What to consider when choosing a pen name for a sci-fi novel?
Asked by: Josh Kiss
Your pen name should be something that is easily remembered. If it is difficult to pronounce or otherwise hard to remember, people are less likely to remember it. 2. It should be something that you like, so that you don’t mind other people referring to you with that name.
How do I choose a pen name for my book?
How to pick a pen name
- Consider your genre. …
- Consider the demographic of your target readers. …
- Consider whether your pseudonym rings any bells. …
- Consider the availability of your name for social media and website purposes. …
- Theodore Seuss Geisel — AKA Dr. …
- Mary Ann Evans — AKA George Eliot.
How do you come up with a science fiction name?
Inventing names for Sci-Fi characters
- Invent some random names. …
- Use names from some obscure languages. …
- Use names from some Classical languages such as Latin, Greek, Proto-Indo-European or similarly-sounding ones.
What makes a good scifi novel?
A good science fiction work posits one vision for the future, among countless possibilities, that is built on a foundation of realism. In creating a link between the present and the future, science fiction invites us to consider the complex ways our choices and interactions contribute to generating the future.
Is it common for authors to use a pen name?
The use of pseudonyms by writers and artists has been a popular practice throughout the centuries, and using a pen name is a well-known practice even today. While pen names may be less common than they were in the past, they are still a good option to consider for modern authors!
What makes a good pen name?
To choose a pen name:
- Identify the right age for your pseudonym.
- Choose options that fit your literary genre.
- Check the availability of your pen name’s URL and social media handles.
- Choose a name that’s easy to spell, pronounce, and remember.
- Make sure your pen name isn’t similar or identical to another author’s.
How do you create a fantasy place name?
If you want a Proper Name, head to Proper Names for Fantasy Locations. If you want a more descriptive name, start by rolling for either a Proper Name or a Terrain term (e.g. “Hills”, “Downs,” “Crags”), and then add a further modifier (e.g. “Darkest Cardolan”, “Horrible Hills” ).
How do fantasy writers come up with names?
One approach for fantasy writers is to generate names using a foreign or ancient language root, e.g. Latin or Russian, then play around with the results until you come up with something that works. If you’re using Scrivener you’ll find it has a ‘name generator’ tool which can be very useful if you get stuck.
How do you name your fantasy country?
Look at names of real countries in the region where you are setting your fictional country, and try to match the pattern. For example, there are several real countries in south Asia with names ending in “-stan”, such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kazakhstan. So a name ending in “-stan” would sound plausible.
Why does JK Rowling use a pseudonym?
I certainly wanted to take my writing persona as far away as possible from me, so a male pseudonym seemed a good idea. It doesn’t consciously change the way I write. I think I write differently, because it’s a very different genre.
Why you shouldn’t use a pen name?
Pen names can complicate social gatherings, especially if you forget and introduce yourself to someone under your given name, or fail to respond when someone calls you by your pen name. Also, conferences and signings may become challenging if you’re juggling two names.
When should you use a pen name?
To use or not use a pen name or pseudonym is a personal choice. There’s not really a right or wrong answer on this—unless you do share a name with a well-known author and/or celebrity. Just remember: If you do use one, be ready to take on that new persona (even if it’s very similar to your actual identity).
What is it called when an author uses a fake name?
A pseudonym is a fictitious name taken by a writer in place of their real name. The term “pseudonym” is a Greek word that literally means “false name.”
Can I use real names in my book?
Using someone’s name, image or life story as part of a novel, book, movie or other “expressive” work is protected by the First Amendment, even if the expressive work is sold or displayed.
Why do authors use initials?
Instead, it is often used by authors to stand out, to create an aura of mystery around them – or to simply shorten a long name on a book cover. In a world where social media makes everyone rather transparent, however, the choice of initials over full names may, however, come off as pretentious.
What is the average age to write a book?
This study of professionally published novelists found the average age of first publication to be 36 years.
Why do some authors not use their real name?
They can’t publish under their real name.
Today, many writers may use pen names to disguise their true identity for their day jobs, not wanting their bosses or colleagues to know that they write a particular genre and be subject to scrutiny or embarrassment.
Why do authors use their middle initial?
You share a name with another author or famous person. Your middle initial will distinguish you and your book from the other author’s books. Online bookstore databases sometimes have a hard time distinguishing between two authors by the exact same name.
Is it pretentious to use middle name?
The conventional wisdom says that using your middle initial on a regular basis is a pretentious affectation — especially in the digital era. New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, for instance, was told to use a “D.” in his byline way back when he was a cub reporter at the Harvard Crimson.
Should I include my middle initial?
After a while, it started being a bit of a joke, but it isn’t a bad idea to use your middle initial professionally because middle name initials enhance evaluations of intellectual performance according to a research study in the European Journal of Social Psychology.
Should I publish with my middle initial?
Always include a middle initial because it reduces the chance that your name will be the same as another academic (including cases where only initials are shown in references), or because it looks more distinguished.
What is middle name example?
Middle names constitute the mother’s maiden surname; is inserted between the given name and the surname (father’s surname) and almost always abbreviated signifying that it is a “middle name”. For example; given the name Mr. Jose Patricio Santos. This is usually abbreviated to Jose P.