What's in a Name? Naming Characters, Places & Titles • Reedsy

📚 Overview

Would you sooner pick up a book called The Spy – or The Spy Who Came in From the Cold? A name carries a lot of importance. It comes with preconceived notions that shape how readers view a new character, the setting, and whether they’ll be drawn to your book on the shelf.

Your choice to provide a character's full name, first name, surname — or leave them entirely unnamed — sends a crucial signal to the reader. In this masterclass, you will learn how to name people, places, and titles with intention, based on how readers absorb information and assign importance.

Schedule

EVENT

15:00 - 16:00 EST

What's in a Name? with Noah Charney

In this Monday Masterclass, you will learn:

Strategies for naming your book, including titles and subtitles
The effect of using fully versus partly named characters
How to plant “Easter eggs” in titles and names
What to avoid when naming characters and places

Following Noah’s presentation, there will be a live Q&A where you can ask him questions about choosing the right name and any other craft questions you have.

Speakers

Noah Charney

Professor of Writing at Reedsy

Dr Noah Charney is the best-selling author of more than 30 of his own books, including a Pulitzer finalist. His latest book is The 12-Hour Author: Everything You Need to Know to Get Published and Become a Successful Writer (Bloomsbury). A professor of art history, he teaches online for the Smithsonian, the National Gallery (UK), and Yale. Noah has ghostwritten and edited books for Reedsy clients, and is Professor of Writing at Reedsy Learning.