Monday, November 7, 2011

Pen Names

Have any of you thought of using one when you get published?

I guess there are some pretty good reasons to use one.

*You don't want your mother to know you write erotica romance.
*You write in two different genres.
*Your name isn't different enough to stand out.
*You've hated the name your parents gave you ever since you were born.
*You'd rather keep a secret identity if you go all famous like Stephenie Meyer.
*You like making up new names. We make up characters all the time, right?
*You've had your heart set on naming a child your favorite name, but your hubby won't agree with you. So, why not use it as a pen name instead? ;)

He he. I know some of those are a little out there, but oh well. I've thought about using a pen name instead of my real name a few times. I've decided not to do it though. I'd like to be published with my real name, since it's pretty different.  If I decide to write women's fiction or something else down the road, I may do a pen name if I've already published in YA. I have no CLUE what I would choose though.

Have you guys thought of pen names for yourselves? Or will you use your real name? Do tell! :)

Oh, and check out this awesome contest Abby  is having over at her blog! She's wanting ideas for a pen name for her. Go check it out and give her some ideas! :)

23 comments:

amberargyle said...

I'm published under my maiden name.

Amber Smith is boring, at the bottom of the bookshelf, and is the name of a porn star.

So there you go. ;)

Lisa Aldin said...

Yes - I think I'd like to use a pen name because there are already so many Lisa's!

Chantele Sedgwick said...

@Amber: LOL! Love it! :)

Meredith said...

Haha, I never really thought about using a pen name. I have no idea what name I would use, but that's certainly fun to think about. :)

Peggy Eddleman said...

I don't plan to use a pen name. My name is actually quite unique, so that reason's out. I don't write erotica, so that reason's out. I'm bad at coming up with names, so that reason's out. So... um, yeah. I think I'll keep mine. :)

Cynthia Lee said...

I love the idea of a pen name.

I don't have one in mind. I just love the whole notion, I guess.

Abby Fowers said...

LOL! I love your reasons! haha. Absolutely fabulous. Especially the erotica one. You'll never know which name I use to publish THOSE novels ;)

Thanks for the shout out for the contest!

Faith E. Hough said...

I agree: your name is too pretty and unusual to hide. :)
I don't plan on using a pen name because I like my name too much...although there is the pronunciation problem. Luckily Julianne and Derek Hough have made it familiar enough that fewer people are calling me Faith "Ho" or "Hue" or "Hog" these days!

Angela Cothran said...

Abby writes erotica? Now the pen name thing makes sense :)

I've never really considered it. I really like my name and I don't think I could answer to another name if I had to speak or sign books. But my hubby does call me Deann (long story) so maybe I could. HA HA!

Angela Brown said...

I've self-pubbed under a pen name with my first MS. It's a very different genre (erotica) so I wanted to something different.

S.P. Bowers said...

I want to publish with my name but it is very generic. There are a billion Sara Bowers and authors with that name, and a series with a MC by that name, and a playboy bunny..... You get the picture. That's why I use my Initials. It helps individualize me just a little without having to get a pen name. Honestly after 13 years of marriage I still forget to sign the correct last name. If I had to sign a pen name there would be three names crossed out in each book. Cause of course I'm going to have lots of fans that want me to sign things.

Alynza Smith said...

I'm using my real name for children's picture books, but a pen name for the YA stuff I'm writing. I've always wondered what the majority of authors do.

Amanda Olivieri said...

I've thought about it, but I'd probably end up using my real name. I've always liked the first and middle initial with the last name, but that doesn't work for me since it would be A.L. Olivieri...yeah, not too catchy!

Emily R. King said...

I only abbreviated my name, but it makes it harder for people to guess who I really am. I like anonymity! Being famous is NOT a dream of mine. That's why I write, hahaha. : )

Anonymous said...

When I wrote my first book in high school, I used a pen name, it was Morgan J. Chanllor and thought that if I ever got it published that I would use it but...I'm not because my name is way cooler... at least I think so.

J E Fritz said...

I totally want a pen name for reasons three and four. My name has always bugged me and there's another writer out there with a very similar name, so...

Jen said...

Ha! Number 1, seriously!

My mum knows I write it, but she sure as hell will never be able to track a copy down!

Ruth Josse said...

I've never really thought about about using a pen name. I figured I'd just use my own. But since I write YA, maybe those kids wouldn't want to read a book by an old lady named Ruth. Because of course, only old ladies are named Ruth.

Chantele Sedgwick said...

@Jen: That is hilarious!! :D

@Ruth: LOL! Pretty sure you're NOT an old lady! ;)

J.R. Johansson said...

I'll be published under J.R. Johansson because it will appeal to boy-readers on a broader spectrum. Those are my real initials, so I'm not sure it qualifies as a pen name, but it isn't what I was planning on or what I go by with other people...so maybe it counts. Anyway, I totally see the value in pen names and if I switched genres drastically, I would probably use a different name as well.

Reece said...

I don't know if I'll ever need or want a pen name, but I've got one picked out (my AP English teacher had our whole class pick out pen names...you know, back when Sumeria was still the dominant superpower). I finally settled on the name Joseph Greystone (though I might go with Jonathan as well).

Chantele Sedgwick said...

@Reece LOL! I'm pretty sure I'm older than you, Reece! ;) And that's an awesome pen name!

Nicole said...

I'm still so up-in-the-air on this, but I've definitely thought about it. Tried out a few ideas and all that. But right now, all my writing and my blog, etc. is under my own name. So I'm goin' with that for now!