First, I want to thank everyone for their support yesterday, it meant a lot to me. I'm feeling better today - something about writing it down kind of helps.
Also, good news on the missing girl.
I finished me website, or as finished as it's going to be. Go check it out here.
I'm trying to get things settled with the writing, the website, the pen name, etc. It's sort of like setting up my office. It's making it a little more real for me - something that I needed to do. I've also got to get back to the cleaning, now that the sinuses have settled down from all of the dust. It's taking me a while because I'm also weeding out years of my mother's junk, just getting ready. After that - well, there will be no more excuses for not writing, except dealing with mom. And that was the other reason I spilled about what was going on. This is why I'm not entering contests or anything else that requires a deadline. I never know when mom is going to get up five times during the night and leave me feeling dragging and unable to think straight.
Anyway, as I was working on the site, I began to think about pen names. I'm using one because I want to write in different genres. Bailey is my romance persona, E.M. Hanlon is the one that I will use for mysteries. Anyway, do you use a pen name? If so, why? And you non-writers can also answer - if you were a writer, would you use a pen name?
28 comments:
I'm not a writer, per se. But, I believe sometimes it must feel more freeing to use a pen name. To know that you can give that pen name characteristics you may not have. ? How's that? Oh, and if I were ever to write (it's never too late until you're no more) I WOULD use a pen name.
So glad you're feeling better, Eve.
I have lots of pen names. Shirley Worrall - because that was my real name before I remarried; Sarah Graham (daughter's middle name and ex-hubby's name) and Ruth Bennett (my middle name and maiden name)- because the mag that bought lots of SW stuff didn't want the same name in twice; Holly Graham (dog's name and ex-hubby's name) for the erotica.
Oh, and erm, did I mention that my next book - out in 2007 - will be under my Shirley Wells name? :o)
Oh my God! I love the website. Good job. I'm so happy too that the girl was found.
Well--I have a pen name too ;) but at the moment it is Moot.
I kept my name because Anderson is so COMMON!!! And even Toni Anderson is common with all sorts of basketball players and such like. However, I also thought it had a nice ring, and saves me being even more confused than normal!
Rambling! I have a good night with the kids too, they slept till 7 a.m.!
Glad you are getting your house in order.
Your web site is great!
As a reader, too many pen names can be confusing. However, I can understand using them. It lets us know the type of book we are getting.
I like the website! Nice work. I'm not sure if I'll use a pen name. I might if I switch out of romance and write in another genre but otherwise I think I'll stick with my own.
Brandy - that's a big part of it, the freedom.
Shirley - If it works for Jayne Ann Amanda Krentz Castle Quick it will work for anybody. I love how you came up with the names. I should have added that to the questions.
Scott - Thanks. Now I just have to keep at it so those word counts move up.
Toni - I've always thought you had a nice "name" already. No need to change it. My last name is so awkward sometimes.
Thanks Carol (I'm glad you aren't having problems getting in today). That's the other point. When you pick up an Amanda Quick, for instance, you know you're getting a Regency.
Kelly - Thanks. If the name works, use it. Like I said to Toni, my last name always gave me problems. But I'm actually saving it for children's stories. Yes folks, I even have a couple of those (If I can find them again ...)
Peggy - LOL. I know there are times I wish my parents had used my mother's maiden name of O'Connell. I'm glad you liked the website.
nope no pen names ...everyone knows my name
website looks super
Your website looks good! I like the open page of the book. Very writerly. ;)
And no pen names for me, though it isn't often people get my first name or my last name right. But having an unusual name just means you're quite tolerant of it.
Glad you're feeling better today. Take care.
I'm using a pen name, though I'm nowhere near selling. :) My real name is boring and people are always mispronouncing (not to mention misspelling) my last name which drives me nuts. So I came up with Tori Lennox which is similar, but a lot more hip and sexy. :)
I'm considering a pen name. I'm not quite sure yet if I will use one or not.
I do not use a pen name--yet. Only because I haven't thought of a good one. I was going to go with A.K. Daniels or Allison K. Daniels. I hate my name so I have no interest in it being on a book.
You did a fantastic job on the website! I really enjoyed the great excerpts. :)
I generally write under my own name, but that's been Diane Parkin and Diane Wood - both married names. When I worked on the education magazines, if there were too many articles by me, some would get changed to Jemima Petty or Anne Eccles. (Anne Eccles was my idea, Eccles and Parkin both being cakes.) But if ever I write a cat-rom it'll be Diana Lord - Lord being my mother's maiden name.
Sorry I didn't get chance to drop by yesterday when you were feeling low. Have a ((hug)) now instead.
I haven't used a pen name - but if I decide to write in different romance genres, then I suppose I shall have to.
Glad you're feeling better. :-)
hello! Sorry been a rough couple of weeks here! Well where ever I have been anyway...after no travel for almost 6 months, the three weeks in a row travel got me!
