Using a Pen Name: Yay or Nay?

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  • #101498
    Daisy Torres
    @daisy-torres
      • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
      • Total Posts: 691

      @writerlexi1216 *mysterious music* It’s not XD I wondered about your internet name! I saw “Autorski” earlier and got confused as to why I didn’t recognise it XD I knew the “writerlexi1216” part, but the change just threw me off lolll. Absolutely!!

      "It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."

      #101506
      Elizabeth
      @lewilliams
        • Rank: Loyal Sidekick
        • Total Posts: 252

        @writerlexi1216 Ehehe, am I totally stalking this topic because I’ve had (and continue to have at this very moment) the very similar debate in my head about whether to use initials or my middle name? I’ll never tell. 😛

        Anyway, I don’t have much to add, except to suggest just playing around with it. Add your name to some mockup covers of your books. Practice your signature. Eventually you’ll settle on what you like, and there’s no wrong way to do it. (Does that make any sense?)

        “Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”

        #101509
        Anonymous
          • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
          • Total Posts: 1789

          @daisy-torres WHAT? Dude. Did not expect that.


          @writerlexi1216
          Ah, it’s no biggie!

          You’re so welcome! Girl, it fits perfectly!!! Awwww, thank you!!! <3

          Exactly! XD Of course!! Keep ’em coming!! Ah, yes, definitely a good idea! My pleasure!! 😀

          #101516
          Alexa Autorski
          @writerlexi1216
            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
            • Total Posts: 1011

            @nova21

            Thank you so much for your input!! I’m totally thinking about coming up with one!! <33


            @ariel-f

            Thank you! That was very helpful and duly noted! 🙂


            @seekjustice

            I couldn’t agree more! I never thought about it being more ‘accepted’ in some areas of writing as opposed to others… Thanks, Chelsea!:)


            @morgan

            *gasps* Seriously? Interesting! Thank you so much for your input! 🙂


            @godlyfantasy12

            That’s so true! And it just gave me a few ideas… Thank you! 😀


            @daisy-torres

            Yup, I thought it sounded better than my boring ol’ actual name XD.


            @lewilliams

            I actually never thought about using my middle name… Thanks so much for your input! I’ll def try to do that with the mock covers and see what I like best! That makes total sense! 😀

            @gracie-j

            Of course!! You can always count on me to be chock-full of questions. XD #thejoysofbeinganewbie

            #101523
            Anonymous
              • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
              • Total Posts: 1789

              @writerlexi1216 Awesome!! 😀 I wish I’d reached out to other writers when I was a newb! #thehorrorsofselflearning

              #101535
              Daisy Torres
              @daisy-torres
                • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                • Total Posts: 691

                @gracie-j Lolll guilty is charged XD


                @writerlexi1216
                Hahaha I mean my name is a really long, hard to pronounce Scottish one (It has a whopping 9 letters XD) So I used a more common name XD

                "It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."

                #101536
                Alexa Autorski
                @writerlexi1216
                  • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                  • Total Posts: 1011

                  @daisy-torres

                  A Scottish name? *gasps* YES. Those are the best! This is making me quite curious what your name is now, btw XD You would not BELIEVE how many people mispronounce my name, though. Most people think I’m either ‘Alexia’ or ‘Alexis’ and it drives me nuts. XD

                  #101545
                  Keilah H.
                  @keilah-h
                    • Rank: Chosen One
                    • Total Posts: 5035

                    I’ve published three picture books, under my own name. I can see what everyone means with the privacy, but personally I like seeing my name on my books. In one of my fanfiction stories, however, I have a character that is technically myself. In the version of the story my brother and I think up, we use our normal names. But when I write the stories down (in my head at least) I call myself Jaye and my brother Argent. The names are derived from another story where we had the names “Jayheart” and “Silverflame” so I tweaked the names (and used my limited Latin knowledge to give my brother a cool-sounding name)

                    Where'd I get ya this time? The liver? The kidney? I'm runnin' outta places to put holes in ya.

