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Characters

Dive into the importance of selecting the perfect character names, reflecting on their significance in shaping a character’s identity and establishing their role within your story. Discover unique approaches to naming your characters and learn how to draw inspiration from various sources.

How to create characters with strong personalities

Writing memorable characters your readers won’t forget is difficult, and there are so many people out there telling you the best way to create them. But if you’re wondering how to create characters with strong personalities, there’s only one book you really need to read, because it has actual insights from psychologists. The Science of Writing Characters by Kira-Anne Pelican is an excellent resource for writers, tackling the big problems we all face. There’s one chapter that I visit every time I’m creating characters for my next writing project, and in this post I go through my process. Disclosure: If… Read More »How to create characters with strong personalities

Gender-neutral names UK for authors

The Office for National Statistics holds a massive spreadsheet of names chosen for babies born in the UK. To find out what the top gender-neutral names (UK based) are, I’ve gone through all of the data and highlighted as many as possible. For now, that’s a list of 81 names you can use for your characters. In the future, I hope to produce some resources, including a simplified spreadsheet, for UK writers to use. Gender-neutral names UK I’ve taken the data from the Office of National Statistics and listed all of the top gender-neutral names in the UK. ONS separates… Read More »Gender-neutral names UK for authors

194 androgynous names for characters

Names are incredibly important to writers and readers alike. When you’re looking for a gender-neutral name for characters whose gender identity is ambiguous, gender-expansive, or non-binary, androgynous names for characters are ideal. You’ll want an androgynous name that is memorable, because it’s the one stable part of a character that readers will remember. It’s what they’ll search up for quotes, as well as for fan content if your book gets a following. Androgynous names, also known as gender-neutral names, are names traditionally used for babies of any gender. They’re also often chosen by trans, non-binary, gender-fluid, and other gender non-conforming… Read More »194 androgynous names for characters

What you need to know before writing a non-binary character

While I’m not the only non-binary person in the writing community, I do often experience a lack of awareness in the community about the existence of non-binary people. That means their books never even feature a non-binary character. To help solve this, I’ve compiled some common questions to help as many writers as possible learn about non-binary people and feel more confident about including them as characters. In this blog post, you’ll find out what non-binary means, what pronouns to use, differences from other gender identities, what is and is not okay to ask, and what stereotypes to avoid in… Read More »What you need to know before writing a non-binary character

156 names for nonbinary characters

I’ve compiled 156 names for nonbinary characters to help you choose the perfect name for your characters. Whether you’re just trying to use gender-neutral names more or actively writing nonbinary characters, I hope you’ll find some names to use here. Gender-neutral names, also called nonbinary names, are names that are traditionally used for both AFAB (assigned female at birth) and AMAB (assigned male at birth) children. They’re also names that are chosen by trans, nonbinary, genderfluid, and other trans+ people. If you find you have too much choice, try writing a brief scene where the character introduces themself. Then replace… Read More »156 names for nonbinary characters

Names from Greek myths: inspiration for writing Greek mythology books

The recent boom in Greek mythology fiction has been incredible as someone who loves reading classical Greek myths. From Percy Jackson to The Song of Achilles, there’s so much potential for writing Greek mythology books. So I’ve collected some names from Greek myths to help inspire more writers. I’ve categorised names based on being feminine or masculine, so if you’re looking for a particular name for a character you can jump straight to the section you need. Or browse each list and write down your favourite names! I’ve also noted whether the name comes from a deity, a hero (the… Read More »Names from Greek myths: inspiration for writing Greek mythology books

130 non-binary names for characters

As a self-confessed name nerd and non-binary person, I love finding gender-neutral names. This list contains 130 non-binary names for characters, with every letter of the alphabet having 5 unique names. When I say “non-binary names for characters”, I mean names that can be used by non-binary characters, and many of these names are used by real people who identify as non-binary. Enjoy this list, and if you’re looking for more lists and resources, I’ve added some links to the bottom of the post! List of 130 non-binary names for characters This list of names are perfect for non-binary characters,… Read More »130 non-binary names for characters

44 deep questions to ask your characters

Character development doesn’t have to be difficult. You don’t need to write a biography about every character – unless you want to! Deep questions are a great way to get to know your characters and develop them further. The 44 questions you’ll find below will help you to create, explore, and develop your characters. Ask your protagonists in your story even a couple of questions and you’ll find out more than you did when you began. How character development questions can help you If you really want to dive deep into your character’s motivations, beliefs, and experiences, asking character development… Read More »44 deep questions to ask your characters

Gender-neutral names list for writers: A, B, C…

Looking for a gender-neutral names list for a particular letter? These lists contain tons of inspiration for your characters. As a massive supporter of gender-neutrality and inclusivity, I’ve pulled together some resources and names to help writers in need of gender-neutral character names. Whether you’re writing an LGBTQ+ character or trying something different, like using an ambiguous name in a crime novel, I hope you’ll find a gender-neutral name you like below. Gender-neutral names can be used for any kind of character, especially non-binary characters or gender non-conforming characters. You might also find this list helpful in giving yourself an… Read More »Gender-neutral names list for writers: A, B, C…

Gender-neutral character names for your books

As a non-binary name nerd, I love searching for names, so I’ve pulled together some resources and lists of gender-neutral character names to help writers. Whether you’re writing an LGBTQ+ character or trying something different, like using an ambiguous name in a crime novel, I hope you’ll find a gender-neutral name you like below. Gender-neutral names can be used for any kind of character, and recent popularity in using more gender-neutral names can easily be reflected in fiction. You can find these names and even more in my gender-neutral name generator. Can any name be gender-neutral? Yes, any name can… Read More »Gender-neutral character names for your books