# Want to be in a book? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 16, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109 "2004-11-16T19:55:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/1 "2004-11-16T19:55:25Z")
As some of you know, a group of insane people, me included, are writing 50,000 word novels during the month of November. I am having difficulty naming all of my characters. If you would like your name used in a probably very bad book, send me an email: [jsgoddess@hotpop.com](mailto:jsgoddess@hotpop.com) If you would like to guarantee that your namesake is tall, dark, and handsome or a willowy blonde, um, well, I don’t think that quite fits any of my characters. I will agree not to make your namesake either a murder victim or the killer, unless, of course, that’s what you’d really prefer! Send your name (or any name, really, I won’t know the difference)! Describe yourself! Live in infamy! ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/2 "2004-11-16T19:59:11Z")
And what if your real name is 1 out of 3 billion “Michael’s” that exist?! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/3 "2004-11-16T20:11:48Z")
I am so all over this. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/4 "2004-11-16T20:18:52Z")
Well I’d say go ahead and use Edward Head for a name, but I want to try this out next year and I’m gonna use that name. I guess I could be some minor person though, like the bad guy’s side kick or something like that! But then I think I’d be better off the bad guy, you know 6’2", long brown hair, 190 pounds, I ride a motorcycle. Aren’t you a bit late to be coming up with names for a book though? Don’t you have to be done in a few weeks? ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/5 "2004-11-16T20:42:35Z")
If this fails, there’s always the [Random Name Generator](http://www.kleimo.com/random/name.cfm). I have tremendous problems thinking of names for my characters - should I use the names of people I know? But what if they’re villains? What if a female character has the same name as an acquaintance of mine? Will people think I _like_ her? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/6 "2004-11-16T21:00:36Z")
I can’t get my email to work, but you are hereby authorized to make use of “Happy Lendervedder” as you see fit. (I’m not a dirtball, but I’ve often aspired to play one in print…hint, hint!) Happy ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/7 "2004-11-16T21:07:22Z")
> [@badmana](#): > > And what if your real name is 1 out of 3 billion “Michael’s” that exist?! Well, I already have a Michael in my book. But he goes by Mike, he’s an admin assistant, he’s blonde, and he’s gay and has a boyfriend named Adam. So I guess you’ll have to be in my next book. As for NaNo ending soon, it doesn’t matter – 40k words into the book, the characters might just introduce more of their own characters, and it’s not like you can keep them out or something. So why not name them **Edward Head** or such? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/8 "2004-11-16T21:16:44Z")
> [@Happy Lendervedder](#): > > I can’t get my email to work, but you are hereby authorized to make use of “Happy Lendervedder” as you see fit. > (I’m not a dirtball, but I’ve often aspired to play one in print…hint, hint!) I might have an opening for a dirtball or two. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/9 "2004-11-16T21:44:02Z")
> [@Edward The Head](#): > > ren’t you a bit late to be coming up with names for a book though? Don’t you have to be done in a few weeks? Heck, I have characters I haven’t even thought of, yet. I wrote 1500 words last night and that included two characters I didn’t know existed until they appeared in my word processor. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/10 "2004-11-16T21:47:57Z")
Ooohh!! Pick me!! Pick me!! Oh, and I forgot to put my doper-name in my email. D’oh. But pick me anyway !!! ---
**Author:** ![foxymoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@foxymoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foxymoron)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/11 "2004-11-16T21:57:25Z")
I just sent you a rambling obnoxious email. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/12 "2004-11-16T22:03:41Z")
Do you need complete names: first, middle, and last? Or just first names? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/13 "2004-11-16T22:14:08Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Do you need complete names: first, middle, and last? Or just first names? Anything you want included is fine. I’ll do my best. Some women’s names might end up as maiden names, for example, if I can’t work them in any other way. Apologies in advance if you end up as a boring married person! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/14 "2004-11-16T22:34:19Z")
My brother is an aspiring writer, and has a similar strategy. Rather than thinking up names for symbolic reasons and having the results sound phony, Mark just plugs the names of former co-workers, deceased ancestors, etc., into his stories and novels. I’ve sent you my real-life identity, plus those of a few friends. Let us know which suggestions you incorporate into your work. I’ll let you decide what (if any) type of person my name and on-line persona suggest. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/15 "2004-11-16T22:38:52Z")
I sent you an email! Put me in your book please. (And murdering and dying is fine, so long as I’m a sympathetic or evil-with-a-shot-of-redemption) Just don’t make me a conservative! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/16 "2004-11-17T01:16:21Z")
I too have shot you an e-mail. But I didn’t send my SDMB name. . . I sent my _real_ nickname [sub]oooooooooooooooohhh[/sub]. It happens to be a little bit more sinister than the run-of-the-mill “Tripler”. Tripler Oh, it’s quite a popular name from a Presidential standpoint. ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/17 "2004-11-17T01:32:37Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I too have shot you an e-mail. But I didn’t send my SDMB name. . . I sent my _real_ nickname [sub]oooooooooooooooohhh[/sub]. > > It happens to be a little bit more sinister than the run-of-the-mill “Tripler”. > > Tripler > Oh, it’s quite a popular name from a Presidential standpoint. Deep Throat? Is that you? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/18 "2004-11-17T01:42:35Z")
> [@JimSox5](#): > > Deep Throat? Is that you? No. I’ve never been in a porn movie. Tripler But some ladies say I _should_ be. . . :eek: ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/19 "2004-11-17T02:01:06Z")
E-mailed. I’m 97.42% sure I’m the only person in the world with my name. Yay for me. ---
**Author:** ![Keapon\_Laffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e274bd/32.png) [@Keapon\_Laffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keapon_Laffin)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2004, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109/20 "2004-11-17T02:08:34Z")
> [@AwSnappity](#): > > E-mailed. I’m 97.42% sure I’m the only person in the world with my name. Yay for me. I hear that 97.34% of all statistics are made up on the spot. 😉 I doubt my username would make a credible real-life name, but if you could slip in ‘Keapon’ as the name of a shop, or a porn star, or even a model of a vibrator one of your characters uses, that would be fantastic. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/want-to-be-in-a-book/275109.md?page=2)