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Jennifer ponders her name...
When I started writing, paper books in a bookstore was still
the norm. Gosh, that makes me sound old, but it was actually only 2005. One of
the things writers were told was when considering your pen name, consider shelf
placement.
Makes sense. Ideally, if your books are eyelevel on the
shelf, you have a better chance of being seen and ultimately, purchased. Since
books are shelved alphabetically by author last name, the middle of the
alphabet is key.
Well, my last name is Wilck. My maiden name is Zander.
Neither name particularly helps me with shelf placement. I briefly considered
using my middle name, Alison, but having two first names sounded a little
pretentious to me and really, the beginning is only helpful for tall people.
Ultimately, after talking to my mom, I decided to go with how
I identity myself, which is using Wilck. And luckily for me, with the
proliferation of e-books and online sales, shelf placement is less important.
Spelling, on the other hand...
I recall reading that a now multi-pubbed romance author chose her pen name specifically to have her books shelved next to a very famous author.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for ebooks, or we all might try to be "Roberts."
That would be really funny, Ana!
DeleteI'd never thought of shelf placement, mainly because bookshops have different sizes of shelves, so it's the luck of the draw whether your name comes conveniently at eye-level or right down at the bottom of the shelf. As you say, e-books don't have that issue. Must admit an author's name doesn't usually influence me - unless it's an obviously 'made up' one, when tends to put me off!
ReplyDeleteMust be an American thing.
DeleteIf being on the middle shelf was important then my surname is well placed. But like Paula says it doesn't really matter with e-books. I didn't ever think of using anything but my real name.
ReplyDeleteAgain, must be American.
DeleteHa, Ana...I'm totally laughing at your comment. So true.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I went with a pseudonym was because my romance career and my real-life career don't mix. Over the years, they've gotten more mixed up as time has gone by, but in the beginning I was very careful to separate the two.
Totally get it, Debra. I have a similar situation and there are days I REALLY wish I had used a pseudonym.
DeleteHeavens I never thought of placements on shelves. I've always been used to being bottom of the alphabet, my maiden name began with W also. I had wondered about a pseudonym but couldn't come up with anything interesting. I don't like my name I think its boring but then I've lived with it for a long time! I did wonder about using my mother's maiden name which is Dean.
ReplyDeleteNow there's a task for our next CCC meeting, Carol! :-)
DeleteGood thinking!
DeleteYour name is easy to spell, Carol, so that's a very good thing!
Delete