A note to authors

[andrewducker]

If you start your book by introducing five characters at once, who refer to each other by a mix of first names, surnames and nicknames (and occasionally by some identifying feature) then I will finish the opening chapter with no idea who anyone is, or what they are doing.

I have enough problems with names in real life - I need to be introduced to characters one or two at a time, with each one labelled and identified so that I have some kind of internal handle on them, before the next ones are introduced.  More than that and I will bounce right off of your book.

Comments

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

I had trouble with this in a book recently -- but the book itself was fantastic -- and the multiple names for people reflects how real life works too, you know.

[opusfluke.livejournal.com]

Names aren't too much of a problem. It's when writers jump-cut between plot lines I find myself in need of a chart. LOTR did that way too much.

[pisica.livejournal.com]

Heh. I was reading Ha'penny (the middle book in Jo Walton's alternate WWII series) and the main character and her sisters are the alternate Mitford sisters, which is fine, except that I can't keep track of all of THEM, so trying to keep track of a new batch twelve names (real names & nicknames for all six of them) just made me say ARGH.

I did keep up with the book. Thankfully, the Mitfordesque stuff was mostly Walton being cute (imho) so as long as I knew vaguely who was being referred to, I could stick with the main plot.

[meihua.livejournal.com]

*grins* Try the Deverry Cycle by Katharine Kerr. Not only do you have to keep track of similar-sounding names, but you also have to track who-is-who-reborn, through characters of different ages and genders through hundreds of years of history.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

See, neither names nor plot jumps bother me. Nor do timeline alternates, or stuff like that - as long as the author themselves has it straight and there are no inconsistencies. I really hate it when there are blatant renames or mistakes.

[cybik.livejournal.com]

I just read The Margarets by Sheri S. Tepper, which is about 7 people who are the same person..

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

f you start your book by introducing five characters at once, who refer to each other by a mix of first names, surnames and nicknames (and occasionally by some identifying feature) then I will finish the opening chapter with no idea who anyone is, or what they are doing.

But Andy, Tolstoy did it... :-)

[opusfluke.livejournal.com]

Just thought of another one for you all. "Capacity" by Tony Ballantyne. Get this- not only do you have to keep track of thirteen characters with the same name but you have "Atomic Judy" with her twelve digital "sisters" ("Judy1" through to "Judy12") who are all trying to track down an illegal copying ring. And on top of that Judy3 is being a bit of a deviant in her own right. Got me confused at the start...

[ekatarina.livejournal.com]

My mother read lots of Georgette Heyer novels (regency romances) and I discovered she would actually write little family trees inside the cover to hep her keep track.

Ekatarina

[lizzie-and-ari.livejournal.com]

Try 100 years of solitude. Total opposite-about 30 characters with but 4 names between them. Much better ;)

Lxxx