Naming properties in my first novel

I had a brainwave this morning that I would change the name of the estate in the Victorian era from Gordonsfield to Gleanstane (basically glen of stones) and since I envision the Christie mansion being in a bit of a valley, a standing stone or two by themselves and a stone circle atop a hill, the name sounded absolutely perfect.

However in my heroine’s time, she knows it as Gordonsfield. A bit of a dilemma but not for long. I mention the burnt out shell of a house on the property which still exists in the twenty-first century. So, the burnt out shell of a house was rented by one Gordon Eadie a tenant farmer (crofter) on the Christie estate and the land that his house was on was his “field”… hence Gordon’s Field… and over the years shortened to Gordonsfield.

So a few find and replaces later and an explanation or two and all will be well. However, I’m going to continue on from where I left off at the weekend and worry about the earlier changes later. I’m finding myself on a roll as far as the current revisions are going so want to keep on that track. I’m not in any rush to go back to the first three chapters and start again –  spent way TOO much time back there.

One thought on “Naming properties in my first novel”

  1. These little tidbits of why you have done things (and how) are really interesting to your readers. I think readers often wonder where all these details come from.. well, besides out of the head..

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