Naming problems

Soobdoo

Soobdoo

I’m struggling with a naming thing.  A female character, Gina, has returned to her childhood home after an absence.

Looking around the room she is sitting in Gina notices the remnants of her childhood and the changes that have taken place. 
Thinking about and talking to her mother, Gina refers to her as Mum. 

Later in the section, still from Gina's POV, her mother tries to persuade Gina to talk to her father.  Throughout the conversation the mother tackles household chores.  It looks a bit odd to use Mum here when her name is Vi

How would other talkbackers deal with this?  Do I need to consistently use Mum or do I use a mix of both Mum and Vi? 
I’ve managed to confuse myself. 

Bill

If mum is doing things you must say Vi. She is Gina's mum, not the narrator's. So long as it is obvious that she is Vi's mum so that we know who Gina is referring to.
Does that make sense?
It could work for the narrator to use 'mum' on a few occasions in v dramatic/comic moments to make the reader an intimate part of the story and to acknowledge there sympathy - if you are sure you have them right there with you at that moment.

Soobdoo

Thanks bill.
I've reworked it and it looks much better now.
I do seem to confuse myself with this sort of thing from time to time.

Betsie

Yes, she is only Mum to Gina - the rest of the time she's Vi.

Bill

I find that once I have given a name to a character, if only a temp name, his character becomes him, and I cant change it.
It is tenses that I get myself into difficulties with, esp plu perfect past, but lots of famous writers dont bother about past/perfect past and I dont think it bothers the readers or publishers. Lots of people dont notice it.

Soobdoo

Yes. Tense is something else I get myself in a muddle with.

I know you should just get the first draft onto paper and worry about it later but if it jars as I read it back to myself I have to do something about it there and then.

I know that I often make things more complicated for myself than is needed.
Makes for a lot of cutting later on.