So what do think of writers using pseudonyms/pen names? Would you ever use one?

I’ve thought about using a pen name whenever I actually try to get published because I think the if I got famous (very unlikely), but if it happened, fame would get old, and it would be nice if everyone didn’t know who I was. Also, I’ve read Misery, and that’s kind of scary. And, I’ve heard that girls sometimes choose gender-neutral or male pseudonyms because men and boys sometimes are less likely to read something written by a woman.

So, what do you think?

Lol. I pretty much use only pen names on the internet. I’ve had some really good ones. Most of the time, I just take a name from PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves books and mess with it. Stephanie Byng, anyone? Her nickname is teh awesomest, but I can’t use it because it’s now considered rude.

If I ever got published, I think I would use a pen name.

Stephanie Byng, anyone? Her nickname is teh awesomest, but I can’t use it because it’s now considered rude.

Bahahaha, yes. Imagine the reaction if you went around calling people “Stiffy”.

If I ever had a pseudonym it’d be either Romantic Vampire Lover or the shattered star. Weird how I’m using one of those already… ;)

I’d probably use a pen name if I’m ever published, because 1) I don’t think my real name would look too great on the front of a book and 2) I like being mysterious.

I’d use my sister’s middle name and my middle name.

I think Margaret Merrill sounds rather awesome.

Not bad :)

Ah crap, I can’t use Margaret Merrill. The woman who wrote Gone With The Wind was Margaret Mitchell.

Dammit.

Hmmm.

I could use my brother’s middle name, but Margaret Alan sounds iffy.

Margaret Gilbert? Margaret French? Margaret Steele? Margaret Poole?

Eck. I want to keep a recognizable female name.

Katherine Merrill? Katherine Steele? Katherine Poole? Katherine French? Katherine Gilbert?

Hmm, good point. Too many consonants.

Anne French? Anne Poole? Any ideas?

How about using the name Paoeng Eyeresch?

Aww, I like Anne.

Margaret Warren?

See, my real name is rather longish and old fashioned. So, I want one that is kinda similar for a pen name.

Margaret and Katherine are long, while Anne is old. Alexandra?

Alexandra Toka? Alexandra Toak? Alexandra Kota? Alexandra Atko?

Yep, it does.

Silly imps, Northmark is Glora Tesch.

If you really were Tesch, you would use more of “these” around your “words.”

Actually, I don’t see many words on the website, just a bunch of picture’s and maps. The few words it has are just congratulating Gloria on her epic storytelling skills.

Unless you’re from a reputable writing family e.g. the Tolkiens, no one is really going to think twice about your name. They might make a mental note about it and if your name’s a bit out-there and the reader’s an immature preteen they’ll have a good laugh at it, and then they’ll just carry on.

Miss Tesch, is it really you? Fancy that. I don’t know if you’re legit or a troll, but for now I’ll go with the former.

fuels this internet hate machine

As far as internet hate machines go, II is very tame. But I agree, it being founded on learning from bad writing this sort of thing was bound to happen.

It’s jealousy. Most, if not all, of you are older than me, and you simply wish that you had the ability to write a huge book.

As they say, it’s not how big it is, it’s how well you can use it. ;) I’m not jealous of you. I write short stories, to write a novella would be quite large for me. I don’t need the ability to write a huge book because I have the ability to write short stories, it suits my style better, and I’m not jealous or sad or angry at all that you can write novels while I can’t – or rather, I don’t feel compelled to.

I believe that the Seven Bridges of Maradonia does not fit your tastes in fantasy, because I don’t write about incest, murder, and all the other inappropriate topics you can find in A Song of Ice and Fire. You only read those other books because they feed your morbid desires.

Have you read ASOIAF? While I haven’t read much of it, I can tell you it’s not some bodice ripper or cheap detective novel. Topics such as incest, murder, etc are not inappropriate, they are issues that are real and should be examined to make us think. After all, it’s our culture that dictates incest and murder is wrong, what about cultures where such things are not inappropriate? Are they below us because they follow ideals we consider wrong? Or are we the ones who are wrong? This sort of introspective questioning is what’s important in a story, because it is a harsh subject, and there is no right answer. It makes us think, and that’s an important aspect of literature.

