he/him or Character name - Writers Forum

SOAD · 05-14-2006, 07:36 PM

I've been switching up the characters name with he/him a lot and when I do, it just feels wrong. I usually use the characters name when his interacting with someone else but I tend to stray off to he/him a lot during that too. So how do I choose what to use and how often should I use it?

Mike C · 05-15-2006, 11:47 AM

Do what looks right. Constant repetition reads badly, but you need to drop the name in now and again so the reader keeps track of who you're talking about. Another case where reading it out loud can help.

Quillqueen · 05-15-2006, 03:16 PM

It all depends on the situation...I don't like to use the character's name too much in a paragraph,because it can read like a tongue-twister, so I usually swap them out, but if two characters are talking, I usually use the names, so you know who's saying what.
Just remain aware of that when you do rewrites.

Q

mammamaia · 05-15-2006, 07:23 PM

check out the best writers of the genre you're dabbling in, to see how they do it...

SOAD · 05-15-2006, 08:21 PM

Thanks for the help Quil and Mike and that's a good idea, mammamaia, I'll be sure to do that.