From Writer to Author?

When I decided to change from being a writer to becoming an author, i.e. trying to produce a book or two or three, I never knew what the hard parts would be.

Yes, that was plural: hard parts.

One thing that has surprised me has been the difficulty in naming characters. Names sometimes give a hint as to the character’s persona.

I might pick a name that I think is just right but then remember someone I know with that name. And I certainly don’t want to kill off a person I know. (Well, maybe with some exceptions.) Nor do I want someone I know to actually be the killer.

So, back to the drawing board, or writing board.