Current Project: Leg Shaving Leads to Trouble
Status: In progress
One writing-related issue I've been thinking a lot about lately is pen names. Some of you may know I adopted one recently - Lisa Leoni. I made this change for several reasons. I had been going by Lisa Pulliam, which was my married name for several years. Now that I'm divorced, it seems appropriate to use a new name. I was asked why don't I use my maiden/current name instead of creating a new one. Good question. And my answer may give you a frightening glimpse into my mind.
I want to become an anthropology professor and bioarchaeologist. That may be old news to many of you. But as a professor, I would be using my maiden name (because let's face it, I'm never changing my name again, haha!) I have this vision of 15 years from now, what could happen if I were using my maiden name for both my day job and writing. Picture this...
It's a Monday morning and I've just chugged a liter of Diet Coke to brace my nerves to face my intro to archaeology class. I just spent all weekend grading their essay exams and they were rubbish. I'm angry - feeling like the students don't care or don't understand and aren't asking for help. I'm frustrated with campus politics and I just hit a snag with planned summer research and field school. To sum up - I'm P.O.'d. I walk in to class with my game face on, ready to read them the riot act about how they aren't living up to their potential, they need to take college more seriously, they are paying to learn this stuff for crying out loud. I slam the stack of essay exams on the table and try to stare them down. Billy, the jerky class clown in the back raises his hand. I don't want to call on him, but I have to. I try to stay stern and I nod for him to speak. "There sure is a lot of sex in your books. Is it all from experience?" Then I die.
So that, dear friends, is why I chose a pen name instead of my maiden name. I just don't like the idea of mixing an academic career with a writing career. I don't want to censor my writing because I'm worried if it will affect my work, tenure, etc. It's stupid that it needs to be worried about, but I guess that's the world we live in.
Why did I change it now? I redesigned my writing Web site and I figured I might as well launch it under the name I'm going to use. There's always the question - do you figure out a pen name once you sell, or do it before. In this technological time where editors seem to rely on an author's Web presence, it seems crucial to start building your name well before you sell. I feel like I'm taking 10 steps back by dropping Pulliam, which I've had for several years - but using a new name feels right.
Enough about me. Do you use a pen name? If so, why do you use one? How did you come up with it? If you don't use a pen name, why did you choose to use your real name?
9 comments:
LOL, Lisa, good luck with Billy.
In the years before I started writing for Harlequin almost every author had a pen name. I was under the impression it was in order for the company to keep the name of a popular author even if they couldn't hold onto the author.
Since then, I've discovered several friends who have pen names. Some of them had last names that are either too ethnic (or so they feel to appeal to mass audiences) or too difficult to spell. Others started out when pen names were a given. And others just wanted a separate identity. I do have a practicing attorney friend who writes mysteries and RS under her "real" name and I'll have to ask her if she ever felt a conflict.
I think a pen name for you makes perfect sense considering what your aim in life is and the difference of your goals. I chose not to have one even though my dh was in favor of my using my maiden name (LeVelle) because it sounded more romantic. But by then I was Alice Sharpe which is a good name for a mystery writer which has always been my not so secret ambition. In retrospect, I don't know, it might have behooved me to use LeVelle for the romances and saved Sharpe for the mysteries. Who knows.
Neat blog! And I like Lisa Leoni. Very musical.
Lisa, I had to laugh -- only a writer would have a full-blown future scene thought out, down to the name of the class jerk. Anyone else would just have a vague thought that they didn't want their writing to conflict with their day job. :-)
To answer your question, I'm not using a pen name, though I am using my married name. I decided a long time ago to let the chips fall where they may in regards to the day job and what I choose to write. So long as I don't write something directly derogatory about my company, or imply that my company endorses what I write in any way, I'm good. And I say if someone has a question like Billy's for me, well, I'll just grin and say, "Hey! Thanks for reading my book!" and then smile like the Mona Lisa and refuse to answer the question. LOL
Seriously, I understand where you're coming from. If you were already established in your academic career, you might feel differently, but then again, maybe not.
