Rewriting a novel -- same character names?

Whimsigirl · Oct 16, 2014

Hey everyone,

My former agent subbed a fantasy novel I wrote years ago, but I'd love to rewrite it completely. Would it be bad if I kept the same names for the main characters? I take a long time to come up with the right names, so I would like to keep them. Just wondering whether it would ring alarm bells for publishers who saw /recognized them...

Granted, this is if I ever get back to the subbing stage, of course

Osulagh · Oct 16, 2014

Keep them, I guess. I can't see an editor passing on a story because they read a similar story--which was yours--with the same character names before just because of the similar names. If they bring it up, notify them you're the same author as before.

nealraisman · Oct 16, 2014

Should not be a problem since it is yours to begin with. The rewrite might make it into a sequel or prequel anyhow

Whimsigirl · Oct 16, 2014

Keep them I shall! On a similar vein, would it be pushing it to keep the same title? Lol with hindsight, I basically loved everything about the old book except the story

Buffysquirrel · Oct 16, 2014

I'd change the title but keep the character names.

Carrie in PA · Oct 17, 2014

Are they the same characters? I'd personally have a hard time writing the same character with a different name. But if they're different characters (or even different perspectives/personalities), change them.

Quentin Nokov · Oct 17, 2014

Seems like Agatha Christie wrote a short story and then she wrote a whole novel using the same idea and same characters, but obviously one was longer than the other. She might have altered the names, but the roles were the same: maid, count, rich girl; rich dad; etc.

I'd say keep the names. It doesn't seem that big of a deal.

Rewriting a novel -- same character names?

Whimsigirl

wishin' and hopin'

Osulagh

Independent fluffy puppy.

nealraisman

tenured at Mammon U

Whimsigirl

wishin' and hopin'

Buffysquirrel

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

Quentin Nokov

King of the Kitties