: Re: Would it be bad taste or honoring to name a Starship after historical places, ex: Pompeii? In my book, Earth is gone and are all the counties and a majority of the population and cultures.

@Phylliss352

Vote Up Vote Down

As a writer, you should be trying to manipulate the readers of your writing to achieve a specific emotional state. Evocative language, twisty plots, rich characters, and snappy dialogue are all tools of the craft. Names are especially useful. A carefully chosen name can convey loads of information in a minimum of textual space.

Some names will have a sound or shape that conveys the intended message. Dr. Yucky Slime-Mold will find it difficult to be the hero. Other names bring up memories of past events. The writer's use of these names (with their positive and negative aspects) is a part of a conversation that started in the distant past. An essential part of that conversation is the reaction that the characters in the story have to the names.

"I serve on the Spaceship Pompeii. Our ship's official motto is to 'Be prepared for damn near anything.' I have lived through more situations on this ship than I have the time to tell of or that you have the credence to believe in. It is a terrible name for a ship but it is all too fitting for a ship that flies in a universe that delights in serving up shit. And, thus, our unofficial motto is 'Bring it on!'"

Bad name? Yeah! Badder ship and crew? Oh, yeah! But maybe a better story.

(0)

Login to post a comment!