I meant just first names (or last names, I suppose, if both the RL person and the character are/would be referred to by it). And I added (and voted for) the "only if it's common" option for the reason you mention: I know a million Sarahs and Kates and Elizabeths and Johns. Eliminating those names from the pool of potential character names would be silly. *g*
But there are some names I'm reluctant to use because I know people with them, and I would constantly have two people with that name in my head when I'm trying to write a character called whatever it is, particularly if it's a less common name. My parents' names are definitely off limits, and so are several of my relatives'. (Mostly the older ones. I'm usually okay with stealing names from my cousins, most of whom, to be fair, have common names.) I consider the names of my ten or so closest RL friends off limits unless I have to have that name, for whatever reason.
It struck me as a bit weird when I ran across my name in a story from a person in my fiction seminar last semester; I briefly thought, "There are only six girls in the class, could you not have chosen something else?" before I put it aside and went on reading. But I think my name probably falls into the "common" category, so while it was a tiny bit odd to see it in a story written specifically for us to read, I didn't get bent out of shape about it or anything. Anyway, I know my own reaction to seeing my name in something by someone I know personally, so I like to avoid it where possible to avoid causing similar reactions. Also, again, it makes things easier for me as a writer.
*is totally using an icon containing a character named Rebecca. Hee!*
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-09-23 03:40 am (UTC)But there are some names I'm reluctant to use because I know people with them, and I would constantly have two people with that name in my head when I'm trying to write a character called whatever it is, particularly if it's a less common name. My parents' names are definitely off limits, and so are several of my relatives'. (Mostly the older ones. I'm usually okay with stealing names from my cousins, most of whom, to be fair, have common names.) I consider the names of my ten or so closest RL friends off limits unless I have to have that name, for whatever reason.
It struck me as a bit weird when I ran across my name in a story from a person in my fiction seminar last semester; I briefly thought, "There are only six girls in the class, could you not have chosen something else?" before I put it aside and went on reading. But I think my name probably falls into the "common" category, so while it was a tiny bit odd to see it in a story written specifically for us to read, I didn't get bent out of shape about it or anything. Anyway, I know my own reaction to seeing my name in something by someone I know personally, so I like to avoid it where possible to avoid causing similar reactions. Also, again, it makes things easier for me as a writer.
*is totally using an icon containing a character named Rebecca. Hee!*