Misheard Name

[JAM2b]

I'm working on a story that involves a character mishearing a name and thinking it is something else. She later sees the name written and realizes she misunderstood.

When writing the story, do you think I should first write the name as it really is, or as the character hears it until the true name is read?

I'm thinking of writing it as it is misheard and misunderstood, until the character reads it on paper, so that the readers are surprised along with the character. My concern is causing confusion with change in spelling once the true name is known.

 

[Rescued One]

I like that kind of surprise. Many times my grown children and I think we heard something correctly, and ask the person why they said that, then we both start laughing!

 

[Tone]

I'm working on a story that involves a character mishearing a name and thinking it is something else. She later sees the name written and realizes she misunderstood.

When writing the story, do you think I should first write the name as it really is, or as the character hears it until the true name is read?

I'm thinking of writing it as it is misheard and misunderstood, until the character reads it on paper, so that the readers are surprised along with the character. My concern is causing confusion with change in spelling once the true name is known.

Maybe it can be the same spelling, but the character read it with the emphasis on the wrong syllable or something. Like, say,the word "misheard"...maybe someone would read it as mish-eard...or something...see what I'm trying to say? Or maybe the character heard the name spoken, but it was the sound of the first and last name smashed together...and then they later see the separation, so the spelling wouldn't have to be changed?

 

[JAM2b]

The name is Merry, but the character hears and assumes the name is Mary.

 

[Tone]

The name is Merry, but the character hears and assumes the name is Mary.

When you change, make it "M[er]ry"...?

 

[Ken Rank]

I'm working on a story that involves a character mishearing a name and thinking it is something else. She later sees the name written and realizes she misunderstood.

When writing the story, do you think I should first write the name as it really is, or as the character hears it until the true name is read?

I'm thinking of writing it as it is misheard and misunderstood, until the character reads it on paper, so that the readers are surprised along with the character. My concern is causing confusion with change in spelling once the true name is known.

I like the idea of surprise as well, but you have to be able to pull off the surprise while holding the readers attention before getting to the surprise.

 

[thecolorsblend]

I'm working on a story that involves a character mishearing a name and thinking it is something else. She later sees the name written and realizes she misunderstood.

When writing the story, do you think I should first write the name as it really is, or as the character hears it until the true name is read?

I'm thinking of writing it as it is misheard and misunderstood, until the character reads it on paper, so that the readers are surprised along with the character. My concern is causing confusion with change in spelling once the true name is known.

If you're planning for the correct name to be a bit of a reveal, it would be best to save the correct spelling for a more dramatic moment.

This reminds me of that Smashing Pumpkins song "Starla". The lead singer met some girl at a party and thought she had a really cool name. So he wrote and recorded "Starla" in her honor.

A year after the song came out, he ran into her again and asked her how she liked "Starla" since it was named after her. She stared at him in confusion. "You asked what my name was. And I said 'it's Darla'."

Anyway, always thought that was a funny story.