science fiction and romance novels. A guest speaker is featured at each monthly meeting (except December). The group also offers a free critique workshop wherein you can read your articles, query letters, book chapters, short stories, etc., and receive feedback on how to improve your writing. A poetry group also meets once a month.

For more information, contact Lisa Pelto at: 402-301-4767.

Updated Resources

The resources on Writers' Links section of the blog have been updated and now include some new tools, including OneLook Reverse Dictionary and some new sites in the areas of crime fiction, children's literature and science fiction. A new Readers' Links section has also been added. The Author/Agent Web Sites section and Blogs section have also been expanded.

If you have a favorite Web resource you feel would be useful to other writers, please share it here. Enjoy!

Got this idea last week from Robin, whose book "Alien Overnight" was just released. If you’re into erotica, go check it out!

Thirteen Things about Guys I’d Let Eat Crackers in My Bed


1. Anthony Hopkins I was never much of an Anthony Hopkins fan until I saw him in "The Mask of Zorro". My, my. He looked so good and he was SO Zorro.

2. George Clooney Aside from the acting talent and political activism, this guy’s just hot.

3. Howard KeelOkay, I know the guy is dead, but if I could go back in time 50 years . . . oh, yeah. His singing, dancing and acting - all spot on. If you haven't already seen him in "Kiss Me Kate" and "Kismet" , watch these films and you'll see what I mean.

4. Keanu Reeves C'mon. Why not? He's just so sexy.

5. Miguel Ferrer I find Miguel Ferrer incredibly sexy and I often find myself writing characters I envision him portraying.

6. Pete Duel Okay, another dead guy. But again, if I could magically be transported through time to spend a night or two with him, I would in a heartbeat. Check him out in "Alias Smith and Jones"
and you'll understand.


7. John Mayer Not only is he a handsome man, but his music is sexy, too.

8. David Caruso I'm not much for watching a lot of television, but I'll make time to check out Caruso.

9. Peter Boynton He owns a theatre in Vermont. He can sing, dance and act. He has such a presence on the stage, he sends chills up my spine. And he's obviously easy on the eye, too. He also portrayed Tonio Reyes on "As the World Turns."

10. James Remar He played Richard Wright on "Sex and the City", but I first saw him play Albert Ganz in "48 Hours". He's got that sexy bad boy look.

11. Anthony LaPaglia I've thought this guy was hot since I saw him play the obnoxious Simon Moon on the seventh season of "Frasier".

12. William Fichtner A talented actor that's most recently been seen in "Blades of Glory", "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", "The Longest Yard" and "Black Hawk Down".

13. Hunt Block Here's another talented actor who's been in "Knot's Landing", "Guiding Light", "All My Children" and most recently as Craig Montgomery in "As the World Turns."


Which of these 13 men would you let eat crackers in your bed? Which guy(s) would you add to the list and why?

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Eight Things About Me

Melissa tagged me, so here goes...

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

Eight Weird/Random Facts About Me

#1. I’m a lawyer and a Reiki Master Teacher.

#2. My first job was as a model.

#3. I make my own perfume.

#4. I read more nonfiction but write more fiction.

#5. I’m a fan of Jerry Reed music. (Sometimes a gal has to tap into her inner redneck.)

#6. I once dated a man old enough to be my father. My mother still cringes when the topic comes up.

#7. The dog I currently have I didn’t select. A friend went out to a shelter and thought she’d be perfect for me, so she got her. And my friend was right. The dog is perfect for me.

#8. I was first published when I was 15, and I sold my first fiction writing project in only 20 minutes.

I don’t know eight other people with blogs that haven’t already been tagged, so I guess it stops here. Is anyone here surprised by anything in my list of eight?

Screenwriting Group & Plain English

I recently discovered a screenwriting group that meets in Omaha on Saturdays for networking and critiques and on Tuesday nights for critiques. It's a fun group and it's open to everyone. There is no fee for membership. For more information, go to Omaha Screenwriting Workshops. To get on their e-mailing list, contact Teresa Affleck at: Teresa@USScreenWriter.com.

I also recently learned of a new writers' tool at: Plain English Campaign. Along with guidance on how to write more succinctly in clear, plain English, the site provides information on medical terminology, a legal glossary and pension terms. You'll find these items in the Free Guides and Software section. It's also listed on this site in the Writers' Links section.

Happy writing!

Favorite TV Lines

Thirteen Things about the best lines I’ve heard on television


1. ”I said, ‘good day!’” Fez, That ‘70s Show


2. “I didn’t do it. Nobody saw me do it. You can’t prove anything.” Bart Simpson, The Simpsons

3. “Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge. Say no more!” Monty Python’s Flying Circus

4. “We were on a break.” Ross Geller, Friends

5. “Damn it, Jim! I’m a doctor not a (fill in the blank).” Dr. McCoy, Star Trek

6. “We got movie sign . . . push the button, Frank.” Dr. Clayton Forrester, Mystery Science Theater 3000

7. “Homie don’t play dat.” Homie da Clown, In Living Color

8. “Speed kills, Del.” Dr. Johnny Fever, WKRP in Cincinnati

9. “Good evening. I’m Chevy Chase and you’re not.” Chevy Chase, Saturday Night Live

10. “That boy ain’t right.” Hank Hill, King of the Hill

11. “Who loves ya, baby?” Lt. Theo Kojak, Kojak

12. “The truth is out there.” Fox Mulder, The X Files

13. “God’ll get you for that.” Maude Findlay, Maude

What lines from television still permeate your brain? Which ones do you use in your speech?

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

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Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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