tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post1832971629650478544..comments2023-08-14T07:24:56.761-04:00Comments on A Steampunk Reverie: Choosing a Pen NameCali MacKayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-23853638738809511342011-07-15T10:25:20.187-04:002011-07-15T10:25:20.187-04:00Cherie, I totally understand having a name that...Cherie, I totally understand having a name that's difficult to pronounce. My maiden name got massacred. lol. At least Cherie is easy to remember and say, and isn't all that common. : )Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-31817744509178456472011-07-15T09:46:42.269-04:002011-07-15T09:46:42.269-04:00Excellent post, Cali! I'm still vacillating wi...Excellent post, Cali! I'm still vacillating with the name/pen name thing. Your reason for yours is solid--I mean, who wants to be mistaken for a porn star? Haha!<br /><br />People have a hardere time pronouncing my real name right, so I've been using my childhood nickname(Cherie). I'm fine with it, but I don't know if I should also use a different last name? Hm. Definitely something to think about.Precy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-20687221989463723102011-07-12T07:46:45.089-04:002011-07-12T07:46:45.089-04:00Cat, I absolutely love the idea of combining your ...Cat, I absolutely love the idea of combining your kids' names. And even better that it has low hits. Smart of you to secure things while you can. : )Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-7826199429508632842011-07-11T14:26:03.818-04:002011-07-11T14:26:03.818-04:00Cali,
I have two pen names. One started as a flu...Cali,<br /><br />I have two pen names. One started as a fluke to protect me from myself when I stepped out of the proverbial writing closet and used the first initials of my first three kids' names and the middle name (maternal grandmother's maiden name) of my last.<br /><br />Cat Woods. Easy to remember. Easy to spell. Unfortunately, it's also quite popular as a wood, etc. <br /><br />I may or may not use my second pen name for my older age groups of juvie lit to protect my younger readers from content that is too mature. Fortunately for me, that name pops up first and only in searches. I've already secured blogger, wordpress, my dotcom and twitter with it. It also uses variations of my four kids' names. <br /><br />I did this because I love being connected to my children and the name combo is actually quite beautiful when put together. Some of my adult articles have been pubbed using a variation of this name already.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-79019052052375547462011-07-05T14:26:37.621-04:002011-07-05T14:26:37.621-04:00Teal, I do think it'd be rather unconventional...Teal, I do think it'd be rather unconventional, even for speculative fiction. My concern would be that it might confuse the reader and make them feel a disconnect from you as the author. If it's something you want to do though, maybe give it a try with a sort story or two first and see how it's received.Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-18256825812587974532011-07-04T04:16:49.129-04:002011-07-04T04:16:49.129-04:00Calista,
Would a 'Band-like' nam...Calista,<br /> Would a 'Band-like' name, say ... 'Teal Blue Project' sound too weird for unconventional spec fic? <br /><br />Like Inception, or The Tree of Life or Moon.<br /><br />Or am i just not understanding that even writing 'unconventional' sf & f stills needs a 'name', like say T.B. Parks?<br /><br />Thank you for any advice.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />-TealPoetry Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18229519283628911779noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-76003878717351965532011-06-27T18:43:30.812-04:002011-06-27T18:43:30.812-04:00Matt, my apologies that your comment got lost in m...Matt, my apologies that your comment got lost in moderation. <br /><br />Love all diversity of people that have the same name as you! Glad you were able to use your initials with little problem, though. : )Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-61172268168213689282011-06-20T20:48:42.437-04:002011-06-20T20:48:42.437-04:00Deirdra, thanks so much for the award. I'm gl...Deirdra, thanks so much for the award. I'm glad you like my blog, and I'm happy to follow yours-- you've got some great info! Thanks again!Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-40822340328948227132011-06-20T15:23:18.128-04:002011-06-20T15:23:18.128-04:00You have a fabulous blog! I’m an author and illust...You have a fabulous blog! I’m an author and illustrator and I made some awards to give to fellow bloggers whose sites I enjoy. I want to award you with the Best of Romance Blog Award for all the hard work you do!<br /><br />I invite you to follow me, if you haven’t already done so, since we have a lot in common, but no pressure. I’m not giving you the award just so you will follow me. You really do deserve it!<br />Take care:-)<br /><br /><br />Go to <a href="http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html" rel="nofollow">http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html</a> and pick up your award.<br />~DeirdraDeirdra A. Edenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03913506387908022479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-9888001642716293272011-06-11T11:16:46.995-04:002011-06-11T11:16:46.995-04:00Thanks, Medeia! Maybe if you start writing a diff...Thanks, Medeia! Maybe if you start writing a different genre and want to keep things seperate? It's always a great option.Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-40238272503324342262011-06-11T10:45:14.555-04:002011-06-11T10:45:14.555-04:00Awesome post. I've never used a pen name, but...Awesome post. I've never used a pen name, but I'm not ruling it out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-9909397269525609302011-06-09T08:12:19.186-04:002011-06-09T08:12:19.186-04:00In my case, my first name was fairly common, with ...In my case, my first name was fairly common, with professional American and Austrialian football players owning it too, not to mention a conservative British politician and a gay detective in some author's series of novels. None of which match my heterosexual, politically moderate baseball-playing self. But I decided to go with my initials on my manuscripts, which was far less common. Great tips, Cali!Matt Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07171715051853671712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-89300506303436487232011-06-08T22:00:56.133-04:002011-06-08T22:00:56.133-04:00Jemi, it's a great name and I think it's a...Jemi, it's a great name and I think it's also very adaptable to a variety of genres. Excellent also that it didn't have any hits on google!Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-59194008808361851932011-06-08T20:00:07.740-04:002011-06-08T20:00:07.740-04:00Like Jarmara I took family names and combined them...Like Jarmara I took family names and combined them to make a pen name. I knew next to nothing about it when I started - but I did google the name in quotes (probably thanks to your suggestion!) and got zero hits at the time. I'm playing around in a bunch of genres right now so I hope the name will match well enough if I ever get to the next step!! :)Jemi Fraserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02214408467456320167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-36167453600477424492011-06-08T14:56:58.122-04:002011-06-08T14:56:58.122-04:00Jarmara, I love the idea of using a family name! I...Jarmara, I love the idea of using a family name! It's a great way to pay honor and also get a name that has personal meaning.Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-83363084310717289442011-06-08T13:57:56.537-04:002011-06-08T13:57:56.537-04:00I already use two pen names on my blog and on face...I already use two pen names on my blog and on facebook.<br /><br />My facebook name came from my family history as the name was a 3x great aunt who died very young and I wanted to give her a new life. My blog name is a name from the book I'm writing at the moment.Paula RChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05550276147711384895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-53933365608157727232011-06-08T12:47:57.456-04:002011-06-08T12:47:57.456-04:00Thanks, Jennifer. I think starting with a name th...Thanks, Jennifer. I think starting with a name that has low hits on google is key to being able to "own" that name. Makes it much easier to dominate it, so you're at the top of every search.Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2325706421952281177.post-14168010102002084772011-06-08T12:25:45.816-04:002011-06-08T12:25:45.816-04:00Great post. This information on google hits is ver...Great post. This information on google hits is very helpful.Jennifer Merritthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16215742770579715142noreply@blogger.com