March 4, 2023

Thank you to everyone who submitted suggestions on developing character names for my screenplay, Rite.

In case you missed it or forgot because you have much more important things going on than these monthly musings (which I completely understand), I wrote:

Let's say you're creating a story within a seemingly utopian setting, a social structure where the citizens are passive, caring, and cared-for by the-powers-that-be. No guns, no violence. Everyone is equal. Partly because individuality has been stripped by removing any ethnicity or culture identity from personal names. 

What might those names look like?

I can't speak for all writers, but I for one have a habit of over-thinking the simplest of details.  But y'all pointed me in the direction I needed to go, which was simply - ambiguity.

What I have, then, are characters with names of only three letters. Els, Ara, Sci, Ang, Gav, Kol, and so on. So far, this creates the thematic tone I'm looking for without sounding forced. Only further writing will tell for sure.

Speaking of which, I'm well into the second act of my script, which is an above average pace of writing for me.

Thanks again and enjoy the upcoming start of spring.

Gordon Gravley

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