Authors Are Not Your Friends
Dealing with names in a formal piece
Here's the deal: most of the time, you don't really know the people you will be writing about; even if you've met them, you probably don't know them well—even if you know them well, we, your readers, probably don't. So, don't refer to an author, actor, or other public figure by his first name. It's too personal. Here are your options:
- The full name: Tim O'Brien
- Just the last name: O'Brien
- The last name plus title: Mr. O'Brien