What's in a pseudonym?

 By Gillian Hamer

After the recent headlines about JK Rowling publishing her first crime novel under the name of Robert Galbraith, we wondered what makes authors publish under a different name.

JK Rowling clearly had huge, personal reasons for choosing a pen name. She says: ‘I had hoped to keep this secret a little longer because being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience. It has been wonderful to publish without hype or expectation, and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name.’

Whilst this is a position most readers would envy, I’m sure most of us can also sympathise.

But what other reasons take writers down this route? We researched a selection of authors – famous, debut, unpublished – to find out what drove them under the cover of a pseudonym.

It’s something our very own JJ Marsh has chosen to do, and she’s in good company, from the Bronte sisters to Agatha Christie to Stephen King, for decades writers have chosen to work outside the constraints a famous name creates. But for those less famous, what is the pull of anonymity?

BARBARA SCOTT-EMMETT / BARBIE SCOTT

I chose a pseudonym for my erotica to differentiate it from my more serious work, and also, initially, to keep my real identity secret. The secret is now out but I will still continue to use Barbie Scott for my two collections of erotic short stories - The Stiletto Heel & Other Stories and Dinner with Daniela & Other Stories, and a novella which will be out soon.

All novels and erotica can be found at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Barbara-Scott-Emmett/e/B0034OP504

ALEXANDER SCOTT-EMMETT / JIMMY BAIN

Both my grandfather and great-grandfather were called James Bain Elstob so I chose Jimmy Bain because I wanted to honour my Glasgow ancestors. Also, I thought it suited the genre and the style of my gritty humourous Glasgow crime novels better than my real name does. It's short, sharp and suggests there'll be no messing about.

The Bumble's End by Jimmy Bain - A tale of greed, death and toffees - is available now at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004RK0T9G and all good online booksellers. The Long Drop Goodbye, the next in the series, will be ready shortly.

LORRAINE MACE / FRANCES DI PLINO

I write children’s novels (the first will be published in the USA in March 2014) and didn’t want a situation where a child picked up one of my crime novels and said: “Oh, look, Mummy, a new book by Lorraine Mace. I like her books.” I had visions of the poor mother trying to explain the contents of a hard-boiled crime thriller to a traumatised child. It seemed safer to write crime as Frances di Plino (the feminine version of my Italian great-grandfather’s name) and keep my own name for the children’s novels.

As Frances di Plino, my latest novel, Someday Never Comes, will be released by Crooked Cat Publishing on the 16th August.

Blog: http://francesdiplinoreviews.blogspot.com

JJ MARSH

There are two reasons I use a pseudonym for writing. Firstly, because I have built a good reputation in my day job under my real name. I want to keep that identity distinct and separate. Secondly, my real name sounds like I write about rabbits – the fluffy, cuddly sort, not boiled by a deranged Glenn Close. JJ Marsh came about when I was writing a collaborative project with my sister, whose name also starts with J. I borrowed Marsh from my step-dad, with a nod to Ngaio.

You can find out more about my crime series here:

http://www.beatrice-stubbs.com/

CHARLOTTE, EMILY & ANNE BRONTE / CURRER, ELLIS & ACTON BELL

In 1850, Charlotte Bronte put a stop to the speculation about the sex of the Bells.

‘Averse to personal publicity, we veiled our names under those of Currer, Ellis & Acton Bell, the ambiguous choice being dictated by a sort of conscientious scruple of assuming Christian names positively masculine, while we did not like to declare ourselves women, because – without at the time suspecting that our mode of writing and thinking was not that is called ‘feminine’ – we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice.’

AGATHA CHRISTIE / MARY WESTMACOTT

Christie published six romance novels under the name of Westmacott. Rosalina Hicks, Christie’s only daughter believes the pseudonym gave her mother the pleasure and opportunity to fulfil her wish to write something different.

