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Zoiebe
02-26-2008, 07:42 AM
I'm writing a collection of short essays/anecdotes in the almost same form as How to Travel with a Salmon by Umberto Eco or any of David Sedaris's works. The only differences are: 1. I did not use the names of real people, 2. I fictionalized a some of my anecdotes to make them more interesting. Nonetheless, most of them are based from real life expriences.

Now, what I want to do is to create a pen name for my book of anecdotes and essays. The result would be a fictional essayist in the like manner that "Lemony Snicket" is a fictional autobiographer. Is this possible?

Another choice I am opting for is to create an essayist character which I will introduce at the beginning of the book. So instead of having a character who tells a long story (first-person novel), I have a character who tells short essays. I will still use a pen name for the book. So it's like having two layers of anonymity.

What would be a better choice? Or perhaps are they even good choices? As much as possible, I really cannot use my real name because it has little appeal and I want to keep my anonymity and anecdotes. I don't people to know that I wrote that book.

Thank you very much! :)

Lauri B
02-26-2008, 04:43 PM
Well, if you've fictionalized these anecdotes, then you're in the wrong forum. They are no longer nonfiction.

Pick any name you want for your pen name.

I'm going to move this to writing short fiction, since this isn't really the forum for you.

Ken
02-26-2008, 04:58 PM
Was just in the same trying predicament myself. Finally resorted to a twist on my own name after deciding to reject these three pen names:
- Sally Smithers
- Sally P. Smithers
- Celia Smithers