Fake NPCs for a story, need advice!

[lyrica9]

Originally posted by AXiD670
Another suggestion is to make sure the nicknames you use (assuming you were to give them a nickname so you didn't have to write out the full name every time) are not nicknames used by NPC sororities. For example, Alpha Xi Phi....if you were to refer to them as Alpha Xi's then that would be associated w/ Alpha Xi Delta. Don't refer to one of the groups as Kappa, Theta, Sigma, Zeta, etc.

yeah they all have nicknames already, and i tried to do that. Alpha Xi Phi is AZPhi.

Originally posted by Peaches-n-cream
I think that if a group has ever existed you should not use their name. It's more than a combination of letters for their members. There are so many combinations that have never been used. I'm sure that you can find a few that you like.

i think that would be really hard, that list is intimidatingly long. i understand that their letters have a special meaning for them, but its fiction, its not their group even if the letters are the same. i bet there are even groups that have the same name out there, and thats kind of the same thing.

[valkyrie]

You know, you really shouldn't put fake NPCs in your story because someone will confuse it with something. If you use any greek letters at all, everybody will think that you're actually referring to every organization that actually exists. Because you know, people are really stupid. You should just give the organizations names like "Butterball" or "Squid" -- oh, but then someone will confuse them with Farmhouse or Fiji or something. Maybe you should rethink the whole story idea. I mean, if you make up anything about a fake sorority, people will thing that ALL sororities are just like that one and that we ALL engage in the behavior of your characters, which may or may not be questionable, but really you should try to avoid it. I mean, people can't tell the difference between fiction and reality. Maybe you could invent an entire alphabet that has nothing in common with any letters that actually exist, and use them to name your organizations, just to be extra sure that nobody is ever confused. I mean, some people may still be confused, but at least it won't be as many people as if you used real, actual greek letters. Because you know, people are really stupid.

[Sister Havana]

Originally posted by ariesrising
IPi Beta Gamma (this one is almost a direct take off of the name in the Sweet Valley High books, I think it was Pi Beta Alpha lol)

It was Pi Beta Alpha. I can't believe I remembered that.

[ASUADPi]

okay sweetie, cause I'm a big ole dork, I looked at aries list and since I like Alpha and Xi, I came up with some other ones (that weren't on your list or the list aries gave the link too).

I also noticed from that list that Eta and Mu are the least used letters as a first letter (if that makes sense).

Here is the list I came up with (like I said I'm a dork. LOL).

Alpha Xi Pi (one of my personal faves. like the way it looks in greek letters)
Alpha Xi Theta (another fave )
Alpha Xi Chi
Alpha Xi Phi
Alpha Xi Kappa
Alpha Xi Omicron
Alpha Xi Epsilon
Alpha Xi Beta
Alpha Xi Mu
Alpha Xi Nu

Eta Xi Alpha
Eta Gamma Beta
Eta Sigma
Eta Omega


(Love the way all of these look in the Greek letters):

Mu Xi
Mu Theta
Mu Delta

Good Luck sweetie!!!!!!

[astroAPhi]

Someone should use Robot house.

[sugar and spice]

Hahaha!

The Nancy Drew on Campus series and Anne Rivers' Siddons "Heartbreak Hotel" both had a sorority that was referred to as "Kappa." Sweet Valley University had the Thetas (short for "Theta Alpha Theta"). A cheesy YA series I read when I was younger had "Sigma Phi Sigma" (Phi Sigma Sigma much?). Anne Rivers Siddons' "Outer Banks" has Tri Omega (a little similar to Tri Delta or Tri Sigma). And of course there's "Eating the Chesire Cat," which actually uses the Tri Delta name and goes in depth about a real chapter . . .

Should any of us be too worried about this? No. None of those nicknames did any significant damage our sororities. And this story that lyrica is writing, unlike some of the above, will be written by a Greek who will probably present a much more positive portrayal than some of the above.

[maggieaxid]

Please stay away from easily recognizible ones, like using "Delta Xi" (sounds like DZ) or "Gamma Pi" sounds like "Gamma Phi". or "Phi Nu" sounds like "Phi Mu". They are too closely related and readers would think you were actually talking about those specific orgs. I would try to use letters that aren't so popular like Xi, Psi, and Eta for letter combinations. Like:
Xi Psi Xi (said "zy-sigh-zy", for short "Xi Psi")
Sigma Eta (short "sigma-ates")
Rho Zeta (short "rho-zs" said "rosies") ok- i think that one is kinda cute!

[kayla0deegee]

for our recruitment skit last year we used a fake sorority called Theta Pi Pi. I think it is kinda a cute name.

[Sister Havana]

Originally posted by sugar and spice
Hahaha!

The Nancy Drew on Campus series and Anne Rivers' Siddons "Heartbreak Hotel" both had a sorority that was referred to as "Kappa." Sweet Valley University had the Thetas (short for "Theta Alpha Theta"). A cheesy YA series I read when I was younger had "Sigma Phi Sigma" (Phi Sigma Sigma much?). Anne Rivers Siddons' "Outer Banks" has Tri Omega (a little similar to Tri Delta or Tri Sigma). And of course there's "Eating the Chesire Cat," which actually uses the Tri Delta name and goes in depth about a real chapter . . .

And then there is also Chi Kappa (as well as the Pack: People Against Chi Kappa), in the Sorority Sisters series by Marjorie Sharmat. Not to mention Pearl (and Rose and Gold Key) in the Sorority Girls series. (I think both those series are out of print now)

I read too many books about fictional sororities back in the day.

[lyrica9]

Originally posted by sugar and spice

Should any of us be too worried about this? No. None of those nicknames did any significant damage our sororities. And this story that lyrica is writing, unlike some of the above, will be written by a Greek who will probably present a much more positive portrayal than some of the above.

thanks for the vote of confidence s&s!!!

i think my fave letters are xi delta and gamma, so i use those a lot.
but i set out specifically to avoid anything that sounded like another org, example, maggieaxid's Phi Nu sounding like Phi Mu. anything like that i'm staying away from. most of the ones that could be compared somehow to another org i didnt even realize.

looks like im gonna spend some quality time with the greek alphabet again.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

turns out Anne Rivers Siddons (the woman who wrote Outer Banks, the book about sorority sisters in Omega Omega Omega) is actually a Delta.

DDD to WWW. Guess all those "one letter says it all" sayings got to her!

[Diamond Delta]

I think you should use whatever letters you want. It is a work of fiction right? OK, historical fiction since part of it is real life. I really wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

[Tom Earp]

OMG, let the girl write her book!

Just how many Greek Letters are there?

You can make any combo of letters sound like someones Greek Organization.

Animal House, or Revenge of the Nerds or any other TV or Movie.

If it becomes a best seller then We can ALL Say, We Knew Her When and We are the best of Friends!

One of the least used Letters is Lambda. Make a Great Fraternity, LXT, combo of LXA and TKN who merged in 1939, still the largest merger in Greek History, social that is!

[aphibeach]

Pi Omicron Tau

hahahah these anti-greeks at our school decided to make their own "anti-greek greek fraternity" and they named themselves: Rho Omicron Tau....which you know when you put the greek letters together spells out POT

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by lyrica9
yeah they all have nicknames already, and i tried to do that. Alpha Xi Phi is AZPhi.



i think that would be really hard, that list is intimidatingly long. i understand that their letters have a special meaning for them, but its fiction, its not their group even if the letters are the same. i bet there are even groups that have the same name out there, and thats kind of the same thing.

Yeah that list is long. I'm sure that you will figure something out. Good luck!

Rho Omicron Tau looks better than Pi Omicron Tau. Both crack me up, lol.