Method to the (Pen Name) Madness
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…
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.
Chuck Sambuchino is a former editor with the Writer's Digest writing community and author of several books, including How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack and Create Your Writer Platform.