I still don’t know if you’re legit or a troll, but I really hope you’re legit because I’m up at 1 AM and exhausted writing this and I’d rather what I say doesn’t fall on deaf ears. You’re a dedicated writer, I respect that. But you’re only 14, 15, aren’t you? Don’t focus on becoming famous, focus on honing your skills. Every year you’ll grown better, every year you’ll look back at your old work and think “I’ve improved.” And you want to improve. I thought I was pretty good at 14. Now, four years later, I think I was kinda rubbish, but I’ve improved exponentially. Four years from now, I might look back, shake my head, and show my new work off with pride – and four years after that, I may find it unreadable compared to what I have now. My point is, it’s a constant process of skill development, and eventually you’ll be good enough to show that skill off to the world, but at 15 years you still have a ways too go. Don’t rush the process.

Your logic, DrAlligator, does not make any sense to me. Taking from your first points down:

“Unless you’re from a reputable writing family e.g. the Tolkiens, no one is really going to think twice about your name. They might make a mental note about it and if your name’s a bit out-there and the reader’s an immature preteen they’ll have a good laugh at it, and then they’ll just carry on.”

Excuse me? As you become more famous your name does “get recognizable”, and people will learn to respect you as much as they respect people like the Tolkiens. Don’‘t judge people just based on their family because then only the descendants of George Washington would be our presidents, because everyone would assume they are the best ones to be presidents.

“As far as internet hate machines go, II is very tame. But I agree, it being founded on learning from bad writing this sort of thing was bound to happen.”
This site may be tame (as in it might not have the website name “Maradonia and Gloria Tesch Suck”) but that doesn’t stop it from being filled with hate. If I say that I hate you, it still means I hate you. If I say I really hate you, I’m still hating you.

“As they say, it’s not how big it is, it’s how well you can use it. ;) I’m not jealous of you. I write short stories, to write a novella would be quite large for me. I don’t need the ability to write a huge book because I have the ability to write short stories, it suits my style better, and I’m not jealous or sad or angry at all that you can write novels while I can’t – or rather, I don’t feel compelled to.”
It takes more work to come up with a large plot as opposed to a small plot made for a “novella”. Therefore I worked very hard to create my books and I am still working hard to write more. I think that if you just tried harder, you could probably write a good long, full size novel like the ones I write. I don’t personally know how you write but I believe that everyone has “potential” and the ability to succeed.

“Have you read ASOIAF? While I haven’t read much of it, I can tell you it’s not some bodice ripper or cheap detective novel. Topics such as incest, murder, etc are not inappropriate, they are issues that are real and should be examined to make us think. After all, it’s our culture that dictates incest and murder is wrong, what about cultures where such things are not inappropriate?”
Name a culture that allows for people to kill each other. How will your society run when it’s perfectly acceptable to kill everyone you don’t like? And it’s been scientifically proven that incest weakens a child’s immune system because they don’‘t have access to different genes. If A Song of Ice and Fire is realistic, the children born of incest (I read that one is named “Jeffrey” or something similiar) should die of disease.

“Don’t focus on becoming famous, focus on honing your skills.”

By writing my saga, I am improving while at the same time “honing” my skills.

“Stressful environments aren’t necessarily bad because they teach you to cope, and the real you only comes out at times of high stress.”
It’s not truly the “real” you unless you are constantly in situations of high stress.

“Relationships aren’t necessarily superficial, we make long-term friends and short-term friends everywhere in life, not just a high school environment”

Look at all the superficial relationships teens fall for. These can lead to abuse (read up on some statistics about girls who have endured “significant” amounts of abuse in their relationships, they are quite indeed shocking) or other problems.

“wth gothic movement.”

The “Gothic Movement” is a real and serious threat. Have you seen the news article about the “Gothic” teens who pretend to be “vampires” or other creatures? They cause harm to others and are not a good influence to people who associate with them. Of course, in the high school setting, you are forced, to socialize with “Gothics” and other dangerous people.

If A Song of Ice and Fire is realistic, the children born of incest (I read that one is named “Jeffrey” or something similiar) should die of disease

Highly untrue. From what I’ve read, depending on the level of incest (kissing cousins, or brother/sister, etc) the chances of birth defects can go from 1% to the astonishing, horrifying number of…. 3%. You only get horrific genetic conditions when you inbreed for a long time (we’re talking centuries), like the Habsburgs.

It takes more work to come up with a large plot as opposed to a small plot made for a “novella”. Therefore I worked very hard to create my books and I am still working hard to write more. I think that if you just tried harder, you could probably write a good long, full size novel like the ones I write. I don’t personally know how you write but I believe that everyone has “potential” and the ability to succeed.

