73
votes
How to avoid mentioning the name of a character?
Sure, take the example of the Library story arc in Doctor Who, we see River Song tell the Doctor his name by way of convincing him she's trustworthy but we don't hear it. The audience only know what ...
- 10.4k
71
votes
How to avoid mentioning the name of a character?
Have the narrator tell the action in that place, not show it. Then show Old Man's reaction.
Example:
"Nothing gives you the right to do this."
Old Man sat back down in his chair, hoping Taylor ...
- 32.4k
37
votes
Is straight-up writing someone's opinions telling?
You're taking "show, don't tell" too strictly. There's no rules in writing - they're more what you'd call guidelines.
If you're in doubt about a passage, write it both ways. Then see which one feels ...
27
votes
Accepted
Would it be cheating to change the main character's "name" partway through the story?
Interesting question. Changing a character's name is definitely jarring to the reader (at least it has been to me). The best suggestion I've found to deal with that is to create tension about the name....
18
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Is straight-up writing someone's opinions telling?
Agree with Galastel's answer, most writing "rules" are just guides so you understand the general effect on the reader.
However, just picking the one that "feels natural" isn't very objective, so I'...
- 27.4k
16
votes
How to avoid mentioning the name of a character?
I think a good way to do this is to simply said "(person) called his name." or something like that.
- 2,643
15
votes
What to call a main character who changes names?
There are many ways you can tackle this question. Some considerations would be how close your narration is to the MC, how the MC thinks of themselves, and how you want the reader to think of her. Let ...
15
votes
Accepted
Is it okay to say what the character infers about other characters thoughts as fact in third person limited?
You seem to have chosen third person limited scope, and then decided that you're "supposed to" follow the rules of third person limited scope. You should make decisions based on what serves the story, ...
- 651
15
votes
Accepted
Referring to a character in 3rd person when they have amnesia
Use the name others use for her.
It's pretty standard that, if a patient can't be identified, a placeholder name gets assigned. Jane Doe (in the US anyway) is a very common one (John Doe for males).
...
- 32.4k
13
votes
Would it be cheating to change the main character's "name" partway through the story?
In The Acts of the Apostles, leading protagonist Paul is initially introduced by his given name Saul, at which point he is an antagonist to the other heroes of the story. The narrator, Luke, who ...
- 251
13
votes
How to avoid mentioning the name of a character?
You can say e.g. "upon hearing his name, he turned..."
- 231
13
votes
Is it okay to say what the character infers about other characters thoughts as fact in third person limited?
This will be a matter of opinion. My opinion is no, it is not okay. I write in 3PL myself, exclusively, and everything I write is as if the MC is seeing it.
You are doing nothing but saving space, and ...
- 103k
12
votes
In historical fiction, should the narrator call the characters by their last names or by the nicknames used by other characters?
First of all, you, the author, are not the narrator. The narrator, even if not a character in the story, is a function of the narrative and provides a specific viewpoint and voice for your narrative.
...
- 11.8k
10
votes
Is straight-up writing someone's opinions telling?
I would add one word to that (then I'll tell you why):
Visa squared his shoulders, knowing Reino respected confidence.
An opinion is part of somebody's internal life; and how they see the world.
...
- 103k
8
votes
Is it okay to say what the character infers about other characters thoughts as fact in third person limited?
Welcome!
+1 to both existing answers.
The advantage of adding the word 'apparently' is that it further anchors us into Bob's mind without the need to add italicized thought (which can become ...
- 23.8k
7
votes
First Person vs. Third Person: Advantages and Disadvantages?
Although I have read a few things I liked written from the first person, I can't write that way myself; it is far too limiting and constrained. For one, the POV character has to be in every frikkin' ...
- 103k
7
votes
How to refer to characters in a non-repetitive way in the third person?
In Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling alternates between "Aunt Petunia" "his aunt" and "she".
In Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury has the following:
Far off, the old man smiled.
They ...
7
votes
Accepted
What to call a main character who changes names?
It all depends on your narrative voice, and how sympathetic the narrator is to the character.
she absolutely intends to become a new person each time, and sees herself as a "Jane" then a "Dolores", ...
- 27.4k
7
votes
Is it okay to say what the character infers about other characters thoughts as fact in third person limited?
As a reader, I wouldn't think twice about that brief "break" of POV. I also don't generally analyze "what point of view is this in?" while reading. I think, if it works in the story and flows well, ...
- 1,348
7
votes
How to write in third person present tense without making it sound awkward?
The biggest pitfall I find with third person present tense is that it can start to sound like a movie script. Like stage directions.
He goes to the fridge and opens it. It's empty. So he closes the ...
7
votes
How to avoid using "she" repetitively in action?
You can carry the same subject through multiple actions in the same sentence without repeating "she" (or her name) over and over again; the subject in each additional clause should be clear ...
- 684
6
votes
Would it be cheating to change the main character's "name" partway through the story?
As long as the change is obvious that sounds like an interesting take on naming your character. You should think about how the exact change happens - it's probably unnatural if your narrator suddenly ...
- 5,686
6
votes
Would it be cheating to change the main character's "name" partway through the story?
Another option is to have a dialog affirmation. Use an antagonist or villain of some sort who would use the old name after the new name was given, only to be corrected by the hero, and then as the ...
- 13.5k
6
votes
Accepted
How to quote something somebody was told by someone else? (Third-party, hearsay)
This is called an indirect (or secondhand) quote. Typically, the advice is to replace it with a primary quote if at all possible. But in an oral recollection like this, it might not be possible to ...
- 56.5k
6
votes
Using a different POV just for the opening line
Yes, it's fine.
I would set it off though. Italics might work. Or an indented blockquote style. Or a divider between that line and the rest of the story.
You might also make it a fake quote. ...
- 32.4k
6
votes
1st person addressing a narrator
The biggest difficulty with this idea is that from the moment the narrator calls a character me/I/myself, the reader will see the character and the narrator as the same person, and they won't stop ...
- 1,351
6
votes
Is straight-up writing someone's opinions telling?
I'll add to Galastel answer about the general limits of the "show don't tell" paradigm. You are indeed allowed to tell when its more natural to do so; the catch being that while there are guidelines (...
- 15.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Blending First and Third Person: A Wording Question
You are writing in a viewpoint that is similar to first person omniscient in pronouns, tenses, etc. The only difference is that the omniscience is limited. We can imagine that the first person ...
- 11.8k
5
votes
Accepted
How to work in a piece of information that no MC knows, when writing in 3PLtd?
Remember that terms like "third person limited" are not meant to be jails. They are descriptive.
If it works for your story to have one (or a handful) of scenes outside your protagonists' viewpoint, ...
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