writing

Creating names in a fantasy world is both fun and frustrating. The name needs to sound both foreign and yet familiar enough to resonate. Add that to my dislike of fantasy names formed from random collections of vowels and consonants, it can be challenging to find the "right" name.

My tactic for character names is pretty straight forward: I use real if old and obscure names, lining up real ancient cultures with my own.

It’s after midnight on a school work night, but I just finished a chapter titled “Fearful Symmetry.” Usually, I work out my chapter titles to fit one or more themes in a given chapter, or maybe a play on words. This is the first time I’ve quoted anything from literature for a chapter title, but this seemed to fit too well to resist. I’m sure Blake won’t mind.

In spite of the play on words here, since the chapter takes place in a cemetery, it was the thematic relevance that made me choose it.

Now, only three more chapters to go!