skyman06

Filetofbaby, why do you think people from New Jersey are retarded?

lin

Most people handle that by just modifying their professional name with an initital or middle name. John Ralston Saul, for instance, to differentiate a very find writer nobody's heard of from John Saul, a hack horror writer everybody's heard of.

You can surely get something nice out of your names to differentiate, but let you and your loved ones feel it's "you".

If not, how about "Scooter"? It's really pert.

lisajane

No reason to use a pen-name just because your surname is the name of a country. People would probably remember your name even more so due to the fact it is a country name.

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lin

Unfortunately, the country is Iran.
And his first name is Flock of Seagulls.

HarryG

If you´re writing for profit, and live in the UK, there´s a problem with using pen names nowadays. Try opening a bank account in your pen name, first. It can still be done, but you would have to convince your agent/publisher/ accountant, first.

G. Palmer

Mem. serving, in the standard manuscript you usually have your real name and contact details on the front page and have the pen name in the by line.

Uhh - I'm pretty sure that's not legal.

Baron

It isn't a problem. You just open a business account trading as whatever the chosen name is. I know lots of British writers, myself included, who use pseudonyms. Also, when getting paid by publishers you can specify an account other than the name that you're using for writing.

Example, Private Eye's celebrated proprietor, Lord Gnome, Aristides P Gnome, known for writing the occasional boring editorial, a totally fictitious character.

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Hobbes

Go with your real name, or a stylized version of it. Use your initials creatively, if you must, but keep it real. As with everything in the game, if your writing's good, it won't matter.

Mike C

A 'trading as' business account would do the trick, but all you have to do is get your agent/publisher to make out cheques (checks for the pesky yankees) in your real name.

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ClancyBoy

OMG Kathy Ireland I've loved you since I was 13!

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ClancyBoy

Seriously though, what if I used a pen name that... cast doubt upon my race or nationality? Would that be incredibly gauche?

I've been in Asia for 18 years and I don't think I can write anything without mentioning it somehow. My take on things might not conform to the It's a Small World After All view espoused by the PC Nazi Left. Mammamaia already implied I was a racist because I write about characters with Japanese surnames, and I fear there are many more like her.

If I went by my (legal, BTW) Chinese name I could avoid this problem entirely. If anyone found out though I fear I could be crucified or worse.

I guess what I'm asking is, am I stupid enough to post my evil plan on an internet message board?

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slayerofangels

I'd go for Buster Fogarty. Or failing that, Quetzacoatal Emmanuel Wulverbottom.

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ClancyBoy

Jesus Pandit Wong.

Would look awesome on a dust jacket.

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lin

Not a problem if you have an agent, of course. Payment goes from publisher to agent, agent writes you a check under your name.

What this gets to is the levels at which the pen name is operative.
Level one would be True identity known to everyone. Saki, Kilgore Trout, etc.

Level two, not known to reading public, but known to publisher. Mames Tiptree before Revelation.

Level three, known only to agent.

Level four, your own little secret.

I suppose there could be a fifth level in which you yourself are unaware that one of your possessing entities has taken on a literary flair.


The only level at which cashing the check is trouble is at level four. Having operated there myself, I solved that problem a couple of ways. One of my more successful capers was a simple as using the name of a neighbor and having her cash the check for me. (Yes, "her", when you are scamming you may as well go all the way) Neighbor and good friend, I might add. I think if most people tot up a list of people they would comfortable handing a check for four thousand check they desperately need, it would be a pretty short list.

Mike C

I'll be your friend.

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