In the Loop with Andy Andrews

ITL210: The 3 Laws of Baby Naming, and Surprising Writing Advice from an Author

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On this week’s episode, I answer a listener question about how Polly and I determined the names of our boys; we also discuss how incorrect writing can become your style.

We all have seen names where we think, “What in the world? Did you not think this through for a second?”

  • I love names, but there are some that should no longer be in use (you don’t see any little Attilas running around anymore).
  • You don’t want to name your kids:
    • Something someone is going to make fun of.
    • A name that has a weird connotation.
    • Something they’ll have to spell out for the rest of their lives.

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      I told Polly that she can name the boys whatever she wants, but they have to start with an “A.”

      • We always liked “Austin,” and his middle name, Gray, was one of my grandfathers’ names.
      • When Adam was about 9 years old, he asked where his name came from.
      • It just came out of my mouth: “Well buddy, we named you Adam because it must be God’s favorite name.”

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        The second question I’m answering in this episode is, what advice do you have for young writers on how to perfect their craft?

        • This sounds silly, but one of the major things to do is to write.
        • I don’t know any profession that doesn’t benefit from repetition and deep thought.
        • What others may see as incorrect may develop into a style.
        • For instance, because I try to write in a conversational way, I’ll sometimes start a sentence with “And…”
        • Editors used to mark this out, but now they leave it because they understand that’s part of my style.

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          Tune in to hear about a family that named their son after a character from one of Andy’s books, and find out what milestone an Andrews family member just reached.

          And please share this free content with any family, friends, or co-workers who might be inspired by it!

           

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            In the Loop with Andy AndrewsBy Andy Andrews, hosted by David Loy
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