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Writing Group / Pen names
« on: July 05, 2011, 04:21:35 PM »
I may be doing some writing for hire soon. (See: http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=8368.msg177931#msg177931.) And I’ve been thinking that this work should be published under a psuedonym.
There are at least two reasons that I think using a nom de plume might be good. First, it's work for hire. And the work would be an adaptation of another person's script. So these would not be my own ideas, my own world, my own creation.
Second, I publish under my real name for my day job in academia. I think people would take that work less seriously if it were known that I publish genre fiction as well. For better or for worse, there is a stigma. So, I'd like to compartmentalize.
So, any thoughts on choosing a pen name? What makes a good one, or a bad one?
Are there conventions or customs I should be aware of? (For example, lots of women authors use male or gender-neutral names to publish under, but I don't see men doing the same thing.)
There are at least two reasons that I think using a nom de plume might be good. First, it's work for hire. And the work would be an adaptation of another person's script. So these would not be my own ideas, my own world, my own creation.
Second, I publish under my real name for my day job in academia. I think people would take that work less seriously if it were known that I publish genre fiction as well. For better or for worse, there is a stigma. So, I'd like to compartmentalize.
So, any thoughts on choosing a pen name? What makes a good one, or a bad one?
Are there conventions or customs I should be aware of? (For example, lots of women authors use male or gender-neutral names to publish under, but I don't see men doing the same thing.)