Angela James did a great blog post on the Carina blog about pen names.
http://carinapress.com/blog/2010/08/things-to-consider-when-choosing-a-pen-name/
I've chosen not to use a pen name because seriously, I like what I do and want people to know I did it. If, however, I were to use a pen name I think I would use something classy like Valencia Orangia. Or perhaps, Betty Cocker.
Maybe Creamy DeWhipp.
what would you use? Carolyn?
I picked mine (Rebecca Cameron) because someone told me it was really important to keep your first name when you chose a pen name. She said "what name would you answer to at a conference?" I said "Rebecca". She said "then that's what your pen name should be."
ReplyDeleteThen I went to RWA Nationals this summer and had people calling me "Rebecca" all weekend, and kept forgetting to answer to it. Because, of course, I go by "Becca" at home.
Might as well have picked Fiona for all the good that did me.
I wonder if you can pick your 'pen name' like you do your 'pornstar name'. You know, first pet and first street...
ReplyDeleteI'd be Chachi Fair...
Hmm... I suppose it could be worse and I could use current pet and street - Pippin Ecton.
Blech...
Probably a good thing I won't be published. Now I don't need to go through pets and try and remember all the streets I've lived on lol
I once wrote a character who was a romance writer with the nom de plume of Ti Ti Sweet. Most definitely going for the laughs there, but a Filipino friend told me:
ReplyDelete"BTW, Titi in our language, Tagalog, is the.... 'ahem' of the male gender. You can't find anyone here with that name LOL...so in other words "Titi Sweet" can be translated to lollipop."
After that I was more careful with nom de plumes, lol.
As for myself, I too wanted to keep my own name but it's too damn long! My username is BamaCLM; I thought (briefly) of C L Bama, but even I could foresee the jokes. So, in the end, I'm me, only shorter. C L McCullough.
And that's the truth! :p
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Yeah, I've seen quite a few of the porn-star variety names, and it never sits well with me. I understand why some authors want to use pen names, but they should feel like *names*, IMO.
ReplyDeleteIndia Drummond
Oh, I do agree, it's hard to take someone seriously when their name makes you go 'huh?!'.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone read any of Elizabeth Peters' Jacqueline Kirby series? Specifically 'Die for Love'. Takes place at a Romance Convention and it is a great satire - including the names. Valerie Valentine, Valerie Vanderbilt, Victor Van Damm.
I laugh myself silly every time I read it, lol.
Victor Van Damm? Hey, I laugh at Jean Claude Van Damm but that's a different story...
ReplyDeleteShould the need ever arise, I'd probably go with Elle Bea - it's my initials :D
But then again...
Oh the choices are just endless. Finding hte non-laughable ones is hte hardest part.