She said: ‘Although Mary Westmacott never enjoyed the same critical acclaim, the books received recognition in a minor way and my mother was pleased people enjoyed them.’ And Christie certainly enjoyed writing them. In her autobiography, she said of her novel, Absent in the Spring, published in 1944: ‘This was the one book that satisfied me completely. I didn’t want to change a word. It was written with integrity, with sincerity, it was written as I was meant to write it, and that is the proudest joy a writer can have.’

STEPHEN KING / RICHARD BACHMAN

As the great man himself explains: ‘Because in the early days of my career there was a feeling in the publishing business that one book a year was all the public would accept, but I think a number of writers have disproved that by now.’

ED MCBAIN / EVAN HUNTER

Born Salvatore Albert Lombino, he legally adopted the name Evan Hunter in 1952. A prolific literary writer, Evan was advised by his publisher that publishing too much fiction, or indeed any crime fiction, may weaken his literary reputation. As a consequence, he wrote under many different names: Curt Cannon, Hunt Collins and Richard Marston for much of his early crime fiction work before settling on Ed McBain in 1956 with the publication of Cop Hater, the first novel in his acclaimed 87th Precinct Series.

JONATHAN FREEDLAND / SAM BOURNE

Some reasons are purely personal and some come down to cold, hard business, but for Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland, it was a mixture of both.

He says: ‘The name Jonathan Freedland just doesn’t sound like a thriller writer’s name, whereas Sam Bourne does. Publishing experts said my surname has too many syllables. It’s too long. It’s better to be higher up the alphabet. All these commercial considerations. But for me, personally, it’s the idea of separation from the day job, just to keep the two distinct, in reader’s minds and my own.'


So, while there are varying reasons for the decisions to write under a pen name, many seem to have sexual connotations. Have times changed since the Bronte sisters decided to keep their gender ambiguous?

Back to JK Rowling.

Her publisher changed her name on the first Harry Potter book from Joanne to JK because they believed that girls do not care who had written a book, whereas boys would be unlikely to buy a book by a woman. Now, with her move into crime fiction, she has chosen Robert as a pen name, adding weight behind experts’ advice that as more women read crime, they prefer to read novels written by men.

Is this true?

I’m not sure Agatha Christie would agree!

Tips for time management

By Sheila Bugler
For most writers, finding time to write is always a challenge. Unless you’re a trust fund baby or have a rich partner willing to support you, chances are you’ll have responsibilities which cut into precious writing time. There are occasions, too, when a lack of time is a great excuse not to write. Because, let’s face it, no matter how much we enjoy the process of writing, having to sit down day after interminable day to do it can be a whole different challenge.

The key message I want you to take away from this article is: don’t let a lack of time prevent you from writing. If you’re serious about becoming a published author, you can make that happen – no matter what time constraints you have.

I wrote my first novel while my children were both young, I was working and my husband had a job that took him away from home a lot. Finding time to write on top of that was exhausting. And yet, I was so sure this was what I wanted to do. So I started getting up early – about 4.30 or 5.00 – and writing before my kids got up and the day started. It wasn’t easy, especially during the dark winter months, but I was determined to get that first draft done. And I did. If I had an hour and a half to myself, that was a good morning. Often I had far less than that. But even if I only had fifteen minutes, I made sure I made the very best use of that time that I could. And so can you. Here are my top tips for making use of whatever time you’ve got.
Set yourself a daily word count. This is the single most important thing you can do. In his wonderful book, On Writing, Stephen King recommends 2,000 words a day. I found this too ambitious and aimed for 1,000. I suggest you try for between 500 and 1,000 words a day. Just think, if you write 1,000 words for 100 days you’ll have created a 100,000-word story (a decent size novel, in fact). Obviously, the word count will depend on the tools you use. If you are a fast touch typist and use a computer, then 1,000 words a day is reasonable. If your keyboards skills aren’t great or you prefer to use pen and paper then your daily word count goal should be lower.
Set aside a dedicated time each day for writing. Don’t make it too long. An hour or two hours maximum. More important than the length of time is the amount of words you write.
Get your first draft down as quickly as you can. Stephen King recommends a period of no more than three months for this. My first draft took about six months. It was rough as guts but that hardly mattered. I had something I could work with now. Sure, it took another nine months to rewrite that first draft and turn it into something readable but that sense of achievement as I typed THE END for the first time was a great incentive to continue. And that takes me onto the next tip.
Keep going forward. Don’t look back. Never, ever go back over what you’ve written. Keep writing until you get to the end.
Don’t sit staring at a blank page waiting for inspiration to come. It won’t. Force yourself to write something, even if you think it’s utter rubbish. Anything is better than nothing. If your story isn’t flowing, write an interview with your central character. Ask them questions – where did they grow up? What inspires them/drives them/makes them happy and sad?

