The knickname, I think is CNuts point. Plus the surname Keenan (?) contains a keyword to Gareth's character.
Is it me or... Page 2
Quote: Callemcio @ July 16, 2007, 11:39 AMAre character's names the hardest part to write for a story??? Any tips?
I name one of the main characters after me if it's a male of course... I know self it's self absorbant but I see myself playing that role you see 
And I have trouble with character names too.
Personally I don't think character names matter until the end of all the writing ... including dialogue. I do all my stuff with Word and have changed several names in very long scripts at the very last minute using 'Search and Replace' ... at least that seems to catch 'em all! In the meantime pretty much anything goes ... as long as I can remember which character is which!
Quote: Jeremy Smith @ July 17, 2007, 10:22 AMWhat's so unusual about the name Chris?
They didn't call him Chris, they called him Finchy.
I've changed the names of the characters on the sitcom I’m currently working on probably 8 times now. Nothing seems to fit!
Quote: ContainsNuts @ July 17, 2007, 6:44 PMThey didn't call him Chris, they called him Finchy.
Brent calls him Finchy, Neil and Tim call him Chris. That's like saying they call Brent 'The Brent Meister General', a nickname isn't a character's name surely?!
People are randomly named by their parents so I don't see that a person's character adapts to fit another's perception of their name.
Quote: Jeremy Smith @ July 19, 2007, 8:49 AMBrent calls him Finchy, Neil and Tim call him Chris. That's like saying they call Brent 'The Brent Meister General', a nickname isn't a character's name surely?!
A nickname can be used as a name, i have friends who we only call by the nickname and in the Offie this nickname is also used to show that he is regarded as different from the others - in Brent's eyes. Basically, it hasn't been done by accident.
Agree totally with CNuts. The point with Finchy is that the office sees him as Chris but Brent chooses to call him not Chris or Finch but Finchy - straight away that tells you about the relationship between Brent and Finch, Finch and the Office.
Names and tags are overlooked but vital tools to indicate something about your character. How many people produce wonderfully detailed character sketches (school / parents / job history / partners / children) for their characters and then toss them the first name that leaps out of the ether?
Quote: SlagA @ July 19, 2007, 11:23 AMNames and tags are overlooked but vital tools to indicate something about your character.
I've always liked using abbreviated names and nicknames wherever possible in my work as it immediately conjures up delicious images, especially if the character doesn't make an entrance, if ever, until after he/she has already been verbally introduced into the plot. In the main characters I’ve created like Spliff, Animal, Moose, Bikini and Red have already added an air of anticipation because they could be male or female, which I've found brings a nice edge to the comedy.