By the time I’d finished drafting the story that would become The Can’t Monster, it seemed impossible that my protagonist could be named anything other than Will. After all, the word “will” effectively describes the traits the character embodies.
Of the various definitions of “will” provided by Merriam-Webster, these seem most fitting:
Noun:
- used to express determination, insistence, persistence, or willfulness;
- used to express capability or sufficiency
In fact, near the story’s end, I use the common expression, “where there’s a will, there’s a way” because it tied directly back to the main character’s name. I like the fact that, if someone asks what my book is about, I can say it’s a “story about will,” knowing that is an accurate statement in two respects.
The irony is that I did not the select the name “Will” for this reason. Instead, I chose Will because in rhymes with “hill,” thus completing the first couplet of the story. I could’ve just as easily have selected Bill, Phil, or Jill (among others). The story would’ve followed the same arc if I had, and arrived at the same climax, but it’s almost unthinkable, in hindsight, that Phil would’ve stood atop the hill, triumphant.
I suppose the lesson learned is that sometimes it matters what’s in a name.
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The Can't Monster 