Writing about a "nameless" character

yttar · Mar 13, 2008

For the novel I'm currently working on, I have this character (the main character to be precise) who I refer to as Kitsu, and I've called her Kitsu ever since I first created the character. However, for this book, she doesn't actually get the name Kitsu until the end of the book. Basically, she's sort of like a spy where she always uses a disguise and a made up identity, and is always "somebody else" throughout the book.

So my question is, when I write the synopsis for this novel, how should I refer to her? Should I just call her Kitsu, and put more emphasis on the fact that she chooses this as her name and identity at the end of the book? (i.e. Should I use the name that I think of her as?) Should I use her real name? Or, should I use the name of the identity she uses throughout most of the book (which may or may not be Sombra Alara)?

Yttar

dpaterso · Mar 13, 2008

Interesting dilemma.

You could use her real name in the synopsis to avoid confusion, then mention at the end that she changes it to Kitsu... or you could kick off with something like,

"The protagonist, Kitsu -- which is how she names herself at the end of her adventure -- is a veritable mistress of disguise who assumes many false identities..."

...if you prefer to call her Kitsu thoughout your synopsis.

Shrug, my random thoughts.

-Derek

maestrowork · Mar 13, 2008

Hmmm... you just need to be clear in the synopsis which character you're talking about. Either use Sombra or Kitsu but be consistent.

Personally I would use Sombra (even if her real name is Kitsu) because that's what she's known as for most of the book until the end. On the other hand, if it's going to be a series, it may be better to call her Kitsu, then explain that she uses pseudonyms and not many people know her real name.

Think of the character Q or M in James Bond. We may actually know their real names, but they are ALWAYS referred to as Q or M.

yttar · Mar 13, 2008

Thanks for the advice.

I guess I should have said that I would like it to be a series, which is why I'm kind of partial to using the name Kitsu (even though that's not technically her real name either).

I also thought about calling her Kitsu in the synopsis, but just making it clear that she doesn't become Kitsu (or choose that name) until the end, but I just wanted to see what other people thought.

Yttar

KikiteNeko · Mar 13, 2008

Interesting dilemma... Have you considered referring to her as "the protagonist" and then at the end of your query saying something like "at which point the protagonist, who had referred to herself as X, is revealed to be named X"?

I know it's possible, whatever you decide to do. I read a book by Margaret Atwood told in the first-person, and the narrator didn't even have a name. And then in Memoirs of a Geisha, the main character's name was changed from Chiyo to Sayuri.

JacobWorld · Mar 13, 2008

Hi mate

I reckon people need to identify with the characters so the name is essential . Even monsters or wicked people in books have names .

L.R. Currell · Mar 13, 2008

I have a character in one of my books called "Boy" because that is what he is known as, he has a name but you don't really find out what it is until the very end. I haven't written that far ahead yet so I am still working on how I will address this particular issue.

Writing about a "nameless" character

yttar

practical experience, FTW

dpaterso

Also in our Discord and IRC chat channels

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

yttar

practical experience, FTW

KikiteNeko

.

JacobWorld

L.R. Currell