by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
I have a lingering concern about the name of woman who will be the center of this six novel project when the last novel is finished. I think a lot about what a great name “Lisbeth Salander” is because her first name is a variation on a pretty traditional name and her last name evokes the image of a small creature that’s quick on its feet: a salamander.
With that in mind, I have toyed with coming up with a slightly different name for my eventual heroine. That, combined with a minor risk of there being a perceived conflict with someone else’s IP, makes me think again and again if I can do better with a different name.
And, yet, the name I’ve come up inhabits a murky gray zone of IP because there is more than one way to look at it. I really like the name I’ve come up with, really grown very fond of it and I’m going to keep using it until something happens that makes it clear I have to go with something else.
My fear, of course, is everything will be great…then the IP problem will surface because the novel is a success and that will make continuing the rest of the series far more problemlatic.
But, for the moment, I think I’m overthinking things. There just is no reason for me to change the name at the moment and I think if I get anywhere near selling the first novel the issue of kinda sorta getting close to someone else’s IP will be addressed and decided one way or another.
Even though I love the character’s name, I’ll change it at the drop of a hat if it becomes an obstacle. I just hope I’m not too late in the process to easily change it.
