Occasionally names are mere placeholders in fiction.
Typically, however, a writer selects them with great care, to evoke a mood or hint at a secret, symbolic meaning. Choosing names for characters and places can be an involved, even agonizing process. And, it can be a major source of writer’s block.
Let’s face it, we are not all equipped to derive the name of every place and person meticulously from obscure ancient words the way a trained linguist like Tolkien would be. And we don’t all have the ready wit of Dickens. Most of us need more mundane inspiration.
Here are four places a writer can turn for name ideas when the creative juices are just not flowing as they should.
Today, in the aftermath of the long-anticipated Lost finale, I want to investigate good and bad ways to finish a storyline driven by suspense.
