I'm in a bit of a panic.
I'm 200 pages into the first draft of a YA that came to be because of a name.
A name that presented itself to me when I was playing around with this Band Name Generator.
I immediately loved the name.
The name offered so many possibilities for a main character.
Without going into details, the name includes a noun that stands for a specific kind of crime.
My entire storyline (and I use that word loosely since I'm firmly entrenched in blither-blather territory at this point in the draft) comes from that noun.
And now I'm wondering (mostly because of that blither-blather angst I'm currently experiencing) if I'm nuts to let a name
dictate a story.
Have any of you ever written a book based on a name?
Did it all work out in the end?
I cannot believe I have 200 pages written but am suddenly insecure about the whole project.
Comments
no more panic--
Dear Author,
Please get out of the way of the story.
Just write.
Sincerely,
Your Character who knows best.
Edited at 2009-05-21 10:58 pm (UTC)
It's just the worst feeling, the doubt and insecurity and wondering if I should just chuck everything out the window rather than try to fit a story around a name. But now I'm feeling more calm. You're a pal.
As the Bard said (good thing I'm running a month's worth of him in June)What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. And an idea from any other source would work as well.
No worries. No fear.
I guess I'm just freaking out because I'm at that horrible muddle in the middle I always suffer, and I'm questioning whether I'm trying to force a story around a name rather than just let the story go. It's just my usual pattern of angst (packaged a little differently this time around).
My mc was EZ and the story came from that.
Now he's Zack.
Thank you, Janet.
Thank you, David.
And remember, it's normal to start questioning it all in the middle!
Good luck. (dying to know what the name is, btw!)
I hate, hate, hate that voice telling us our ideas are stupid. They should be flogged with cucumbers.
Thank you for reminding me it's normal to question in the middle. I don't know why I always forget how this process unfolds.
And honestly, don't we all get that middle muddle angst? Write on, Tracy! :)
Don't feel insecure. It sound like pure inspiration!
Thank you, Sarah, for reminding me it's okay. I should get all my writer-friends' wisdom in a tiny notebook and carry it everywhere.