Did I Invent This, or What?

popmuze · May 27, 2007

Beginning my last WIP in order to get a handle on my two main characters, I set up an elaborate formula with dice to figure out their birthdays and locations and then looked up their horoscopes.

It was amazing.

Then I got ahold of a site that analyzed first names and took some stuff from that. Putting the two together gave me some story arcs much more dramatic than what I was planning, and yet perfect for the plot.

A couple of years later, I'm not sure how much has remained. But it definitely was a kick start to some interesting characterizations.

SilverVistani · May 27, 2007

Well, I don't know that I have ever done anything so elaborate... For that, I am very impressed and congratulate you muchly. I have seen things on much smaller scales and that's all.

For example, I do have a tendency to make sure that my characters meanings have specific meanings. And sometimes in my searches for something fitting, than I also end up with the occasional extra ideas.

(btw... Behind the Name = awesome site!!!)

And once again... I applaud your creativity and tenacity. Very awesome.

Danger Jane · May 27, 2007

That's pretty sweet, man.

I take a long time naming characters. I like to gather names and write them down. But for most stories, like "realistic fiction" or basically anything that's not backed up with historical/mythological people, I just go for what sounds good.

Chris Grey · May 27, 2007

Sounds like the Birthday Book (which is justification enough to have a coffee table) -- all kinds of eerily accurate details about a person based on the day they're born.

Things like that or horoscopes or enneagrams are good for fleshing out a character. I know of one writer who assigns his characters colors and smells and other odd traits. When he says "so-and-so's color is green and he smells of steel" I don't think he means it literally. They're the little things that give depth and shape to your characters, and even if those details are never mentioned or never come up in the story (does steel even have a smell?), just knowing them and keeping them in mind no doubt helps to keep actions and dialogue in character.

herdon · May 27, 2007

When my wife was struggling with the second draft of her manuscript I suggested she figure out the birthdays of her major characters, find their horoscopes and then look up the relationships between the various horoscopes.

Pretty sure I'd read a suggestion similar to that in a writer's magazine or some essay or something.

Oliveman · May 28, 2007

Horoscopes? What ever happened to shaping characters for the purpose of theme and the greater context of your story? >_> Focus, focus is what you need! Why does one write? Know this, you must *goes back to meditating on a perfectly round stone*

Writer14 · May 28, 2007

o.o wow...I name people just by people i know in real life (not the last names)... then i end up changing them in the end.

I think u did invent that tho! ^^; pretty darn interesting, if you ask me

popmuze · May 28, 2007

Oliveman said:
What ever happened to shaping characters for the purpose of theme and the greater context of your story?

This, of course, is true. I had already gotten these characters to third base on that level. The birthday twist just added further details. As far as the names, I had already named the characters, but when I looked up those names in one of those books--probably the Birthday Book--I was amazed at how their names added to their stories.

freshpencils · May 28, 2007

Writer14: That's what I do! It helps me a lot. My characters tend to be based on someone I know, or observed, or read about, etc., etc., real or fictional.

So during the writing of the initial MS, I use the real name to help me keep the character "true to its inspiration" AND, maybe more importantly, to keep me, the writer, on track vis a vis the writing of that character. Then I do "Find/Replace" before editing begins, and in later edits take care of any problems the "Find/Replace" created.

TrainofThought · May 28, 2007

popmuze said:
Beginning my last WIP in order to get a handle on my two main characters, I set up an elaborate formula with dice to figure out their birthdays and locations and then looked up their horoscopes.

It was amazing.

Then I got ahold of a site that analyzed first names and took some stuff from that. Putting the two together gave me some story arcs much more dramatic than what I was planning, and yet perfect for the plot.

A couple of years later, I'm not sure how much has remained. But it definitely was a kick start to some interesting characterizations.

This is an elaborate way of getting character names. It’s nice of you to share for those who need a kick start when it comes to naming characters. In another thread, can’t find right now, someone suggested getting names from the Social Security web site.

A few of my character’s names have meaning, but if I was to use birthdays they will come from momentous dates in my life. I then find a calendar on-line for a particular year to see what day it falls on, if it was leap year, etc.

Soccer Mom · May 28, 2007

Wow. I'm amazed. I just start writing and meet the characters along the way.

