Nanowrimo question...

[unknownfate]

Quick Nanowrimo question:

Two of my characters have changed their names. Do I refer to them as the new names or use the old names and only use the new ones when they are being spoken to by an outside character? Any suggestions? It seems weird to just switch.

I've also given up on all the era research. I had been skipping around my history trying to remember what was legal and what wasn't in the 30s, but then I remembered that Hell has broken open and demons are walking the earth in suits and ties. Prohibition was the least of these people's worries! They probably needed a drink more than ever.

Anyway, back to writing. Only a few days left!

Comments

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

I have a vague memory of doing this in a fanfic but I don't remember why.

Or maybe it's just that I remember doing it in real life! (I changed my first name when I converted to Judaism.)

What I would go with is to show the character's reaction to being called the name, and to thinking of themselves as that name, for a bit until the character (and the audience) gets used to it.

I'm thinking of stuff like "When they called her Hannah, she didn't even turn around, because she was so used to being Kathy," or "He had to remind himself he was Jim now and not Hal."

After a while when you say "Hal" the reader is going to remember who it is... or so I think?

Not great writing examples but you get my drift?