Placeholder? What's that? · 2:14am Mar 23rd, 2015
So about that new chapter. I apologise for it being half the length it normally is. It might've taken another week (at least) to get it up to 18,000 or so, which felt a little too long without an update.
So I got message from someone that, in essence, complained at how my stories are singlehandedly ruined by naming the MC 'Anon'. I'm aware it comes with self-insert connotations (though I'm sure anyone would have a hard time identifying with the Anon in Grey Arbiter) and an internet subculture that many people dislike, so why did I do it?
It's a terrible reason, and, believe it or not, unintentional. When I came to writing the first chapter, I spent five minutes sitting and staring at the screen, waiting for inspiration to strike and give my MC a name. I couldn't think of anything, so I gave him 'Anon' as a placeholder name with the intention of going back and changing it when I thought of something else. I did this with several other names too e.g. Shrike (go figure) and Stoke (I don't even know where that one came from).
Then I totally forgot about it and published the first chapter, only realising halfway through writing chapter 2 that almost every character I made up still had those placeholder names. I think Maddie was the only one I got right first time around. I could retroactively change his name through global replace, but I'm A) too lazy and B) it doesn't make a difference to the story so I don't see the point.
Hope that clears up anyone's qualms. Have an excerpt from chapter 6:
I peered through the unusually clean windows and saw something like ten to fifteen ponies inside. I stepped back a few paces and craned my neck to look at the signage. It still said 'Bull & China' in light-sensitive bulbs that looked like the ones you see around make-up mirrors. The same wording was stencilled across each window in an arch, in a font you'd expect to see on the menu of a French restaurant. Now this is a front, I remember thinking.
The bell above the door let out a soft ring as I entered. Idle gossip floated in the air and chairs screeched out a melody as their occupants fidgeted. Already I couldn't stand being in these four walls. Most likely, neither could Maddie, which might have explained his absence from his usual position behind the bar.
In his place was another pony that was almost a carbon-copy of March Violet or whatever his name was, except for the light-green mane and tail. My first thought was they probably grew his kind in laboratories for the express purpose of running small businesses. My second thought was that Maddie wouldn't employ just anyone. He must have something in him that Maddie likes. Chances were that I would like it too, so I went over to the bar to find out. He was fiddling with an espresso machine and didn't see me approach, or I thought he didn't.
"Yessir, what can I get'cha?" he said, still facing away from me. It was the thickest Trottingham accent I'd ever heard, and I almost fell over laughing. I disguised it as a short coughing fit. He turned around, raised an eyebrow, and waited for me to say something. Either he was blind or he didn't care about my face. I saw the opportunity to have some fun, so I took out my ECMB warrant card.
"Arch Sylis ECMB. I need to speak with the manager. Is he in?"
"Might be around somewhere." he said while studying the ID. His teeth looked more like wooden pegs than bone, with breath to match. He didn't so much as bat an eyelid at the surprise. If he was nervous, he hid it well, because he looked cooler than a Scottish winter. "I'll 'ave a look see. Won't be a sec."
I always justify Anon in my mind when it's not a blatant self insertion story (or second person) that the person who gave the name is afraid of True Name magic being used against them (hey, it's pretty serious in fantasy) and assumes since all the Ponies have names based on their jobs or color that they do the same thing and also have fake names.
I mean, who would really name their child Pinkie Pie, or Fluttershy? DONUT JOE? And have it match against their personalities? It's easy to assume it's a name they took later. Proving that wrong can be fun.
It gives you a chance later to reveal a true name if you wanted.