I've always felt a strong resistance to using a pseudonym when I write. But how one feels and the needs of the industry can be incompatible, so now I'm trying to come up with a catchy pen name. Two, actually. Let me know if you have suggestions. "Dirk Diggler" is taken.
Because I'm concentrating now on writing for children, I may well want a different name for publishing certain other things. I've written 3/4 of a novel that's decidedly inappropriate for the 12-year-olds who will read my forthcoming medieval mystery. Much as it pains me, I'll need to market the adult novel under a pseudonym, or else children's publishers (and the parents of America) will avoid me like carrion.
A live chat with a much-published author at ICL pointed out another reason to pick a second name: prolific and varied output. If I produce a children's novel per year, a single publishing house might like all of them. But they're unlikely to be willing to over-saturated their catalog with the works of Anne E. Johnson, lest it look like a one-woman show. The problem would be fixed if I had another identity for half the books.
How about "Haby S. Corpus"?
Showing posts with label pen name. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pen name. Show all posts
Saturday, February 13, 2010
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