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Q&A What should I do when I am stuck on names during freewriting?

I often face the same problem with finding names, not just for characters, but also for places, titles, etc. In such cases, I use a temporary name, and specific markup, to make those temporary name...

posted 6y ago by Galastel‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#4: Attribution notice removed by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-12T21:57:19Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34147
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 · 2019-12-08T08:15:15Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/34147
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by (deleted user) · 2019-12-08T08:15:15Z (almost 5 years ago)
I often face the same problem with finding names, not just for characters, but also for places, titles, etc. In such cases, I use a temporary name, and specific markup, to make those temporary names easy to find later. For example

> {Alpha} and {Bravo} lived in {TownName} town, {X} leagues from {CapitalName}. {Alpha}'s parents...

When I find a name, this system makes it easy to find and replace, without accidentally replacing something I don't want to. And I can easily go over a document, search for { tags, to see what I still need to name.

Another thing I do is I keep around a list of names that sort of work for my setting, and for minor characters, at least, I pick one at random. I can always change it later, right? Where do I get the list? Names I come across, and like the sound of. I do research for whatever I'm writing, I run across relevant names, I write them down.

The thing you don't want to do is sit around for days, not continuing your story because you can't find a name. Like you say, it kills momentum completely.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-03-09T18:21:09Z (over 6 years ago)
Original score: 10