We’re starting a new column here at LA Screenwriter. I was reading that great Dear Abby article yesterday, and I got to thinking that a lot of screenwriters would probably benefit from an open advice column.
So if you have a question about structure or formatting or your gay neighbors — I’m open to any questions you’ve got — send me an email at [email protected], and I’ll do my best to give you a clear, concise response.
To start things off, let’s address a pretty common question:
How do I come up with great character names?
This is a question that plagues every writer. Coming up with a name that is unique but also memorable can be an aggravating challenge.
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to naming your characters. Sometimes the names really matter, and sometimes they don’t. If you’re writing a love story between two characters, for example, your audience may leave the film not remembering what the characters names were and not caring. All that matters is that it was a story of Boy meets Girl (or Girl meets Girl or Boy befriends Boy or what have you.)
On the other hand, if you’re writing an action script or an ensemble comedy where characters spend a lot of time talking about each other, character names become crucial.
Here are a few rules of thumb to help you come up with great character names:
