What's in a Name

[David]

Interesting blog post - I think - here from David Farland on choosing a writing name, especially the bit about ending on the bottom shelf.

http://www.davidfarland.net/writing_t...

I have a couple of sort of pen-names myself for other blogs, but I've never published anything else using them.

[Beverley]

Do you think he's right about avoiding names that sound like a famous author? Only I couldn't help noticing the last time I was in a Spanish off licence the amount of drinks called Nalibu or Braileys or something, with an eye catchingly similar label to their better known rivals. Perhaps they're on to something? Would it be worth a try at Stephen Kring or Agatha Crispy? Or Isaac Asitoff for the sci-fi buffs?

Mmm. Food for thought there. It would certainly be much easier than trying to get noticed with your own name. Slightly pointless adopting a psuedonym if it's an autobiography though I suppose. Unless no one knows who you are to start with.

[Lisa]

I wrote one book under a pen name because of potential minor issues at work. I did make sure that name began with A though :D The legalities are not difficult as you own the copyright anyway, but I registered the work with the Library of Congress (I did't think that mean guy at work would check there). I just shared your blog post. :)

[David]

Beverley wrote: "Do you think he's right about avoiding names that sound like a famous author?"

Funny you mention that. I just remembered, at the weekend seeing a sort of big conspiracy-type thriller written by someone called Don Brown.

Cheeky, I thought.

Then I thought, my next one ought to be: 'Fifty Shades of Da Vinci', written under the pen-name Stephanie King.

Actually, that also just reminded me I DO have one to put out soon under the title: The Dai Vinci Cold, based around this and some related pieces:

http://atangledrope.blogspot.co.uk/20...

[Jim]

I'm afraid that I stick to my real name as well, most boring.
The only time I've used a pen name was when an editor discovered he was publishing two articles a month of mine for several consecutive months, so he wanted one article a month be under a pen name. I was happy enough to oblige :-)

[Michael]

I did consider using a pen name but decided it was too hassle.

[Patti (baconater)]

Mike Hassleoff.

That'd work!

[Lynda]

Clearly with a name like Wilcox, I'm doomed from the start. And most people misspell my given name of Lynda, so that's not a lot of use.

Now my hypothetical readers are thinking it's too much trouble to bend to the bottom shelf, looking for a book by Linda Wilcock. I'll just throw in the towel on this writing lark, shall I?

[David]

Lynda wrote: "Clearly with a name like Wilcox, I'm doomed from the start. And most people misspell my given name of Lynda, so that's not a lot of use.

Now my hypothetical readers are thinking it's too much trou..."

Don't worry, Roger Zelazny did ok.

[Michael]

Patti (baconater) wrote: "Mike Hassleoff.

That'd work!"

That's bloody good actually!

[Patti (baconater)]

*blushes*

[Tim]

Lee Child (real name Jim Grant) supposedly chose his pen name so that his books would be between Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie on the bookshelf...

[David]

Tim wrote: "Lee Child (real name Jim Grant) supposedly chose his pen name so that his books would be between Raymond Chandler and Agatha Christie on the bookshelf..."

In the library, Lee Child's books are never on the shelf. Always reservations on every book!

[Lynda]

I've never read a Lee Child book. I have read Chandler and Christie, though. Many times.

[D.D. Chant]

I use a pen name, is it sad that it makes me feel mysterious?!?! ;-P

When I chose my pen name I still wanted it to reflect me, to have a connection. My sister calls me DeeDee and I liked the idea of being gender unspecific, so I became D.D.

Then I chose the name Chant because it's a pseudonym that has been used in my family before: my paternal great grandfather was too young to enlist during the second world war. He used the pseudonym Chant to sign up.

So I *am* D.D. Chant, the name has a very strong ties to me, it's just not my legal name. ;-)

[Jan]

I chose a double-barrelled name as I was able to remember the name of a magazine writer I admired because of her easily remembered double-barrelled name. I also discovered another Janet Elizabeth Nicholson who is a writer, and I think there are at least 36 Janet Nicholsons on Facebook alone!

My husband's middle name is actually Hurst, so it's not really a made-up name.

I use Janet Hurst-Nicholson for my children's books, and Jan (also gender neutral) for my novels.

[Kath]

I used to share my name - but now she's a Windsor and the Duchess of Cambridge so I've got me moniker back!

[Jim]

Have you got a younger sister (he asks, innocently)

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

I used to be a Googlewhack, but now there are apparently 4 people in the US/Canada with MY name, and 2 of us on Facebook. Uniqueness is now only a state of mind!

