???? The big question ????
In honour of my Take Me Now book trailer video winning 3rd place in the September video contest at 'You Gotta Read' last week, I'm running a little competition today- the prize being an e copy of Take Me Now.
All you have to do is post me an answer, and your email contact address, in the comments box below.
One lucky comment will win a copy of Take Me Now.
Imagine this scenario. You’re writing a WIP and you find
that it makes much more sense for your main character to assume a new first
name. Not a completely new identity just a change of first name. She just
doesn’t want to be identified as coming from a particular place, not yet, and
not till much later in the novel will that fact be revealed.
Your story starts
off with the reader knowing the character’s name is Lorna, the beginning of the
novel being in the POV of Lorna. A little into
the storyline someone misinterprets the name and wrongly assumes she is called Lana.
For reasons not needing to be divulged here, Lorna chooses to be known as Lana.
From that point in your story all the secondary characters call the character Lana when
referring to her.
When
subsequent scenes are written in the POV of
Lorna should the author maintain the name Lorna for the rest of the novel, or at least till the denouement
takes place…or does the author switch and call her Lana-with the assumption that the reader has already associated her with the new name?
Example:
…Lorna blocked out the
old medical harridan. She would have preferred death to this crippledom. But,
since she lived, she determined that she would become the name Nurse Sarah had
just gifted her. From now on she would be Lana. The change of name would be
good since she was not the whole person she used to be.
Her last thought before sleep
claimed her was that God might have given her a better chance at heaven if it
had been an eventing horse that had pinned her to the ground instead of the
hi-tec fencing.
***
LORNA/LANA limped her way to the end
of the room. She picked up the heaviest book from the shelf and placed it upon
her head. Nothing was going to prevent her walking properly…and she would get
that place on the team. Long locks lopped off to a short buzz, the new vibrant
red shade applied and her eyes kohl rimmed completely transformed her. The
weight loss over the last three months had helped that process as well, her
cheeks now sunken and well defined. The soft LORNA/LANA was gone….
Here’s the question. Which name should be used after the
asterisks? Should it change to Lana..for the bulk of the novel until the
denouement? Or should the reader still see the name as Lorna when a section is
written in her POV?
 | |
| image from www.123rf.com |
I’m looking forward to your answers.
Slainthe!
Fascinating premise, Nancy. Quite a conundrum!
ReplyDeleteI would continue as 'Lorna' but have other characters call her 'Lana'. But I've also come across novels where the character was referred to under the new name throughout, to avoid confusion.
I think it depends how early on in the story this change takes place.
Good luck! :-)
Thanks, Cathie. I'm not telling what my instinct is yet, but in the fullness of time it may become evident. :-) Thanks for posting a comment.
DeleteHi Nancy,
ReplyDeleteCathie has made some valid points, however, I would be happy to read the bulk of the book with the character as Lana.
For me the natural cut off point would be 'The soft Lorna was gone. In her place...'(or whatever comes next if you see what I mean) Perhaps there is opportunity throughout the plot where Lana could make reference to her former persona, just to maitain the bond, as in some act that Lana carried out that Lorna would never have done. Just a thought.
Best wishes and Good Luck with the WIP.
Laurie. (theaccidentalpoet@gmail.com)
Your input is very welcome, thanks, Laurie. I can see how your sugggestion would work! :-)
DeleteI would go with Lana. It is hard though for the reader. Like when you meet someone named Robert and later people are calling him Bob, it's hard to mske the transition for you to call jim Bob. If you gad met hom as Bob it would be much easier. However, it seems the name change is a major part of your story and you make a big enoigh deal over it that it should be acceptable to the reader and they would thinkbof her as a new character named Lana.
ReplyDeleteCherleygtogg@gmail.com
Thank you Cherley. It's great to have the input of others!
DeleteVery interesting questions Nancy! If it were me reading or writing this story I would go with the name Lana. That is how the character is seeing herself, as if she were reborn and given a 2nd chance. I might also, on occasion throughout the story have some internals as Lorna. I think readers are capable of making the transition and 'getting' the fact that she is using an alias.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I can't wait to learn what you decide.
christine.warner@yahoo.com
Hi, Christine. It is a nice question, and I'm still undecided - though I'm appreciating your suggestions very much!
