I deal in a lot of placeholders, often writing INSERTWORD or naming a character after their role such as: VILLIAN. READ MORE HERE. But sometimes I do have the names when I start. I might not be entirely sold on the character’s name, but inevitably come to know them as such after spending months calling them that.
This creates a perception of that character in me that can blind me to what a reader reads. What is actually there about the character? What is missing, stuck in my head but attached through this name?
One way to check for this is to rename the character (and let the story rest for a month or so). When I return, this name sneaks up on me. Who is this character that I now feel like I’m meeting for the first time?
You can always change the name back if you prefer the previous name, but this will hopefully allow you to see your story through a new lens.
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