Pseudonym or No?

[Travis J. Smith]

I've worked with my name trying to come up with something that works. Travis Smith by itself seems a bit too regular. Travis J. Smith doesn't grab me either. TJ Smith seems to make me come across as a bit immature. Numerous other writers have gone that route (JD Salinger, JK Rowling, etc.) but TJ still seems immature in comparison. I considered using my middle name in some shape or form, but it didn't work at all. Travis Jarrod. Jarrod Smith. Bah!

Lately I've thought of possibly using a pseudonym if/when I get published and one name in particular struck me: Asher Hill. I'm not entirely certain what it is about the name, but I've fallen in love with it. So, am I just being too picky when it comes to my name? What should I go with in the event of being published?

[GirlWithPoisonPen]

That's a discussion to have with your publisher, since they'll want to have some input on how to brand you.

[scarletpeaches]

BRAND him? Literally? :eek:

[GirlWithPoisonPen]

BRAND him? Literally? :eek:

With a red hot poker!

I meant author = brand (like in marketing).

[AZ_Dawn]

Avoid Asher Hill. It sounds too close to this word (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/asshole).

Hope that helps.

[Ciera_]

I don't think it sounds too close to that word. It makes me think of a cross between an old professor guy (only because there was this old professor guy character named Asher in this show I watched this one time) and a jewellery store. But not in a bad way! It sounds cool, to me.

[Travis J. Smith]

Well, seeing as it'll be a while before I even consider my novel worth querying, there won't be any discussions with publishers anytime soon. :tongue

[Palmfrond]

As I've posted elsewhere in the never-ending pseudonym threads, I decided to use my real name, which is not great but not horrible, and then the publisher decided I needed a pseudonym anyway. So don't get too attached to anything that you think you want to be called.

[Kate Thornton]

I like that first-name-middle-initial-last-name idea - you have a very good name for it.

[ClaudiaGray]

Count me as another one who had her pseudonym all worked out until her agent informed her otherwise. Claudia Gray was my third choice, actually. Come up with some ideas, but prepare to be flexible. :)

[Travis J. Smith]

Boy am I surprised that T.J. Smith has the most votes . . . the one I wrote off almost entirely as an option . . .

[mariedees]

I am a Smith. I publish under the maternal family name Dees. Part of the reason is that after a number of years in the business world, I've discovered people tend to forget simple names like Smith and Jones. The remember you have a simple name. They just can't remember which one. So I went with a non-Smith option.

Marie

[Lucifal]

How about Travis Jarrod. I liked TJ Smith best but I could only see that person writing Westerns!

[Travis J. Smith]

I am a Smith. I publish under the maternal family name Dees. Part of the reason is that after a number of years in the business world, I've discovered people tend to forget simple names like Smith and Jones. The remember you have a simple name. They just can't remember which one. So I went with a non-Smith option.

Marie
Hmm, I didn't think of that. Yet my maternal family name is slipping my mind . . . :e2shrug:

[scheherazade]

Depends on what genre you write in. Travis Smith sounds like the author of action-oriented novels involving spies, former military men, thrillers about the government, etc. Asher Hill sounds more like a horror or mystery writer - has kind of a pen-name feel to it.

Also think about where you'll be in the bookstore. Both Smith and Hill will be filed amongst several other writers... which has some benefits (a reader looking for Reginald Hill or Scott Smith might stumble on your books by accident and decide to pick them up), and some drawbacks (your book might not stand out amongst the other like names).

[Travis J. Smith]

Interesting. I don't write action-oriented or horror/mystery fiction. :Shrug:

Header I fall under to the greatest extent would be Mainstream/Contemporary.