Gettin a writer's name

Heya, I just wondered if anyone knew how I would get a pen name, nom de plume, literary doubles etc. Do I just put it on my manuscipt, or wait for the publisher or what? My name ins't that strange, just boring:

I wanted to change it to M.S.CRAWFORD. I jsut think it looks cooler. lol, call me immature but you know!

You know, posting your full real name online isn't always the best idea, Aedomir. -Mesh

Your byline (the name you want the novel/short story to published under) is put on the manuscript, along with your real name. Buy a book like The Artist's and Writer's Yearbook 2008 for information on how to set out your manuscript.

That's grat thanks, I know th basics of setting it out, but I was usnure about that

On a related note (which is strange for me as I usually sprout useless nonsense,) J.K Rowling was ordered by Bloomsberry to change from Joanne to J.K., for fear that the book wouldn't appeal to their market audience (boys aged 9-12) if it was wrote by a woman!



The sheer cheek!

Ye I heard that too

I might have a pen name just because my name is so long. My first and last name(s? there's a hyphen) come up to 22 letters. Then there's my middle name, which I love, that is another 8. =P

M.S. Crawford is cool. Though it makes me think of the program M.S Word =P

lol ms word oh ye... how about M.A.CRAWFORD? or M.S.A.CRAWFORD

If it comes down to trying to get something published, I'll probably have a pen name, but it won't be completely random. My last name is very easy to find words that rhyme with it, so I'll probably just do that. Then find a name I like that works with it. Or maybe the two initials. Dunno, not too worried about it.

I'm going to use my real name if I can.

Aedomir wrote:lol ms word oh ye... how about M.A.CRAWFORD? or M.S.A.CRAWFORD

I like MA Crawford the best.

MS reminds me of the acronym for manuscript (MS). It also kindda looks like Ms. Crawford, which probably isn't what you intended.

I dunno about using my name...it's pretty long, and very Irish...probably just my first intial and second name.

MS reminds me of the acronym for manuscript (MS). It also kindda looks like Ms. Crawford, which probably isn't what you intended. Wink

Haha! Good point, I think I might stay clear of Ms. Crawford. Yep, I'm a lady.

Eimear wrote:On a related note (which is strange for me as I usually sprout useless nonsense,) J.K Rowling was ordered by Bloomsberry to change from Joanne to J.K., for fear that the book wouldn't appeal to their market audience (boys aged 9-12) if it was wrote by a woman!



The sheer cheek!

The same was true about SE Hinton. Hinton is a woman, and her first novel was really a boys book. Especially when it was published, in the 1960s.

Some people use another name when the write a book in a different genre than their usual one, because they figure it would be a turnoff to fans of theirs in their original genre. Which I can understand; I wouldn't necessarily be the most eager to read, say, an historical fiction book written by an author whose fantasy books I really liked. Maybe. Then again, if you've established a name for yourself, and then switch to a different name when you write in a different genre, you might not get as many readers as you would if people knew who you were. Did that make sense?

You're names cool, Eimer, I would totally use it if I were you! Irish names are awesome.

There's no way I would use my real name though. Or at least not my whole name, maybe I'd use my first, but definately not my last. Hmm...

M.S. Crawford for the win. It rolls off the tongue nicely.
I'm going to write in both my pen name and real name. It really depends on what I'm writing. If I don't mind people knowing what I've written, then I'll use my real name. If I write something (Like my next novel idea) that I think is controversial and I'd get a lot of unwanted attention under my real name (I.E.-People approaching me in the streets and explaining their undying hatred for me because they disagree with my political, religious, whatever views) then I will use a pen name so that I may be left in peace.
So, to sum it all up.
My name-public stuff
Pen name-for privacy's sake