Who am I Reading About?

This happens more often than it should. I'll read a short story that's supposed to portray some kind of romantic episode, but I'm left wanting.

Why?

I'll tell you why. The author didn't bother to name her characters. That's right, I endured dialog and action following a pair of pronouns through some scene.

Writers, please, please, please do not do this to your readers. Name your characters, and make them real. Names help to evoke a connection between readers and your characters. Pronouns are just specimens, regarded with aloofness that says: "I'll quit any sentence now, thank you."

I know why you writers make stories with pronouns. I really do. You'd rather not put in the effort it takes to develop your characters. That kind of thought is painful and sometimes self-revealing.

You'd rather not put in that effort, so you write me a story about a couple of pronouns. Let me tell you something. If you can't name your characters and develop them enough to make them real, then you have a couple of options.

One is to quit writing. I don't recommend that.

Another option is write plot-driven stories. Believe me, that's no escape. Even characters in plot-driven stories need names and some development.

There are probably other options, but hey, face it. If you are writing stories about pronouns, think about what you are doing. Give your reader something interesting to read, okay?