                    #101555
                    Daisy Torres
                    @daisy-torres
                      • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                      • Total Posts: 691

                      @writerlexi1216 Hahaha! Thankss.

                      Ohh I think I believe it XD I have a cousin named Alexis and she has said the same thing XD

                      Does you/a friend have an amazon Alexa device? if so, does it ever get confused when someone talks to you? XD

                      "It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."

                      #101610
                      Anonymous
                        • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                        • Total Posts: 1789

                        @daisy-torres I’m with Lexi!!!! You’re suddenly so much cooler now. From one Scot to another, Scottish names are foirfe! Unfortunately, Johnson doesn’t really sound very Scottish, even though it is. And Dutch and Danish and Swedish and English and Irish and pretty much ever other European language too. XD

                        #101637
                        Abigail.M.
                        @abigail-m
                          • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                          • Total Posts: 1242

                          @writerlexi1216

                          I think that in fantasy, initials are a continuous popularity, like say J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and J.K. Rowling. Although on the other hand, other fantasy stars like Niel Gaiman just stick with their real name and go with that.
                          Some writers like to take on pen names for the obvious reasons like privacy and genre-switching or simply because their name might look too much like another writer’s. A pen name can feel freeing in many ways since you get the opportunity to create a new persona for the name and everything. Personally, I’ll probably stick with my own name and not do initials, (due to nothing other than personal preference really). And that’s the thing, as the writer, you get to ultimately decide and it’s mostly a preference on which direction you want to go. *Sigh* I’m not feeling very helpful, but I know of an article on this question, (and if my posting articles is annoying at all, let me know:) If I’m annoying, I’d probably be the last person to know XD ).
                          But in any case, I think Alexa Williams and A.M Williams are both incredible!!!!!!!!!!:D (just be sure and let me know which you go with someday so I know where to find you on the bestseller list).

                          https://www.writersdigest.com/publishing-insights/how-and-when-should-writers-use-a-pen-name-or-pseudonym

                          • This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Abigail.M..
                          #101638
                          Abigail.M.
                          @abigail-m
                            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                            • Total Posts: 1242

                            @writerlexi1216

                            WHOA, my link went through!!! 😀 😀 (I think the secret is perhaps to post it as a cut and paste instead of as a link) Cue the fireworks!! XD

                            #101641
                            Ariel
                            @ariel-f
                              • Rank: Wise Jester
                              • Total Posts: 50

                              @daisy-torres

                              Wait. . . What is your last name? If you don’t mind me asking!

                              • This reply was modified 3 years, 4 months ago by Ariel.
                              #101653
                              Alexa Autorski
                              @writerlexi1216
                                • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                                • Total Posts: 1011

                                @keilah-h

                                Thank you so much for your input! That’s very interesting! 🙂 (Also, I had no idea you’ve published three picture books! Girl, that’s amazing!) <333


                                @daisy-torres

                                Seriously? I’m not the ONLY one who suffers from people forgetting their name? *sighs* Thankfully, no (probably because it would be too confusing XD). I cannot tell you how annoying it is to share a name with such a popular device, though XD


                                @abigail-m

                                Thank you so much for saying all of that!! I have to admit, I’m starting to lean more toward using my initials than anything, especially because of genre-switching (and just the look of it as well). No no, you’re incredibly helpful and I really appreciate that article!!:) (Girl, that isn’t annoying at all!) <3 I applaud you for being able to get the links to work XD I’ll have to remember that trick. *jots down notes in notepad* Aww, thank you!! 😀

                                #101667
                                Daisy Torres
                                @daisy-torres
                                  • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                                  • Total Posts: 691

                                  @gracie-j looolll thank you XDD And yess!! Agreed! I loove Scottish names!


                                  @ariel-f
                                  Sorry, I’d like to keep that private haha XD There aren’t too many last names like mine, so if mine is found, it would be pretty easy to figure out who I am lol.

                                  "It's easy to be caught up in stardust and whispers when reality is so dark and loud."

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