Kendrick Lamar said, “If I’m gonna tell a real story, I’m gonna start with a name.” Twenty-first century audiences demand deep, emotional connections with characters. Authors have learned how to use writing techniques to foster these emotional connections, but authors who randomly name their characters are missing a prime opportunity to create more emotion, more impact, and more resonance in their stories. The study of naming people is a branch of linguistics called onomastics and in this class, an English professor will share with you how careful selection of your character names will help you to connect with your characters in a more intimate way. You’ll develop a process of using character traits, backstory, and attributes to carefully select character names for your next project so that you don’t have to resort to posting calls on Facebook to ask readers to name your characters.
