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What's in a name?

I'm not really close to completing a novel. I've outlined. I've sketched out character back stories and dabbled with scenes and situations and plot scenarios. But we all know what's the most important part of any great novelist's entry into the publishing world.

The nom de plume.

I need a pen name folks. And here's where you come in. Those half dozen of you who bother to read my blog periodically might have fun with this one. I'm sure there's a Facebook quiz out there that covers this, much like the one that tells you what your porn star name or your private investigator name might be. I haven't come across one for writer pseudonyms, so I'm asking you to help me.

Why not write under my real name? I've joked that given the wacked out and/or smutty stuff I might come up with, it might be better if no one knew who I was! Plus, I need flash. Glitz. Pizazz. And, perhaps, something that Matt Lauer won't butcher when he interviews me on the Today show. (In order to keep my anonymity, though, would I have to be filmed behind a screen with my voice electronically altered?)

See. Just thinking ahead.

So start throwing the suggestions my way. You can offer explanations. Or you can simply list them and keep me guessing.

Comments

AnneR said…
I don't have any name ideas (yet) but have you read Certain Girls, the sequel to Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner? Pen names figure heavily into the plot. (and since you're the one who turned me on to Weiner, I bet you'll like it if you haven't yet read it.)

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