[Kath]

Jim wrote: "Have you got a younger sister (he asks, innocently)"

Yes ( she replies, brazenly but truthfully).

[Patti (baconater)]

Are the bits in the brackets referred to as sub-text? (She inquires, too lazy to googly)

[Kath]

(Parentheses)

[David]

That's Yorkshirees for: Parent he says.

[Patti (baconater)]

[{what are these called]}

[Kath]

A punch up the bracket?

[Patti (baconater)]

You what now?

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Patti (baconater) wrote: "[{what are these called]}"

Excessive!

[Patti (baconater)]

(({{{{{[[[[[[(((((((((no, this is excessive))))))}}}}}}}]]]]]]])

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Patti (baconater) wrote: "(({{{{{[[[[[[(((((((((no, this is excessive))))))}}}}}}}]]]]]]])"

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is excessive......................................

[David]

Patti (baconater) wrote: "[{what are these called]}"

I don't know about the others, but the second one on the left is called Steve. I'd recognise him anywhere.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Are any of them Davids?

[David]

Gingerlily - Smiter of idiots. wrote: "Are any of them Davids?"

You may well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Or maybe ({[David]})s.

[David]

Gingerlily - Smiter of idiots. wrote: "Or maybe ({[David]})s."

I see what they mean now when they say 'brace yourself'.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Not This?

http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/up...

[David]

Gingerlily - Smiter of idiots. wrote: "Not This?

http://cf.broadsheet.ie/wp-content/up..."

Possibly...not.

Of course, Americans call braces suspenders which can confuse at times.

[Lynda]

The idea of having suspenders on one's teeth, does conjure up an interesting mental image.

[David]

Lynda wrote: "The idea of having suspenders on one's teeth, does conjure up an interesting mental image."

Well, in the dark of the bedroom romantic exploration can sometimes become somewhat more hazardous than one would normally expect, especially when venturing into some of the more uncharted erogenous zones.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

It would be interesting trying to take suspenders off with your teeth...

[David]

Gingerlily - Smiter of idiots. wrote: "It would be interesting trying to take suspenders off with your teeth..."

I... er... imagine it would.

[D.D. Chant]

Umm... GL? That's dungeon talk.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

So it is, better get down there...

[Pete]

I'm not sure if this is the right place, but the issue is connected to my author name, which is also my real name. I had the choice of Peter or Pete and chose Pete,(and my surname) because when I searched for e-books that was a unique name. That was over a year ago, and when, in the last few days I posted my first three books on Kindle, I found there is now another author of the same name. I can live with that. BUT !!! Goodreads has assigned one of my books to the other author and it does not appear on MY profile page. Any ideas how I can get it back?

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

There are a few people with librarian powers who can sort that out for you. Maybe if you post your request on the morning thread one of them will see it and help out.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Pete wrote: "I'm not sure if this is the right place, but the issue is connected to my author name, which is also my real name. I had the choice of Peter or Pete and chose Pete,(and my surname) because when I s..."

Let me know which books are yours and i will try to sort it for you.

[Pete]

Jay-me (Janet) ~plum chutney is best~ wrote: "Let me know which books are yours and i will try to sort it for you. "
Thanks Janet. The book in question is 'The Day Uncle Jimmy Learned to Fly', ASIN: B00HNWYUCW.
I don't know what happened - I loaded it from my dashboard and it was assigned to this other guy - he probably doesn't even know. You'll see from the cover it's mine.
Sorry if I'm 'advertising' in this group - I tried to contact you direct but you're not taking messages. Perhaps I need to be your friend first???

[Jay-me (Janet)]

It should be there now. Because there is another Pete Carter you need to put two spaces between your first name and surname.

[Pete]

Jay-me (Janet) ~plum chutney is best~ wrote: "It should be there now. Because there is another Pete Carter you need to put two spaces between your first name and surname."
Magic! Well done and thanks. I have added the cover as well. When you say I need two spaces, is that in ALL instances, ie Kindle, publication etc, not just my goodreads profile ID or whatever you call it?

[Jay-me (Janet)]

Pete wrote: "Jay-me (Janet) ~plum chutney is best~ wrote: "It should be there now. Because there is another Pete Carter you need to put two spaces between your first name and surname."
Magic! Well done and tha..."

Whenever you are adding a book just make sure that there are two spaces when you fill in the box for author's name. That way the book will be attached to you and not to pete onespace carter :)

[Jim]

Now there is a name to conjure with

"The name's Carter; Pete, onespace, Carter."