Will publishers look badly upon a pseudonym?

Willowhugger · Oct 15, 2006

I was curious since I want to write under a false name for my next set of books. I have a terribly common name and my previous efforts at publishing carry some baggage that I'd prefer to forget in all honesty.

I would personally like to 'start over'

Mark Lazer · Oct 15, 2006

I know someone who had to change her name after a book that wasn't received well, so I can't really see why publishers would reject any pseudonym.

Tracy · Oct 15, 2006

Certainly in Ireland and Britain, which is the market I know, there's absolutely no problem with pseudonyms - they're just a form of re-branding. You'll need to use your real name for signing contracts and all the legal stuff, but the name on the books can by anything.
Perhaps, however, you might consider not telling the publishers why you're using a pseudonym - don't advertise it, in other words! Like in a job interview, you don't lie, but you put the best angle on everything.

Good luck with it all.

James D. Macdonald · Oct 15, 2006

You'll have lots of chances to discuss pseudonyms with your editor when the time comes. First, sell the book.

PeeDee · Oct 15, 2006

And please try to make it sound like a human being name. No "Lightning McCloud" or anything. Promise me.

TwentyFour · Oct 15, 2006

Well there goes my pseudonym...Vanilla Creampuff!

Nah, I would go for it, use a name with possibly the same initials as your own...

J.S. for me, possibly Jessica St.James or Jessie Sikes...oh I like the first!

PeeDee · Oct 15, 2006

Remember that if it sounds stupid and you show up at a book signing....people are going to say it out loud. So I guess a good rule of thumb is, "nothing you don't mind hearing out loud."

Perhaps another good rule of thumb is "Nothing that would get you shot in a bar."

(and I mean SHOT DEAD, not BOUGHT SHOTS)

Willowhugger · Oct 15, 2006

I was going for something vaguely fake sounding.

Like Alan Smithee. A normal name but a last name that's alittle "off"

Something you'd never find on Google.

;-)

Button · Oct 15, 2006

... You mean not already found on Google? Cause, you know, editors will want to make sure people can find you after you sell your book.

Don't editors usually put a vote in and help an author with a pseudonym? (Given such a situation of course.)

Soccer Mom · Oct 15, 2006

PeeDee said:
Remember that if it sounds stupid and you show up at a book signing....people are going to say it out loud. So I guess a good rule of thumb is, "nothing you don't mind hearing out loud."

Perhaps another good rule of thumb is "Nothing that would get you shot in a bar."

(and I mean SHOT DEAD, not BOUGHT SHOTS)

I'm not sure it works the same way for a woman. Giggles Merriweather might get me a round of shots in a bar, but it lacks a little panache for the book signing.

cree · Oct 15, 2006

My books are out under a pen. Editor doesn't care a smidge. They are mainstream contemporary. No previous baggage, just wanted a little layer of anonymity between my personal life and my professional life. And you never know when some freak might approach my kid after soccer practice because he didn't like something I wrote. Not likely, but not taking chances with the freaks and my kids.

piscesgirl80 · Oct 16, 2006

There used to be one of those "name generator" web sites for coming up with your "famous author" name, which I can't find right now. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about?

My "southern name" according to one of these things is "Dorothy Dane Charlotte Seymore". Hmm, don't know how I feel about Dorothy...

PeeDee · Oct 16, 2006

I'm apparently Chelsea Dane Clementine Edington, I tell you whut!

Carrie in PA · Oct 16, 2006

PeeDee said:
Clementine

Oh, fabulous. Now I've got:

In a cavern,
In a canyon,
excavating for a mine,
dwelt a miner, forty-niner,
and his daughter, Clementine...

running through my head.

Thanks. A. Lot.

PeeDee · Oct 16, 2006

Teeheeehee. Mah paw says what I shood marry you.

Carrie in PA · Oct 16, 2006

Don't make me get my banjo out!

I'm still undecided about using a pseudonym. I probably won't. I don't use one for my column, and nobody's slashed my tires yet...

Tracy · Oct 16, 2006

Carrie in PA said:
Oh, fabulous. Now I've got:

In a cavern,
In a canyon,
excavating for a mine,
dwelt a miner, forty-niner,
and his daughter, Clementine...

running through my head.

Thanks. A. Lot.

I didn't. But now I do.
Thanks a lot!

ChunkyC · Oct 16, 2006

There are probably as many pen-names out there as there are reasons for using one.

I write a weekly movie review column under my real name, Charlie Stuart. But I use C. Montgomery Stuart for my fiction. Part of that is to separate the two, but it's more as a tribute to my late father. Both he and I share the middle name Montgomery, and everyone called him Monty. Both my parents were avid readers and got me going at an early age, so to connect my identity as a writer to him is a way of honouring his memory.

Point is, everyone who uses a pen-name has a reason for doing so. Editors and publishers aren't really going to care as long as the name is not going to be a detriment to sales, like Author Ronan Boyle or some idiotic thing like that. Unless of course you are writing Sherlock Holmes spoofs.

Scarlett_156 · Oct 16, 2006

I have no real choice in the matter-- any material of mine that is printed MUST be under a pseudonym. I would likely not be typing these words today if I ever used my given name to publish. Verily-- I owe my continued good health and longevity to Ms. ______ ______ (pseudo name withheld).

RedMolly · Oct 16, 2006

I don't know if I'll ever use it, but I have one picked out already... it's fairly normal-sounding, but it's a colossal family in-joke. And I live to make my sister laugh.

Inkdaub · Oct 18, 2006

If publishers had a problem with pseudonyms there wouldn't be very many books published.

Will publishers look badly upon a pseudonym?

Willowhugger

Mark Lazer

Tracy

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

TwentyFour

practical experience, FTW

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Willowhugger

Button

Resident in Question

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

cree

piscesgirl80

Friendly Neighborhood Fish

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

PeeDee

Where's my tea, please...?

Carrie in PA

Write All The Words!

Tracy

ChunkyC

It's hard being green

Scarlett_156

asdf

RedMolly

My beat is correct

Inkdaub

wrapped in plastic