Need lots of help

Writers' Corner
1

So, I’m writing this novel.
It’s set in a world where the mainland is really rich and the 9 islands are really poor.
My main character is a 15 year old girl named [name_f]Erin[/name_f] Benamure (i think) and she lives on the smallest island, [name_f]Isla[/name_f] [name_m]Nye[/name_m].
I’m trying to differentiate the names of the islanders and the mainlanders. I’m looking for familiar but quirky sounding names. So far I have this:

ISLANDERS:
[name_f]Erin[/name_f] Benamure (main character)
[name_u]Feliz[/name_u] Benamure (her brother)
[name_u]Ariel[/name_u] Benamure (her sister)
[name_m]Amos[/name_m] Benamure (her widowed father)
[name_f]Anita[/name_f] Mordisio (her aunt)
[name_m]Gabe[/name_m] Santasha (her best friend)
[name_m]Dion[/name_m] Santasha (his brother)
[name_f]Rhea[/name_f] Santasha (his mother, a maid for the royal family)
[name_m]Omar[/name_m] Santasha (his father, the tavern owner)
[name_m]Bruno[/name_m] Mordezai (the island representative)
[name_f]Ziva[/name_f] Mordezai ([name_m]Bruno[/name_m]'s wife)
[name_f]Hebe[/name_f] [name_u]Justice[/name_u] (a mischevious orphan girl)
[name_m]Miles[/name_m] Turay ( a marketer)
[name_m]Inigo[/name_m] Turay ([name_m]Miles[/name_m]'s son)
[name_m]Caleb[/name_m] [name_f]Zabana[/name_f] (a wise old man)
[name_f]Nia[/name_f] Hanalo (a marine biologer from another island)
[name_f]Serafina[/name_f] Keldona (farmers)
[name_m]Teo[/name_m] Keldona

MAINLANDERS (the royal family, not sure what surname yet)
[name_m]Isidore[/name_m]
[name_f]Adela[/name_f]
[name_m]Ossian[/name_m]
[name_f]Delilah[/name_f]
[name_f]Bernice[/name_f]
[name_m]Magnus[/name_m]
[name_f]Sabrina[/name_f]
[name_m]Horatio[/name_m]
[name_f]Carina[/name_f]
[name_m]Linus[/name_m]
[name_f]Miriam[/name_f]
[name_f]Linnea[/name_f]
[name_m]Alaric[/name_m]
[name_f]Ismay[/name_f]
[name_f]Daphne[/name_f]
[name_m]Valentino[/name_m]
[name_f]Ophelia[/name_f]
[name_f]Giselle[/name_f]
[name_m]Silvester[/name_m]
[name_f]Jemima[/name_f]
[name_f]Imogene[/name_f]

I also need some ideas for the actual storyline.
[name_f]Every[/name_f] year, a girl from each island is taken to the mainland to be used for something.
I had one idea that they are taken to pay off some depts that the royal family have (like, they killed loads of kids, so they have to pay back or something) but i’m not sold.
Any ideas?
thanks!

2

Firstly, I think you have a good names list here! I think if you stick to two/one syllable first names for everyone in the islands and then use longer names for people on the mainland that could be a good distinction. So… say, an islander would be just [name_u]Mel[/name_u], but a mainlander would be [name_f]Melantha[/name_f] but never [name_u]Mel[/name_u].

Secondly and unfortunately, this sounds a lot like the plot of The Hunger Games to me…

3

I know it is a bit like the hunger games, but i want to make it different - like [name_f]Erin[/name_f] gets caught in a mysterious plot and [name_m]Gabe[/name_m] and [name_f]Hebe[/name_f] come to save her. Maybe include a few Dragons and stuff to shake it up.

4

And I [name_f]LOVE[/name_f] [name_f]Melantha[/name_f], thanks!

5

I like your plot! I doubt that it’ll sound like the Hunger Games in the end. I really like the list of names you have too, especially [name_f]Jemima[/name_f]. Two questions. One, what are the girls being taken off of the island to do? And two, is it only girls taken, or are boys taken too?

6

Maybe it has something to do with the [name_f]Queen[/name_f]? Perhaps the [name_f]Queen[/name_f] selects a “special” group of girls every year to serve as her handmaidens but secretly they are sacrificed to keep her young, or sacrificed to a dragon who protects the mainland and islands from an outside force? [name_m]Just[/name_m] a few ideas.
As for names, your overall list is great! I really like the distinction between the mainlanders and the islanders. My only problem with it is the main character’s name. [name_f]Erin[/name_f] seems somewhat out of place compared to [name_u]Feliz[/name_u] and [name_u]Ariel[/name_u], and especially [name_f]Hebe[/name_f]. Perhaps something more exotic? Something like [name_f]Emira[/name_f], [name_f]Cora[/name_f], [name_f]Vesta[/name_f], or [name_f]Freya[/name_f].
Overall I think it sounds very interesting. Good luck :slight_smile:

7

Only girls, and I’m not sure. I have a few ideas I’m throwing around but I’m at early stages and need some more time and ideas.