How on earth can an author forget their character's names?

[Carrie R]

Without some dedicated system, I wouldn't think it would be hard at all to switch around characters' names and identities, or just forget them altogether!

Yes, keeping a detailed character list is essential, not only of their names but of their looks, their likes, dislikes, etc. You'd hate to have a character unintentionally go from brunette to blond, or be allergic to strawberries in one scene only to have them devouring the fruit in the next .

[booklvr62]

Great Points! I'm sure we've all read books where a main character that we are very familiar with especially in a series, suddenly does something so totally out of character that we have to wonder if another writer wrote this part!

[katc_1]

I also get very annoyed when say it is a romance and the lead female is so in love with the lead males icey blue eyes and then tree chapters later his deep brown eyes stare into hers! So frustrating! I can see a type-o (which shouldn't happen) but a whole new word come on!
'

[Kimpaluch]

I dislike these mistakes, but admit I have made many. I often look back in the reading to verify I wasn't missing something, and it does aggravate me, but I do my best to ignore it. My husband laughs and says writers make awfully demanding readers with higher than average expectations.

I agree.

[peterdonovan]

I've had to completely re-read my previous books before starting on a sequel for just that reason. Its surprising what you forget!!A Professor turned into a Doctor for the first few chapters until I realized my mistake.

[carolsue]

I have encountered many grammatical or spelling errors but never a change of a character's name. I wonder if I just don't notice it? I have been reading for over 50 years.

[Wrycatcheer]

I assume the author decided on a name change after the book was done, and just missed a few of them when they were replacing the names. I read a book once that was translated from russian, and it was more full of typos and confusing passages than any book I had ever read. I bought it at a chain book store, and thought it would be professionally done, but nope. It's like no one who spoke English as a first language ever even looked over that book before it was published.

[Bighuey]

Ive never run across a name change in a book, but Ive seen a lot of typos in newer books. I bought a book a couple years ago, one book site had it for 45 dollars, I figured no way. I wont spend that much for any book. I found the same book on another book site for 15 dollars. Same edition same publisher, same everything I sent off for it, it was nicely bound, fancy gold engraving, really high-class book. Until I started to read it. Typos on almost every page. I dont remember typos like that years back, even in cheap paperbacks. From what the rest of you have said, sloppy books are pretty much the norm any more. Sad. Like so many things nowdays, publishers are putting out cheap junk.

[RekhaSeshadri]

It happens when you are creating multiple story lines at the same time. Sometimes, a character name sticks in your mind even after a name change...and then there is the good ole excuse of 'spell check and editing overlook' to fall back on.

[MontyV]

I feel it's hasty to assume that the author 'forgot' their character's name when the error in context is only a letter, likely a consonant. Sometimes even piles and piles of editors can overlook the plainest of details. I have found a small amount of spelling errors even in the popular "Song of Ice and Fire" novels, granted, they are 800 pages plus each, but it just goes to show you that nobody is perfect. The mind sees what it wants to see, when proof reading and editing, it is often advantageous to read forwards for grammar, and backwards for spelling; fuel for thought for all the speedy typing fiends out there.

[KattPascale]

I get it!
Drove me nutso when I was reading a thriller last month. I kept going back thinking that I missed the intro of another villain! Turns out the author just made a type o and spelled the character name wrong in the second half of the book! The author didn''t have an editor. The storyline was great but the character name mess up distracted me and took away from the story!

[colleenmclain]

Cringe ... I didn't change my charaters name but the spelling. Now I monitor with find and replace to be sure i don't do it again.
By the way Editors are appreciated. When a writer is too close to their work they can look right at an error and not see it.

[Paliden]

Oh my gosh! You would not believe how often that has happened to me. I wonder the same thing, like seriously, how on earth can you change the main peoples names and nobody catch it?

[jsinard42]

I've never seen this happen in any book I've read but now I'm going to watch for it more quickly. It brings to mind a Simpson's episode where Marge writes a book and mixes up the main character's name with that of Ned Flanders. I found it hilarious at the time but there is nothing funny about it happening to a published book. For something like that to slip by proves that no one read it before it was published.

[Ibanezakame]

I do that constantly. wait what was my main character in my revolutionary war fiction?

-- 08 Oct 2013, 19:37 --

on the other had, how are ways to remember?