I Made this inflammatory post to remind people that you can leave the customized name system AND pick a default name for your hero. It's awesome to want to let someone pick the name they want, but please have mercy and set another default name once in a while. I can't read a story about John Doe so it forces me to go set a name each time I want to skim the first chapters of a story to see if it is any good. So why not finding a cool name AND giving those that don't like it the possibility of changing it?
Thank you for this PSA. Honestly I don't like selecting names for other people's stories. It breaks immersion in its own way. When a character doesn't have their own name, it feels like I'm not reading about a person who is their own entity, described by the following story. But when its john doe I have to put *something* in - that name breaks immersion even more. If you create a character, with their own personality, give them a name.
I Knew I wasn't alone, I knew it! An idea could be to have 4 or 5 names and surname and pick them at random if the author doesn't fill any name. And while John could be kept Doe wouldn't.
Ye have my ax! I'll see that scurrilous rogue split from stem to stern! (It's hard to pick a good default name sometimes though: I find myself writing a lot of "Robin"'s...)
I Would never do it if it wasn't for the John Doe stories. If the author picks a name I go with it. But John Doe has to die.
Back when I was just a lurker I loved the custom stories because they made it feel more like it was really ME in that situation, but these days I am less fond of them. Something about having the account surname "of Utopia"...
This sort of thing also ticks me off. It's almost as bad as when the story preview says that it takes place in the POV of "both" genders, but then suddenly it turns out the main protag is either a dude (mostly) or a chick (rarely).
Eh, the name thing is way more invasive in the story. 'Both' could simply be the main author optimistically leaving room for other contributors to have options. Even if not, it doesn't affect readability, only expectations.
I don't think it's the first name that's the main issue. It's really the last name "Doe" which is just gawd awful.
Its a problem if the writer doesn't set it up. Otherwise you can have a girl called John. With a unisex name it would save the writer a little bit of work if they want to have both male and female paths. Ashley Cameron Carter Casey Hayden Jamie Jessie
Ashley: girls name. Cameron: boys Carter: boys Casey: actually neutral Hayden: Boys Jamie: boys Jessie: boys, girls is spelled 'Jessy'. Also my personal favorite: Robin, that one is another true switch.
Last name options: Chyoa name of the theme they choose (incest, mind control, etc...) Doe force author to write name (decreases chance of Doe) await response...
OK, I give you Jamie, but the other two are stage names, they don't count. (I also note you didn't dispute Ashley or Jessy/Jessie...)
