 Fantasy: February 27, 2008 Issue [#2242] |
  Fantasy
This week: Edited by: zwisis
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Writing fantasy is like building a wall. In a wall each brick contributes to the stability of the whole, but when someone looks at the wall no individual brick should stand out from the others. If names and other details are inappropriate it is like sticking a great big concrete block among the bricks.
– Victoria Strauss, author of “The Arm of the Stone and “The Garden of the Stone”
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Choosing the right names for your fantasy novel is crucial to the success of your book. Not only does the right name create a memorable character to accompany your reader through the worlds and adventures in your story; the right names will help make even the most exotic fantasy world an interesting and believable place. According to Ms Strauss:
"If you're going to take pains to make your fantasy society politically and economically convincing, why not take the time to make your names fit that context? Consistency is the most important element. If your names aren't consistent within the context you've established, you detract from the believability of your imaginary world -- and run the risk of making readers think you're sloppy."
In the fantasy genre the writer wants readers to be able to imagine the world in which the story is set. It’s not an easy task, and all the time and effort you put into creating your fantasy world can be ruined by something as simple as misnaming a character. Good names do not leap off the page at a reader, attempting to impress with their length and/or unique sound. Who wants to spend valuable reading time trying to pronounce a five syllable moniker?
In everyday life we come across interesting and unusual names… in magazine articles, street and place names. Even the news reports covering foreign countries on television may contain some exotic names. Some of the television documentaries on Animal Planet or Discovery may hold inspirational names. Get into the habit of remembering them. Every aspiring writer should carry a notebook where you can write down these names, so if you have a bad memory (like me) the notebook is a blessing. If you have an atlas, open it and pick a country. Study the place names, making note of any which catch your eye. Towns, mountain ranges, deserts and seas… you are virtually guaranteed to find something suitable for your story. If you don’t have an atlas there are some excellent and detailed online maps on the Internet.
One of the best sources of names can be derived from foreign languages. And you don’t necessarily have to be fully conversant in a second language – in fact you don’t need to speak it at all. A translation dictionary is all you need, but avoid looking up the English translations first. Reading the foreign words at random will help you find a word that sounds suitable, and then you can check the English meaning to see if it will work. You may find changing the spelling slightly will give you the right name. Paging through a good English dictionary or thesaurus will also work, especially the larger versions which contain the origins of most words. My copy of the “Combined Oxford Thesaurus” also contains lists of collective names, such as birds, flowers, animals, colours, minerals and gemstones. It was invaluable when I was looking for character names during last year’s NaNoWriMo.
You may find it worthwhile to add a glossary to your notebook while you are working on your book, especially if you are using foreign sounding or invented names. It can prove very useful for your readers, but a word of caution: do not make it large and complex. It should just be a brief explanation of names. If it’s too large you run the risk of having your readers believe your book is complicated and difficult to read.
To conclude I found some interesting facts about how two of the world’s greatest fantasy fiction writers applied names to their characters.
J R R Tolkien’s influence upon the fantasy genre is legendary, and not only because of the wonderful worlds he created in his books. His characters are probably some of the most unforgettable “beings” in the literary world. Bilbo Baggins, Frodo, Gandalf and Gollum are all synonymous with his wonderful books. Tolkien was an expert in linguistics with a thorough knowledge of the history of language – known as “philology” – an obvious benefit when creating names for his characters.
Tolkien’s interest in Greek, Roman, Old English, Nordic and Germanic mythology and folklore was also an inspiration for his names and his characters. “Gandalf” is a variation on the Norse dwarf name Gandalfr and Gandr,the Basque name for a mythological race of giants. This combined with the description of the Nordic god Odin - an old man with a long white beard, a wide brimmed hat and a staff to create Gandalf.
The author of “The Chronicles of Narnia”, C S Lewis, was a close friend of Tolkien’s. The name Aslan is Turkish for lion, a name Lewis encountered during a trip to the then Ottoman Empire. “Aslan” was the name of the Sultan’s elite guards, and Lewis was impressed by the men’s loyalty and bravery. It is thought the name Narnia originates from the Italian village “Narni”, called “”Narnia” in ancient Roman times.
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Amarisa 
Let's not forget about the Ender's Series by Orson Scott Card. The characterization for Ender and the other characters are enough to make it soft science fiction. On another note, I honestly didn't know there was such thing as soft and hard sci-fi... interesting.
I’d not heard of this series before, and it looks really interesting. Thank you for introducing me to a new author! And yes, I also didn’t know about “soft” and “hard” sci fi, but it makes sense, doesn’t it?
Cyanvia
Amazing newsletter from you again! :D I love your newsletter because it's full of useful information.
I totally love science fiction and this newsletter helped me a lot! I think a good science fiction should balance between amount of details and the characters' personalities and lives. However, I prefer more details because it can make the story interesting and provide new information. Hope you keep up the good works like this newsletter. Thank you for sharing, Sarah!
You are welcome, and thank you for the encouragement! I know all editors appreciate knowing the newsletters are helpful and useful!
larryp
Sarah
Your newsletters always contain helpful insights and show evidence of much research. This one is no exception. I liked your thoughts on what if.
Larry
Yes, there’s a lot of research, but I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned during the time I’ve been writing these newsletters. What if… the possibilities are endless, aren’t they?
sultry
Wonderful newsletter filled with tips I'm sure most readers can take stock from, including myself. Thanks for the plug for "Hespetha: A Feline Tale". I'm now considering adding to it. Who knows, it could possibly be that novel you hinted on.
As you know I loved that story when I first read/reviewed it. And I still remember how it made me feel when I read it. I really hope you do take this story further. It deserves to be read.
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