It doesn’t necessarily take more time. One could work on a short book for years, fine honing the plot, the motifs, etc. But there are many crappy long novels, and many excellent little novellas. It’s not length, or plot complication. It is the skill of writing, the flow of the words. As for everyone having the potential… no. There are some truly stupid people, and then there are geniuses. We are not all born identical tabula rasas. We are different tabula rasas.

Northmark can’t be her. Here’s some quotes from Northmark:

Books with sex and swearing > books with unrealistic sugarcoated characters/dialogue/plotlines.

I can’t drink anything while reading these forums again; I nearly choked at this thread. Male, by the way.

Bella becoming pregnant with Edward’s child before she knows he’s a vampire. “EDWARD I’M PREGNANT HELP” “im a vampire! u’ll be braking sum bones n stuff. o and u might die. lol sry “ “FFFFFUUUUUUU-”

Unless Gloria Tesch is a guy, Northmark isn’t her.

Also from what I’ve heard of her, I don’t think she would talk like that^^, or like books with swearing and sex as opposed to books like the ones she wrote.

Also if I were her, I wouldn’t go on II. ;P

Damn. It felt good to blow off some steam though. D:

EDIT: Guess what! You’re officially my least favourite person!

Both my names are common and nondescript. I want to be cooler than that! I’m a teenager, what do you expect ._.

Northmark, you did a good job pretending to be her. I didn’t believe you until you responded to Dr.Al, but then I really thought you might be her.

I’d use a pen name because if my writing fails I don’t want everyone to think about it when I’m doing other stuff.

I agree with this. Plus my name is fairly common and doesn’t sound very authorish.

I just wanted to apologize for giving DrAlligator, NeuroticPlatypus, WiseWillow, and Spanman an opportunity to act like complete idiots. I hope that it never happens again, and I take all responsibility for their actions.

Carry on.

Yay! Another opportunity to act like the idiot I am!

...I hate you.

Part of me is still tempted to go with R.T. Tavi out of further homage to quite possibly my favourite author of all time.

I kind of like that actually… and sorry for my idiocy. :(

@ Moldorm: Had me fooled for a bit though. But there wasn’t enough “quotes”

But the defensively-condescending-teenage-girl bit was done quite impeccably. I’m impressed. XD

no flamez u haterz!!1 enoby is not a marysu shez a GUD CHARCATR!!1!!!1

Oh, I don’t think you had too much ‘‘Grammar Rape’‘ in your sentences. All in all, it was an excellent ‘‘Impression’‘ of Miss Tesch.

(or however she does quotations.)

Anyways, lets get back on topic now.

@ The Armourer: True. I take it back.

Just before we go back on topic, there is one thing I admire Gloria Tesch for doing—actually writing a book.

I’m mad at her. I was planning on publishing a book when I was 14 (something that passed by a while ago), and she got there first. Then again, the stuff I wrote was not worthy of publishing, and I, too, edit too much.

NO IT DOES NOT!

What do you think about authors like Lemony Snickett, who have entire personas based around their penname?

I think that’s awesome, especially him. Because I just get so confused by it… I tried so hard to work out all the relationships after I read the 13th book, and I just can’t work it out.

Hurr, dunno. Kang is all right, but I’m not too sure about Jihye. Besides, I’ve never met a non-Korean who could pronounce it correctly, and I’ve learnt that it gets annoying after a while.

That is why I’m thinking about using my English name, Ashley Kang, despite the fact I never use that name anywhere.

Nah, Paolini annoyed me off too much for that.

If you have a pen name, can’t any random person just claim to be you?

If superheros can put up with it, I reckon a writer could.

Lol. If you don’t have a picture and never do interviews, anyone could claim to be you anyway. They could say that your real name was their pen name, and how would they know that you used a pen name unless you make it public knowledge or it’s a really ridiculous name.

Your publisher would, I think, know your True Identity and be able to Protect it from Evil Doers.

What if he dies of a heart attack? :P

Wait, does Splinter own a publishing house now? What are the Turtles doing?

What happens when they grow up and become Adult Mutant Teenage Ninjas?

Wait, I messed that up.

Mutant Adult Ninja Turtles? Yeah.

What happens then?

And make baby mutant ninja turtles, who then grow into the next generation of teenage mutant ninja turtles.