Self-Editing Tip: Names CAN Hurt You
True or false: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
False. You see, in narrative, names—or, more accurately, the overuse of names—certainly can hurt any writer who wants to portray realistic dialogue.
Let's take a look at an example.
"Sarah, I've missed you."
"I've missed you too, John."
"But you can't stay here."
"I know, John."
"Then why are you here, Sarah?"
Now think about it. How often do you actually say someone's name in one-on-one conversation? Usually we use names for emphasis or affection; they lose their power when we sprinkle them indiscriminately throughout a conversation.
So we'll cut every direct address from the dialogue above and just see what happens.
"I've missed you."
"I've missed you too."
"But you can't stay here."
"I know."
"Then why are you here?"
And scene. We're all entitled to our own opinions, but I'll bet you agree that the scene feels snappier and more realistic without a name at the end of every sentence.
This isn't to say you can't throw a name in every now and then, especially when you want to use it for some sort of emphasis. The less you use names in dialogue, the more powerful they will become when you DO use them.
It's an easy revision: either employ Find and Replace in Microsoft Word to search for unnecessary name-dropping, or just skim through the dialogue on your own.
However you do it, give this no-name thing a try and see how it does or does not improve your narrative.
