In an earlier post, I was talking about how discussing pen names in a query letter is a sign of “Thinking Too Far Ahead” syndrome – a phrase eloquently coined by Evil Editor.
Today, I got a lesson in pen names from mystery author P.J. Parrish, and I thought I’d pass on some entertaining info.
Parrish said that the key to picking a successful pen name, should you ever get to that point where yoy truly need one, is a three-step process:
1. Pick a cool-sounding name, as Mr. Pink would say. “P.J. Parrish” is a pseudonym, and it’s pretty cool-sounding.
2. Choose a name that will put your fiction work next to high-profile authors alphabetically. With the last name “Parrish,” she has her work right next to James Patterson. Not a bad deal! (Parrish has been writing for 11 years and did not choose the name for that reason; however, she says this is indeed a reality of selecting a pseudonym.)
3. Visit several bookstores and start to get a feel for what last name would have the likeliest probability of getting your books at eye level. Good one! It makes perfect sense.
thx guy! and good luck to you all!