I have a character name (ok a couple actually, on a couple of different stories) giving me grief. The name in question has changed.... oh let's see, 20 times now? More? The problem, and this sounds completely crazy I know, is that, because I can't get the name right, the character keeps changing on me. Usually with the name.
Sometimes, I can't even start something until I have the name right. It's like the name literally defines the character and everything that springs from them. Every quality, phobia and dislike. If I can start without it (and I have on several occasions) I have to watch constantly that the character isn't inconsistent because... because they don't have a fucking name?! Seriously? *Sigh* Apparently so.
This particularly character started out based on several things, one of which was that the name had to be one syllable. Or something that could (and would) be shortened down to that. Weird eh? I have gone through literally every one syllable, female name I could find. None of which have fit "just so." I thought I had it for a while there. The character spent the last 2 years with the same name. But it didn't feel entirely right. One small experiment on readers later and we're back to changing it up again.
I have a fallen angel I can't get a proper handle on because he lacks a name (of the only ones that seem to fit, I can't use because they are entirely too pre-loaded with meanings I don't wish to ascribe to him). I have a heroine who becomes someone else entirely sometimes because she lacks the correct name. I have an entire story with NAME1 through to... damn, I think we're on NAME5 or NAME7 now, stalled out. *shakes head*
If I waited for the right names, I'm pretty sure nothing would ever get started.
Sometimes, the name just comes. Blam! There it is! Puff of smoke, thank you, dude's jacked up and good to go. And then there's those other times...
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