Anthony Ravenscroft · May 28, 2007

I think it'd be too much work to run a horoscope for more than two or three key characters. (Yes, I'm lazy.) But when the plot hits a snag, & you need to have a better grasp of someone's motivations, it certainly could be a good swift kick I mean, I've gone to random selections from baby-name books & various maps.

Don't get locked into it, though. What happens when you get halfway through a rollicking plot, & need to make some change to your character that'd be (theoretically) impossible for that birthdata? If you're emotionally invested, you'll freeze -- if you're not, why are you putting so much effort into it? Get your story launched, then start throwing those notes away, because they should already be in your head, IMO.

popmuze · May 28, 2007

I ought to explain this further, one more time. I already had the first names for my characters, but I wanted to see what these various sites had to say about them and when I did, it was very eye-opening.

Then after I had the basic outline of what happens in the plot, I created birth dates for the two main characters--along with where they were born and what time of day--and looked up their horoscopes, which added some more interesting stuff.

However, now that I come to think of it, I've since changed the first names of both main characters.

If the book never gets published, I wonder if some perceptive editor will say, "It's because your main characters aren't consistent with their names."

Soccer Mom · May 28, 2007

It's a fun idea for fleshing out characters. It's honestly never occured to me to do so much planning.

popmuze · May 28, 2007

TrainofThought;1364026)[FONT=Verdana said:
It’s nice of you to share for those who need a kick start when it comes to naming characters.[/FONT]

Actually, my best source for names is the Atlas. One of my favorite characters, Selena Spry, was named for two towns in Nevada, or was it Wyoming?

ccarver30 · May 29, 2007

Thanks for the link, Silver!

Stew21 · May 29, 2007

the most elaborate I've gotten: I went to a sports bar for lunch one day where I was writing. Under the surface of the bar top were baseball cards sealed with acryllic. I named two characters by combining names of old baseball players.

SilverVistani · May 29, 2007

ccarver30 said:
Thanks for the link, Silver!

No problemo. ^_^ I absolutely love that site.

Lindo · May 29, 2007

I always have my notepad handy when walking around Mexican and Cuba cemeteries. Great names that deserve a second chance to live!

TB4me2000 · May 29, 2007

I don't have a story to write at the moment...but I like creating characters for the hell of it! Sounds like a wonderful chance for me to procrastinate...

Excuse me...need to go find dice...

popmuze · May 30, 2007

The toughest part is to figure out a formula for place of birth. In the case of my novel, I was able to narrow it down to several potential places before I started rolling the dice. In fact, I believe four of the twelve numbers were from the same city.

But, I guess you could do it in stages. First figure out US or somewhere else. Then N-S-E-W. By then you're in a manageable number of states.

I guess you'll need an astrology expert to say if being born in Sacramento vs. being born in San Francisco really matters too much, horoscope wise.

Anyway, you could work it out so it would take all day.

janetbellinger · May 30, 2007

I'm no Astrology expert but there would be no difference astrologically between San Francisco and Sacramento. It's time of birth that affects who we are astrologically.

popmuze said:
The toughest part is to figure out a formula for place of birth. In the case of my novel, I was able to narrow it down to several potential places before I started rolling the dice. In fact, I believe four of the twelve numbers were from the same city.

But, I guess you could do it in stages. First figure out US or somewhere else. Then N-S-E-W. By then you're in a manageable number of states.

I guess you'll need an astrology expert to say if being born in Sacramento vs. being born in San Francisco really matters too much, horoscope wise.

Anyway, you could work it out so it would take all day.

popmuze · May 30, 2007

So does that mean there's no difference between San Francisco and New York (assuming you were born at the same 3:22 AM) or between New York and Fiji?

Stew21 · May 30, 2007

popmuze said:
So does that mean there's no difference between San Francisco and New York (assuming you were born at the same 3:22 AM) or between New York and Fiji?

What you are talking about here is the Rising Sign, which is (supposedly) affected by the time and location of birth, not just month/day but hour/location.

That's pretty specific.

Trish, Scorpio with Libra Rising

Stew21 · May 30, 2007

You could get really specific, Sun Sign, Rising Signl, Chinese Zodiac sign, birth order, etc.

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