Sheila's first novel will be published by Brandon Books in September 2013. You can find details of this, along with her free online writing workshops, at her website: www.sheilabugler.com

Books About Writing - Triskele Toolbox 1.

A Personal Overview by JJ Marsh

The Art of Fiction – David Lodge
Ideal as an introduction to terms and examples in situ. The book is a collation of articles written for The Independent, so each chapter is succinct and to the point. Lodge uses examples from a wide range of literature to explore such concepts as Stream of Consciousness, Aporia and Metafiction. Focused on British and American literature, but warm and accessible. A likeable tutor.

13 Ways of Looking at the Novel
 Amanda Hodgkinson recommended this. I often describe a book as a ‘gem’, but this is an entire treasure chest of sparkly riches. Jane Smiley takes us on a personal journey around the literary world, asking hard questions, positing theories and offering advice. Her range is astounding and inspirational. My copy is bristling with Post-Its. What I love about this book is that it addresses the writer AND the reader. And hopefully, it makes me better at both.

Negotiating with the Dead – Margaret Atwood
In the same way as David Lodge’s book began as articles, Atwood’s work first found an audience as a series of lectures for Cambridge University. With the same witty, intelligent and thoughtful tones used in her novels, she talks about writing, writers and her own experiences. It’s unpretentious, generous and honest about being a woman and a writer. Less of a ‘how to’ and more of a ‘why’.

On Writing – Stephen King
Subtitled ‘A Memoir of the Craft’ and as always, he nails it. A personal take on how his work developed; he never claims genius, but champions hard work. Writing is a craft and he treats it as such. One can learn a lot from a skilled craftsman with his feet on the ground. A very human approach and rammed to the rooftops with quotable quotes. This is a pleasure to read.

Techniques of the Selling Writer - Dwight V. Swain
From the man with a name like a court case, one of the most practical books on my shelf. From Swain I learnt scene and sequel, a template I always use on first rewrite. His story elements technique is also a great way to find the basis of a blurb:
Write two sentences – one statement which establishes character, situation and objective. One closed question which nails opponent and disaster.

            When humans start growing to twelve-foot high, John Storm wants to find out why.

            But can he defeat traitors in high places who would kill him and fake an extra-terrestrial plot?

The Art of Dramatic Writing - Lajos Egri
Egri is a playwright but his principles hold for any kind of narrative. Premise – character – conflict. Egri’s reduction of premise if the best I’ve read.
Every good premise is composed of three parts: the first suggests character, ‘Ruthless ambition’; the second suggests conflict, ‘leads to’ and the third suggests the end, ‘destruction’.
Best advice: Prove the premise through the character’s choices in conflict. Egri showed up my amateurism in making the hero fully rounded and the baddie just plain bad. I should return to this book more often.

Story - Robert McKee
This one is my favourite. McKee is a screenwriter, but like Egri, the principles of storytelling are universal. The most useful element for me was the Value change – each section starts at one point on the scale and must have changed by the end. I mark every chapter accordingly. He’s precise and clear on set-ups and payoffs, exposition and storyworld, with smart references to cinematic examples. I will never lend my copy of Story to anyone. But thanks to Libby O for lending me hers.