I am very sad to hear you have moved into the next stage...that was a very hard stage!
I will try to get out to your new website as soon as I can.
I'm not a writer but I'm using pseudonyms. Since my first name is so unusual, anybody could find my comments easily in google. That's why I don't like using it.
At first when I found out authors were using so many pen-names, I was kind of upset because I kept missing books by favorite authors. I didn't care what type of book they wrote. I just wanted to read them all. Now I can see the reasoning for some of it. At a certain time, it seems that you were pretty much forced to use a different name if you submitted to a different publisher. Some of my long-time authors have as many names and more as Shirley does.
Shirley, my second name is Ruth, too--after my mother's sister.
And Bailey, I missed yesterday's blog. But I added something before I wrote this.
Actually Jayne Anne Krentz has some other names as well: Stephanie James (that's how I first knew her), Amanda Glass (1 bk), Jayne Taylor (1 bk).
Elizabeth Lowell also has quite a few. When she's writing with her husband, she's A.E. Maxwell. Then there's Ann Maxwell, Annalise Sun, and Lowell Charters (some of the latter also have input from her husband.
Yep, pen name is a must.
Why?
Because of my family.
Writing is a hobby - not serious.
Writing is a waste of time - non productive
Writing is seeing into my innermost mind - they can't take it.
Pen names protect, project and personify.
Very important tools.
I like the website. It looks nice.
Enjoyed your website.
Okay, from only a reader's point of view and I'll quantify that with saying you of course should do what you feel comfortable with.
Personally, I hate it lol. I'm easily confused and there are so many authors out there I just can't keep any of them straight.
I don't think it's too hard to figure out what kind of book you are buying and think it's up to the reader and not the author's fault if the reader assumed they wrote in only one genre.
I guess I also feel if they are proud of their work, they would put their name to it. (I'm sure that's easier said than done.)
I also understand that not being a writer myself that's it's a lot more complicated. But I was just giving my opinion from my viewpoint and assumed you wanted an honest answer.
Great work on the site. It's nice and clean and easy to navigate as well as shows your serious about your career. Good job!
I use a pen name because I write multicultural characters and well, my married name contridicts with my nationality. I use my mother's maiden because it looks nicer than my maiden name too.
I still say pen name after reading all these. Oh, and Amanda Quick *g8 has moved out of the regency period!
And Ruby55, she wrote 3 books under Amanda Glass, but they are VERY hard to find here.
Brandy! Amanda Q is out of the Regency? When did that happen? Where'd she go? LOL
I like the website too. It's kinda cute.
No Penname for me. Favorite is too good a marketing tool to get rid of. :)
Pen name? Hmmmm. Not unless I was forced to. I mean, I kinda like my name. I wouldn't want to change it.
Amanda Quick's latest was set in Victorian times. Just a wee bit later than regency. I read an article that said she wanted to 'grow' a bit with her historicals.
Love the website. And the pen name. I was thinking about having a pen name for my romance and one for my children's series. But haven't decided yet.
Dennie - yes they do. *gg*
Meretta - thank you. The book was one of their templates. And I like your name.
Tori - it is hip and sexy.
Staci - there is that added protection.
Kelley - Every author has that decision to make (some more quickly than others).
Rene - I like both of those.
Thank you Susan.
I like Diana Lord.
Melissa - not necessarily.
Thanks Glenice.
Ruby - I knew about the other Krentz names, but she's no longer writing under them and a lot of Stephanie James' are being reprinted under the Krentz name.
Very true Michele.
Thanks Jordan. What are you doing here? Get back to those edits. *gg*
Jeanne - your opinion is always welcome. Let's see if I can clear up some of this for you. I don't know if it's still done this way, but for a long time a publisher owned a name. If you moved on to another publisher you had to leave the name behind. Stephen King began publishing under Richard Bachman because the publisher that held the King name only wanted to publish one book a year. So in order to publish more, King had to come up with another name. I've seen a lot of men balk at picking up an Iris Johanssen (and I know I'm spelling that wrong) or Tami Hoag mystery because of their romance background. They chose to stick with those names, but take Elizabeth Peters for example. More people would be more likely to pick up an Elizabeth Peters than the gothic Barbara Michaels. And as far as being proud - I would be proud to have my name on a Blaze, but there are people like the 80 something year old who wrote to Jill and called her Blaze porn. I can certainly understand why some members of my family might blanch at a Blaze (very conservative) and because I love them I have no trouble changing the name. And since I do plan on writing a children's book some day, plus a possible erotica - well, you can kind of see the conflict there. I know it can be confusing.
Kelly - that makes sense.
Danica - I see your point.
Tanya - some people are more fortunate name-wise than others.
Sandy - if it weren't for the possible future erotica clash children's book thingy then I probably wouldn't change names.
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