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Q&A Would it be cheating to change the main character's "name" partway through the story?

As long as the change is obvious that sounds like an interesting take on naming your character. You should think about how the exact change happens - it's probably unnatural if your narrator sudden...

posted 7y ago by Secespitus‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

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#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T23:01:20Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33053
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:52:07Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33053
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T07:52:07Z (almost 5 years ago)
As long as the change is obvious that sounds like an interesting take on naming your character. You should think about how the exact change happens - it's probably unnatural if your narrator suddenly completely switches from one name to the author.

Old habits die hard.

You could for example make it pretty obvious by letting the narrator start with the first name and interrupt himself:

> You know, Doo- I wanted to say _Doodler_ again, sorry - You know, Rebecca, that's a very fine idea.

And after one or two such mistakes it becomes normal to use the latter name.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-02-05T15:57:51Z (almost 7 years ago)
Original score: 6