I will say that I'm saving my maiden name for the future, in case I ever feel the need to either re-invent myself or want to separate writing in really different genres (though I don't know if that's really necessary these days).
Very funny Lisa! The scenarios that go through our brains. I'm keeping my name unless an editor suggests I change it. I don't like my maiden name so that's not an option. Not many last names flow with Kendra. I figure I'll stick with what I have. Unless anyone has any suggestions...
Lisa, you're so cute! :) What an imagination you have. *snort*
If I use a pen name, it will be for a different genre book. I'm known for my supernatural/urban fantasy stuff, but I enjoy writing other things that aren't in that genre. So I wouldn't want a reader picking up one of my books and expecting it to be something it isn't.
I have the pen name all picked out, should I need to use it. I hate my maiden name, I'm not crazy about my biological dad's last name, so I'm going with something totally made-up: Kari Vale. Short, simple, easy to remember.
I go back and forth on the pen name question. I think if (when) I get published in both YA and adult fiction, it makes sense to use a pen name for at least one of the genres. I also have the same thoughts as you and teaching. I'm also not sure about using my married name--a. it's the name that I'm a "mom" under and b. it has the potential to give the family a bit more privacy and c. one never knows what the future holds.
However, I really hate my maiden last name. Always have. (Cunningham). It just doesn't reflect my writing style at all, which is important, IMHO.
I suppose I can't author a book as "Wavybrains" as much as I love my internet identity and alter ego.
A little tip for those thinking about a pen name--buy your domain name as soon as you think of it and BEFORE you talk about it on message boards or with others.
Thanks for the comments, everyone!! It's fun to imagine the pen names :)
Alice - your maiden name is beautiful! But I do like Sharpe for what you write, and for mysteries.
Karen - cool pen name! I really like it!!
Wavy - Great point! I think I drove Eli nuts because I came up with a list of like 40 names, asked her opinion on name after name after name. I also checked for .com domains before I thought too much about a name. 90% of the names I liked were immediately scratched off the list because they didn't have the .com available and I only want a .com domain.
Interesting post, Lisa!
I'm writing under my legal name, because I probably wouldn't respond to any other name. Although my mother does call me my sister's name and used to call me by an aunt's name. Sometimes she went through my brothers' names too before she got it right--I just waited patiently and then teased her about it. So maybe I could adapt to a different name. :)
If I was writing different genres, I'd definitely use a pen name. Perhaps my first name with a different last name or my initials and a different last name.
Alice, I like your maiden name--maybe I could buy that from you! Lisa and Karen, good choices for pen names!
Lisa, your scenario with Billy totally cracked me up.
I write under my maiden name. When I decided to get serious about writing, I chose to use my maiden name so I wouldn't have to change when I sold. I understand your dilemma, Lisa. Part of the reason I chose to use my maiden name was 1) I wasn't sure if I'd go back into teaching, and since I teach junior high I figured IF my kids found me, it'd taken them a little longer to find me under my maiden name and 2) my married last name is very common and several romance writers use the same last name, whereas my maiden name is very unique.
As someone who has recently made the switch from unpub to pub, I can tell you that people will find you regardless of the name you use. So if you're only using a pseudonym to remain private, it probably isn't going to do the trick. That said, there are a lot of writers who don't share their books with friends and family, but that's something I just don't get. I'm dang proud of my books and can't imagine wanting to keep all my efforts secret. My friends and family are the best word of mouth promo I've got!
Lisa, I wondered about an alter ego when I started, but I like my married name and don't really care for my maiden name so that was a no-brainer. But I have thought about using a psuedo now and then and if I ever did it would be Gina Rose an offshoot of my mom's name.
As some of you know I have a pseudo for editing- the reasons for that are many. I used my legal first name and my CP's dog's name.
Interesting blog and I loved your scene! So writerly! And I love the name you picked. It fits bubbly you.
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