Have you ever wondered just how bad bad can get? Then this is the book for you! Each chapter we dive into a key aspect of a character that can either make (or break) them. Learn about backstories, designs, names and more, and discover the magic of a...
When I create an Original Character (OC) from nothing, I like to start with the name.
Why?
Well, if you name your cat Wolfstrike, you already have a few hints about their personality. Just from the name, I'm guessing they look a bit like this:
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And if you named this cat Lillyheart, then it might throw the reader off quite a bit. However, if Wolfstike was your villain and you wanted him to be a little less obvious, you would consider a less edgy sounding name. Goldeye, perhaps, or Ravenstripe. Then, when he was revealed as a bad guy, the readers would be more surprised.
Another aspect of naming a character is thinking about what you DON'T want to name that character. You should try to avoid these:
~Double names (My name is Leafleaf, the ThunderClan medicine cat!). Nope.
~Stages of life (I am Starstar, and this is my child, Kitkit, and my apprentice, Pawpaw!). Again, nope.
~Things that cats don't understand (OH NO! It's Equationclaw, the ArithmaticClan warrior, and his apprentice, Calculatorpaw!! We're all gonna DIE!!!!!). I get the fear of math, but this is still a big no.
Here's a few tricks for making a cool name. These are all my opinions, so if you hate these then I'm sorry.
~Avoid more than four syllables. If you have some punk named Fallenshadow, that name is going to:
a) Be hard to type
b) Be hard to say
c) Be forgettable
There's a reason why 'Firestar' sticks in our head better than, say, 'Falconfighter'. I'm telling you, in the canon books there are almost NO cats with names longer then four syllables. I can only think of one, and that's Brambleberry (she's from a guidebook), and even then, she's probably NOT the first cat you think of when you think of Warrior Cats.
(EDIT: Oh crap I forgot Goldenflower...)
~Don't look desperate. (This is the cool main character, Awesomeandbeautifulunicorn! We should all adore her!!).
Look.
My rule is to have ONE part of the character's name stand out.
Oakbreeze, one of my many OCs, has a common prefix, but an unusual suffix. Try mixing plain with cool, or even just let your character have a normal name. Let their personality shine through, and don't let a distracting name take away from that! Yellowfang has a fairly average name, but she is a fan favorite!
If you TRY to make your character sound cool, odds are, they aren't going to be very cool. Just like if a real person called themselves 'The Nightmare', they're probably just trying to get attention.
~Be yourself! (My name is Boldlightning, but just between you and me, hunting sounds scary!). Ok guys, please, please try to make your cat's name work with their personality! I know I'm asking a lot, but previously mentioned Boldlightning probably has a hard time getting through life with the wrong name. It would be an interesting plot twist to have a nice guy named Bloodclaw, but for the most part, this is really off-putting.
Alright! We've covered names in FULL. I might put a name generator here later, but for now, you get the point.
