Welcome to Writer Thursdays, where I unpack my novel writing process from start to finish.
My new novel’s working title is: PETALS & DUST.
Now to the task of renaming my heroine.
I wrote this story back in November 2013 during Nanowrimo, and my goal during that month was to turn off the editor voice and push through to the end. I’d written one book already, and the thought of having another finished tale became too much to resist. The name Jadha fell onto the page. From there I wrote until my wrists hurt and pushed harder than I had until that point in my writing career.
Five years later and my forehead is hitting the desk. I’d never considered anything wrong with the name (and there really isn’t) except I just finished a science fantasy novel and the heroine’s name is Jàden. Despite the fact that these two stories occur in different universes, it’s much too similar for my liking. This new heroine needs to stand apart from other characters I’ve written.
The Conundrum
Here’s the truth: a name changes everything. Jadha fits the character I wrote in 2013, and it also fits how I envision this heroine. She’s been bred to rule. At twenty-seven years old, she’s got a fiery spirit, loves to hunt wild game in the mountains, and she’s the only heiress to a dying kingdom. I need her name to represent all of these traits and give readers a hint of her persona through that.
But, when it comes to names, I’m picky as shit. It’s easier to raid a squirrel’s nest to start a war between him and the chipmunk across the street. That battle’s coming…
For my novels, the names I prefer are rarely what you’d find in a baby book. They have to be something familiar, but also unique enough to stand out with a whispering hint of whimsical or disturbed. It has to feel fantastical without clogging arteries, like some really long character names I’ve seen.
The List
After a LOT of research, I start pulling a lot of names together, some that sound close and some that have deeper meanings. Here’s a peek at part of the list I generated:
- Ayana
Astera
Azami (thistle)
Elora
Eluria
Flora
Keya
Isana
Aranea Saikadri (flower of purity)
Vasudaira (born of fire)
Adaira (oak tree ford)
Flower of purity under a dark moon.
Arania Saikadri Vasudaira
Some of these are close, but still not quite right. I have to be able to hear the characters she’s up against shout her name in the heat of battle. Nothing fits. So, I delved deeper until I found the name I wanted: Nefira. It’s a mash up of a few words, but to my eyes this screams fire and feisty. And the heroine in this tale is a stubborn red-headed royal with magic in her blood and a haughty persona when the story opens.
I played around writing the heroine with this name and the words poured onto the page. That’s when I knew I’d found my heroine again.
It may seem like such a small thing, to find the right name. But I’m a firm believer the right name for your character will pull the story in the best direction and give the author a deeper complexity to tug out all the beauty inside our wonderful heroes and heroines. It’s the small details that strengthen the tone.
How do you find your character names? Feel free to share in the comments below! 🙂
If you like this article, be sure to check out Writer Thursday for more on my adventure from dumpster fire to digestible story. You can also subscribe to this blog and be the first to know when new content is delivered.
