Do You Have a Pen Name?

More choices!

Isang Araw (or a variation of those letters)
Islington

If I were to have my work published I would assume a pen name that is either initials, gender-neutral/gender-unspecific, or just a guy's name. I figure, some of the stuff I write is pretty hardcore, and some women writers on these subjects aren't taken seriously? I don't know, it's my opinion. And it's going to stay my opinion.

wolf parade.:

If I were to have my work published I would assume a pen name that is either initials, gender-neutral/gender-unspecific, or just a guy's name. I figure, some of the stuff I write is pretty hardcore, and some women writers on these subjects aren't taken seriously? I don't know, it's my opinion. And it's going to stay my opinion.

I'm the same way.

My pen name is Alice Goulding, I think its very scholarly. My real name is a total secret.

Harlequin Ross is my pen name. Not that Anya Ngawhare isn't a good name. I just like the idea of there being two of me lol.
Aaaaand... I can use Harlequin Ross for the sappy shit I don't really want people to know I wrote.

I really like the name Abigail Crowley. I may add it to my list of pennames.

wolf parade.:

If I were to have my work published I would assume a pen name that is either initials, gender-neutral/gender-unspecific, or just a guy's name. I figure, some of the stuff I write is pretty hardcore, and some women writers on these subjects aren't taken seriously? I don't know, it's my opinion. And it's going to stay my opinion.

I'm the exact same way! Mine was going to be G. L. Stenson.

It's kind of sad, though, because what you say about women not being taken seriously when they write about some subjects is really true. I always think about S. E. Hinton, who wrote The Outsiders. It was a serious, almost male oriented book, which is why she said she used her initials instead of her real name.

Linda Rose Papale.

Linda is the name of my reading teacher who really pushed my imagination further.
Rose is my middle name.
And Papale is the surname of the woman who inspired me to write in the first place. She read stories to our elementary school class every Tuesday and I wanted to be an author so that way I could hear her read my book aloud. Alas, she passed away a few years ago (R.I.P.)

waits.:

I'm the exact same way! Mine was going to be G. L. Stenson.

It's kind of sad, though, because what you say about women not being taken seriously when they write about some subjects is really true. I always think about S. E. Hinton, who wrote The Outsiders. It was a serious, almost male oriented book, which is why she said she used her initials instead of her real name.

J. K. Rowling was the same way.

waits.:

I'm the exact same way! Mine was going to be G. L. Stenson.

It's kind of sad, though, because what you say about women not being taken seriously when they write about some subjects is really true. I always think about S. E. Hinton, who wrote The Outsiders. It was a serious, almost male oriented book, which is why she said she used her initials instead of her real name.

S.E. Hinton and The Outsiders is exactly what made me decide that a feminine name (such as my own) wouldn't be right if I published. It is sad, though.

My pen name would probably be J. N. Thrasher.
My last name is too awesome for me to change. XD

wolf parade.:

S.E. Hinton and The Outsiders is exactly what made me decide that a feminine name (such as my own) wouldn't be right if I published. It is sad, though.

I feel your pain. I have a super feminine name too. I can see a girl getting away with it if she had a vaguely unisex name, but Katie ain't gonna be fooling many people, I don't think.

It's sad it has to be that way though.

And honestly, I just can't see myself publishing anything under my full real name. It just wouldn't feel right. And plus, I've always wanted to publish something under a false name just to see what people would really say about my work. Morbid curiosity, I suppose.

Siriano;:

J. K. Rowling was the same way.

Really? I never knew that.

Lee M. Carroll
Lee is the shortening of my second name, M. is the initial of my last name, Carroll is the pen name of my favorite author.

The closest thing I really have to a pen-name is the fact that I scribble Valo over everything I every write in.
So if I had one, it would involve Valo somewhere. Whether it just be that alone or whatever, it'd have to be in there.

waits.:

Really? I never knew that.

Yeah, apparently she was going to use her actual name but the editor said that the target audience (young boys) wouldn't read a book by a woman.

Siriano;:

Yeah, apparently she was going to use her actual name but the editor said that the target audience (young boys) wouldn't read a book by a woman.

Ooooh, I never thought of it that way. I can totally see that happening, though.

I don't know...
I want to use either Fenris Valentine or Fenris Leonard(o).
Mainly because they stand out.
But they both feel silly to me. >.<
Anyone have an opinion on them? I'd rather someone either tell me to give up on those, they do sound silly, or not to give up on them. One of the two. 'Cause I haven't a clue.

waits.:

Yeah, like, Sam would work. I also agree with the morbid curiosity bit.

For academic publishing I would stick with my real name. For creative writing, I might use my first name and my maiden last name, or my mother's maiden last name. Maybe change the spelling of my first name. I'd like to keep my creative and academic work separate.

I've been thinking about pen names lately for if I join this online writing group an old professor recommended to me. Of course I'm partial to One Amahira, even though it's a screen name. I've been using it for over ten years... Perhaps O. Amahira.

Imagine Socks:

I don't know...
I want to use either Fenris Valentine or Fenris Leonard(o).
Mainly because they stand out.
But they both feel silly to me. >.<
Anyone have an opinion on them? I'd rather someone either tell me to give up on those, they do sound silly, or not to give up on them. One of the two. 'Cause I haven't a clue.

It sort of depends on your writing style, as I quite like the ring to Fenris Leonard, although it would probably be a very niche handle. It's weird how some names to some people just scream romance, or thriller or fantasy writer, which in this case i think it's mostly a very good pen name for someone definitive of the fantasy genre. Still it is a very individual name and you wouldn't go unnoticed in any genre as long as what you're writing is good enough.