What’s in a name? Have a look at this fun exercise for fiction writers and see what kind of characters you can invent from the names given.
The names we give our main characters are a crucial part of their "make-up". Do you choose the name first and then assign characteristics – or do you look at the characteristics you want your character to have and then assign a name you think of as appropriate?
For each of the following names, write a short physical description of how you see this character, and then make a list of the personality traits you would give to him/her. On name alone, would you assign this person into the bad guy or good guy category?
Grace Sweetwater
Mario Mandez
Justice Makepiece
Randy Troubledown
Pandora Spelling
Read back over the descriptions assigned to each name. Are you guilty of having stereotyped the character just on the basis of a name?
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