- Rachelle Gardner's "Should I use a Nom de Plume?"
- Essortment's "Using a Pen Name: Myths & Realities"
- Howard G. Zaharoff's "A Rose by Any Other Name: Pros and Cons of Pseudonyms"
Do you use a pen name? How did you make your decision?
P.S. You'll have to excuse the poor timing, but it's not every day I get to say this: I was interviewed by USA Today! Check it out. :)
P.P.S. Apparently, the print edition has my face and cover. Ahhh!
51 comments:
Congratulations on the USA Today interview!
I want to use my real name so I can rub it in the face of everyone who thought I was a loser.
I'm kidding... but only a bit. ;)
USA Today? That's great news! Off to have a look.
Congrats, Carrie! I don't know. When--yes, when!--I'm published, my impulse is to go with my real name. It's kind of awkward and easy to make fun of, but I've never seen another one on the shelves.
You're one of the few who knows the real me. LOL
Congrats on the interview! :D
So cool about the interview! I think I'd like to use my real name.
I may have to use one at some point because my writing styles vary from m/g fantasy to EDGY Y/A . I also have an adult Film noir novella started. SO I may have to have a different name for the adult work.
We shall see.
Thanks again for the links Carrie.
Congrats on the interview!!!!!!! I vacillated on the name thing. I wanted my fictional writing to be separate from my academic stuff, so came to a compromise. I kind of used my real name, but not quite. Now I'm not sure it mattered that I keep my two worlds apart.
Wow, congrats on such great print...that's very cool! :)
I did a post on this, about a year ago, interestingly enough, and figured that I'd want everyone to know it was -me- , if I ever hit the big time :)
Besides, my real name sounds made up, anyway...
I must check out the interview! Way to go chick!
You did a great job in the interview. I am so impressed!
Yeah. I've wondered if I should have gone with one of these.
Guess what finally got to the top of my to-read list last night. And I started? =D
I thought about it, but then decided that my name was fine. After all, I don't know anyone else who has a month for a last name :)
Congratulations on the interview! Off to check it out!
Writing Through College
YAY on the USA Today article! So proud of you! As for the name thing, I never even considered a pseudonym. But if I ever write in ta different genre, maybe I'll have to... NAH!!
I bought it this morning and flipped through and said Wow, I kinda know her, lol! ;D
I know of you...
Congrats on the fab interview!
@>--------
Thank you, Alex! :D
*Grins* Hey, that's not a bad reason, if you ask me...
Thank you, Nick!
Thank you, Jeff!
Yes! "When" is the keyword. None of this "if" business around SYAW. ;)
Thanks for the info. There is just times when writing under a nom de plume makes more sense. Interesting links.
Congrats on your success.
Pen Names are important to write a variety of work. The decision is yours in the end.
Hi, Carrie,
I'll be stalking your posts going back. Good theme and useful links. I should go read Rachel's article. I wish I hadn't gone that route with one of my books 'cause now it's out there like an orphan child who doesn't get much attention.
It's like being trusted with the secret identity of a super hero (or grammar goddess)!
Thank you. :D
Thanks, Ilima! If I were you, I'd totally use my real name. It's very memorable. :D
That makes sense, Michael. Maybe you can just twist your name around for the adult work. D.G. Michaels! ;)
Thank you, Lee!
I happen to love your altered name. It sounds very author-ish. :D
I use a pseudonym/nom de plume/pen name for personal reasons; I'm not comfortable putting my real name on the internet. Just because you don't know who exactly is going to read what you put up.
Oh, and the USA Today article was very cool!
I picked a pen name since my real name is so hard to spell. But I picked it for another reason, to honor my mother-in-law, Lynn. She died from cancer. So I get to see her name out there with all my books!! :)
Thank you, Mark!
That's a good point. If you're writing in one genre, you might as well! :)
Thanks, Elizabeth! :D
I appreciate that so much! Thank you. :)
Oo, really? I hope you like it! :D
I always assumed it was a pen name! That's so cool! :)
And thank you!
Interesting post on pen names. I think I may don one... or maybe two.
Thank you, Nancy!
*Grins* Why mess with success? Nancy Thompson all the way!
We know each other now! :) Thank you so much, Ella!
You're very welcome, bobeager! I hope they come in handy. :)
Thank you!
I don't have a pen name, but I do have a pen theme in my story.
Congratulations on the interview!
It certainly is!
Hi, J.L.! I'm so glad you're finding my theme helpful. I love sharing resources with other writers. :D
Eek. I never thought about that!
That makes perfect sense to me, especially at your age. I'm still not comfortable putting my "real self" out there, but it's something that kind of comes with the territory. *shrug*
Thank you, Eagle!
I have always admired your reasoning for a pen name. It's such a wonderful tribute! :)
Thanks, David! :)
Thank you very much, Jenn! :)
I do use a pen name, largely because I've a very common name and also share it with several authors already. No point muddying the water there any further.
The other reason is, with Aldrea Alien, I'm the first thing to pop up in a google search.
That's pretty smart, if you ask me. :)
A agent tweeted the article yesterday. I grinned when I saw your name, Carrie.
Really? That's so cool! :) Thanks, Stina!
I've been using my pen name for 20 years this May. Had I been older than 13, I definitely would've chosen something more distinctive and in line with my classical eccentric/classical unusual naming tastes, like Persephone, Octavia. Rowena, or Xanthe. But I've really grown into my pseudonym, and couldn't imagine using any other. At the time, I just didn't like my dull as dirt real name (the most common female name in history, across most cultures, after only Mary), and wanted a name from a song. I was just getting into oldies and classic rock at the time, and so had a very limited pool. It was dumb luck that I ended up with a name from a Hollies' song, since they're still one of my favorite bands 20 years later. Brown came from the Herman's Hermits song, and two years later, I added -ian to the end after I became an Armenophile. I guess I figured that if I used a real Armenian name, like Arshagunian or Zouranjian, I might be accused of misrepresenting myself and cultural appropriation.
Wow! That's quite the history. Personally, I think it's a great name... but I'm a little biased. ;)
Interesting discussion... I have a last name that is quite well known in the UK where I am asked, "is that one 'p' or two?" However the same name appears to present difficulties in the US, where I get, "Ble...Ble...Ble... can you spell that please?" Still considering what to do! www.hjblenkinsop.co.uk
Welcome, HJ! :)
I definitely see your dilemma there. Do you see your market being larger in the UK or US?
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