I haven't written anything quite yet, but one thing I always have trouble with is names.

Are there any names that girls have a preference for in a story, male or female? Or names that are cliche and sound awful to think about when moaning that you'd prefer not to see?

 

If you stick to popular names then it will be fine.
Me, I have no preferance for particular names..

Edit: Just stay away from the hick names and whore names :shock:

 

Names

A writer sometimes uses a name that has a way of conecting to a part of the story, or to his character. A name can evoke a period of time.. (No historical novels here) I always try to pick a name that fits the character, but not hard to remember. Never use names that are close together in spelling John and Jane (except for twins) cause confusion..
For a story placed in luxury, maybe Jeves or Joseph, oh well the butler always get it..Much used movie names.. and political figures.. In real life you can tell people's age by their names.. Parents named their kids after famious people.. so can you..

 

I agree with Ashley Barbie. Use names that suggest features of the person's personality. I often go back and change them when I'm basically done with a story, just because a different name suddenly sounds better to me.

And when all else fails, I'll stick my own name in there. After all, it's usually my fantasy.

 

When an author does this, it makes the character memorable.

 

I take a tip from Charles Dickens, I keep a notebook on me and jot down names of people I meet, it is particularly useful if the person has distinctive character traits, an accent for instance, with a name and the beginnings of a character you are well on the way. However I do use shorthand, had one guy thinking I meant to report him and another insisting on adding his phone number when they spotted their names. - Sal

 

I couldn't care less what names you give your characters as long as the story is well written and not full of grammatical and editing mistakes. It's those that detract from enjoyment of a story, of any genre, not just sex. Not names.

 

I prefer titles. Such as my neighbor, my husband's boss or my mechanic ,son's best friend of my husband's buddy.

 

I'm a novice writer, and find I tend to use my own name as well as similar names to past lovers, like you pointed out my stories are based on my own fantasies so I naturally include myself.