Maybe an odd question...

bsymom · Jun 8, 2011

When working with basically only two characters, how often should you repeat their names? Is there any such thing as too much or not enough?

I have been using their names (if mentioned) in the first paragraph of each chapter and periodically throughout. One is male, one is female, so "he" and "she" are self-explanatory.

stormie · Jun 8, 2011

Not an odd question.

Reread it out loud. You'll hear where using just "he" or "she" works or where you're using their names too often.

Wordwrestler · Jun 10, 2011

I second Stormie. Reading aloud and hearing the words might help a lot here. Since there's no confusion about who he or she refers to, you don't have to use the names, but there will be lines that just read better with them. Find out what sounds right to you.

jeffo20 · Jun 10, 2011

bsymom said:
When working with basically only two characters, how often should you repeat their names? Is there any such thing as too much or not enough?

Yes to the second question, on both counts. There can be too much. There can also be not enough. The tough part is knowing.

Reading the page is a good way to go. If you find there's any confusion at all about which person is speaking or doing the action, you need to throw in a name (or some clear identifier).

It's another one of those areas in writing where you have to go by 'feel.'

C.J. · Jun 10, 2011

Great advise everyone.

Bufty · Jun 10, 2011

Getting a feel for both flow and clarity will tell you when something is wrong or needs clarifying.

Susan Coffin · Jun 10, 2011

Averon 2011 said:
Another way to do it, if you don't wanna keep sayign the names, to refer to them by their relationship with each other, by their clothes, etc... You can actually give a lot of information about the characters in this way.

"..." Said Mark.
"..." Said his wife.
"..." Said her husband.
"..." Said Tara.
"..." Said the white bearded Mark.
"..." Said the blonde haired Tara.

That way you've still got Mark & Tara and variants of he/she pronouns but you're also giving the reader information about them that they might not otherwise find out.

Those seem a little overdone to me, especially the last two four examples, and with "said" first.

In a conversation with just Tara and Mark, and we know they're married, it would be redundant to tag "his wife" or "her husband." The reader knows.

Susan Coffin · Jun 10, 2011

bsymom said:
When working with basically only two characters, how often should you repeat their names? Is there any such thing as too much or not enough?

I have been using their names (if mentioned) in the first paragraph of each chapter and periodically throughout. One is male, one is female, so "he" and "she" are self-explanatory.

You're doing fine. When you do your edits, you will find the places that their names do or do not fit.

Wordwrestler · Jun 10, 2011

Averon 2011 said:
Another way to do it, if you don't wanna keep sayign the names, to refer to them by their relationship with each other, by their clothes, etc... You can actually give a lot of information about the characters in this way.

"..." Said Mark.
"..." Said his wife.
"..." Said her husband.
"..." Said Tara.
"..." Said the white bearded Mark.
"..." Said the blonde haired Tara.

That way you've still got Mark & Tara and variants of he/she pronouns but you're also giving the reader information about them that they might not otherwise find out.

Some authors do this, and some readers don't mind. But . . .
I couldn't recommend it. Today's editors would see it as a sign of someone new to working on the craft, and many readers find it irritating, especially those who are also writers.

AmsterdamAssassin · Jun 10, 2011

When I uploaded my MS into my Kindle, I noticed a passage where I had used the MC's name five times on one page, where I could easily swap two for 'she'. So that might also work.

AudreyInDC · Jun 22, 2011

bsymom said:
When working with basically only two characters, how often should you repeat their names? Is there any such thing as too much or not enough?

I have been using their names (if mentioned) in the first paragraph of each chapter and periodically throughout. One is male, one is female, so "he" and "she" are self-explanatory.

I think that like the word "said" as a dialogue tag, characters' names and the pronouns "he" and "she" often disappear into your text and become simply invisible to the reader. As a rule of thumb, use the pronouns wherever they don't create ambiguity as to your meaning or whom they're referring to, unless it's been so long since you mentioned the character's name you think the reader could use a little reminding of who you're talking about again.

Fallen · Jun 22, 2011

Susan Littlefield said:
In a conversation with just Tara and Mark, and we know they're married, it would be redundant to tag "his wife" or "her husband." The reader knows.

Added to what wordwrestler said, I think that's sound advice.

Maybe an odd question...

bsymom

stormie

storm central

Wordwrestler

jeffo20

Tyrant King

C.J.

Gabi Daniels

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Wordwrestler

AmsterdamAssassin

AudreyInDC

New Fish; Learning About Thick Skin

Fallen

Stood at the coalface