DeleteAs long as the narrative is in Lorna's POV, I think you should keep it as Lorna.
ReplyDeleteIn her own head she'd still be Lorna and you don't want the readers to forget that she is actually Lorna. Wow, the two names are so close, but I can see why you had to do that. Good Luck.
sandy4lee@yahoo.com
Thank you, Sandy. It's great to have your opinion.:-) In my WIP the names are close!
DeleteWell, I have to admit I'm torn. You've created quite the pickle there. lol In her narrative, she's made the decision herself to be Lana, so my first instinct was to say switch, but I think to switch might confuse the reader. I think it might depend on how far into the book you are. If you're over halfway, then I'd leave her as Lorna and just have people call her Lana. If you've set it up that people have adopted her as this, then it's natural that she might introduce herself as Lana. She could even slip up every once in a while, but I think it might confuse the reader if you suddenly switched her name.
ReplyDeleteIf that helps at all. lol ladyscorpion_2000@yahoo.com
Great observations, Joannne. It is quite a tricky problem indeeed, and the very first time I've created the situation in my writing. I'm still on the fence at present over how to deal with it!
DeleteNancy, when I was writing Loveland I got criticised for sometimes calling my hero Jesse and sometimes Jess, so I think you have a problem here! But, for what it's worth, I'd keep her as Lorna in her own mind, her POV, and let others call her Lana from that "soft Lorna was gone..." bit. good luck with the WIP...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Andrea! Good advice.
DeleteHey, Nancy. I did this in a book and again in my current WIP. I allowed my heroine to think of herself by the name she identifies with. IE my character thought of herself as Avery even though those around her called her Annie. The only change would be if you wanted the *reader* to forget about her ever being called Lorna. Then I would drop it until the big 'da-dum' moment. Or if she is never going to be called Lorna again, then I would have her think of herself as Lana. Lorna and Lana are so very close. Either way, be careful, and make sure there are no other characters with a name that begins with 'L'. Good luck!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Amie. I love that last piece of advice regarding names that begin with the same letter. Good thinking!and will do!
DeleteI just finished the final galley read on a romantic suspense where my hero and heroine went undercover, using different names. Jean-Luc became Marcus. Gwen became Tessa. Different hairstyles, colored contacts, fake tatoos...you get the picture. Sounded like great fun when I dreamed up the scenario. Then I hit the wall just as you have. Oh, my, how do I handle this? I wrote 3 chapters using only their new names. Lawd, I nearly confused myself...LOL. MY critique partner said I had her confused. So I rewrote it, keeping them Jean-Luc and Gwen in their own minds when in one or the other's pov. But had them call each other by their fake names and made reference from time to time to fake names, fake I.D's, fake spouses. My editor accepted it that way, and frankly I wasn't sure she would.
ReplyDeleteMy situation--or characters' situation--was different. They'd gone undercover to catch a terrorist. Your heroine has her own reasons for doing so. Perhaps, at one point, you may have to say. "Lorna, Lana, at times she didn't know herself who she was anymore. Just a thought.
Aha! Once again good advice, Vonnie. I'm very pleased to hear your manuscript was accepted. And like you, the idea of a slightly new name seems easy enough at first. I'm taking heed of everyone's comments, and confess I'm pretty sure which way I'm going, but I might have to change my mind when I get a lot further on in the WIP. Thanks for your input. :-)
ReplyDeleteOoo lordie! I have the same problem with Jack/Joachim ... I'd say keep it Lorna unless you reach a point where she thinks "even I'm starting to think of myself as Lana!" If you started using Lorna/Lana all the time it would be very irritating. You may even have to keep repeating things like -
ReplyDelete"So what did you think, Lana?" Mark asked Lorna.
It's a juggling act, I know. I worry that readers are going to go "who he?" when Rory is alone with Jack and can call him by his real name.
I'm definitely going to avoid that hairy, scairy scenario that you just described with Mark and Lorna. I'm pleased to say I also know who the Jack and Joachim are, Ailsa. *wink* Yes, I think I'll be making sure I don't get 'author heebiejeebies' syndrome. :-)
Delete