Another use for Google?
One of my fears when writing is that I might use a famous person’s name inadvertently, and they might accuse me of defamation.
Okay, there is the magic clause in the front of books:-
“Names, characters and incidents depicted in this book are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organisations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the author’s intent.”
but I still have concerns.
Most people don’t mind being associated with the “good guy”.
But what about the “bad guys?”
This is where I really use Google.
My procedures is:-
- Search for a name
- Does a person of that name exist?
- If so, either abandon the name or do a letter or word switch. Eg The first name become the second name and tweaked.
- Re-test the name on Google
- Sometimes I will test and re-test.
I also like to invent “bad guy’s “names
Here are a few names that Google has helped me create:-
Allus Wren (A bad guy at first but turns good – In the whole Arcadia’s Children Series.
Ed Pushley (Obnoxious guy who turns bad) – in the whole of the Arcadia’s Children Series
Nenet Waqa – Samantha’s War
Valdon Khan – Samantha’s War
Detective Inspector Hagood – Exodus and Samantha’s War.
Places – Awis Oasis, Arcadia
If you write, do you have a way to invent names?
