How to Choose a Pen Name
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ก.ค. 2024
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I never name any of my pens.
That is probably one of the best things I've ever heard.
😂
i’ve named them all
you are my favorite person
I can’t even-
I don't think Esteban Julio Ricardo Montoya de la Rosa Ramírez is a long name
This comment makes me so happy right now
on the bright side, no one accuses him of being a thief
My birth name is Kristin Stewart, so I write under a Pen Name for pretty obvious reasons.
Brooke Li ummm... probably they didn't know about the future-actress Kristen Stewart? 😂
Yeah, she was only seven when I was born.
LOL.
Krissa Stewart lmaoooo
Hahaha! U sure u not Kristen herself?
damn it
it took me 3 pen names until i came up with one that didn't turn out to be a criminal.
DutchJackdaw My penname turns out to be a scientist. Try to guess what it is
DeathDefyingStar 1000 umm Doolittle.
@@DeathDefyingStar Joseph Megele?
My pen name is Paige Turner.
that. is. phenomenal
#iconic
I'm mad this doesn't have more likes.... :-)
i-
Also a pornstar. She is also great. Wait 🤔she might be Paige Turnah 😕that can't be right. I'll look it up.
If I used my real name people who google me would find:
1. A porn actress (non related to me, obviously)
2. My work in economics that people who read fantasy are not usually interested in.
funny, my names shows a moderately famous singer and a doctor in maths
My name shows a picture of me when I was 5 and won a drawing contest😂
But my name has knowledge Pannel ...... But I want to change my name
I'm writing a poetry book with a few friends, and I chose the name Amber V. Allens. I got the inspiration from the word "ambivalence", which I saw in a book multiple times and really liked. It was originally Ambi V. Alence, but I thought it looked a bit weird so I changed it.
Dragontooth150 woah, that's super creative, and I love that name; it sounds very sophisticated yet charming and unique. Ha ha I could never be that creative.
Thanks! :)
Did you ever finish your poetry book?
@@theneverendingstory2002 I wrote those comments when i was in 7th grade, and by now, we haven't gotten much progress besides getting rid of some *really* bad poems. One of the girls I worked on it with is self-publishing a novel soon, though, it's called Children in the End!
@@indigo7479 aw well congrats to her and I hope it does really well for her
I use a pen name so that my snoopy bosses don't find out I'm writing, I had a contract that stated everything I create while employed by a company is automatically theirs. It's illegal and unenforcable in the long run, but I'd prefer to avoid a lot of yelling, lawsuits and, well, being fired.
and yeah I teach elementary school kids
and my book has teh sex in it
Oh no, not *teh sex*.
"If you don't want your Gramma reading it..." I mean, my Gramma watches and reads Game of Thrones, so.... xD
I'm using a pen name when I write because my first name makes me really uncomfortable. I don't know why, but seeing my real first name typed out and sometimes hearing it out loud just makes me feel really weird. There's no reason for it, it just... happens. So... yeah. I'm actually taking my first inital and middle name and turning them into a first name, then using my last name.
Hm... how about Lord Baron Erik Bloodaxe the 9th? Is that a good pen name?
Edit: actually instead of Erik I have a better first name, Barbosa, Lord Baron Barbosa Bloodaxe the 9th, it has a much better ring to it.
I love it. I'll buy all your books if you use that pen name.
That is very very ... genre specific... I think
Inquisitor Thomas writing teen romance :)
I'd loved to read your book if that'd be your name ahahaha
cinnamon buns
Vivien, I just wanted to send a big THANK YOU to you and let you know how helpful and inspirational I find your channel! I'm writing my first novel and your videos have been an enormous help! Anytime I get stuck or start to feel a little directionless, I can find a good first step in one of your videos. So thank you!
Thanks for a great video Vivian. Good luck with your writing career ☺️
Definitely gonna use a pen name because a lot of people can't pronounce mine or spell it correctly.
SAME. And the fact that my name is very unusual, and I don't want my family to share any embarrassment I create.
Yep. Me too.
Love your channel! I've been scrolling through all your vids and each one I see is more relevant than the last. Keep it up! Thanks very much.
You have the exact same microwave as me. Lol
Seriously dig these videos you make though, I am writing a comic and although there are differences in the mediums presented you do a hella great job to help people still want to pursue their passions regardless. Thanks 👍
Roshi Gates Aww, this makes me so happy to hear! So glad you can still apply these tips to creating comics :)
These are such great points!! I have definitely been thinking of using a pen name for the same reasons you have stated. I didn't think about making sure the domain name was available - that is such a great tip! Thank you!!
both my grandmas are dead so i should be good
Me too. And I don't give a shit what my family thinks.
Great video, Vivien! Great tips. I did not know about following the trends when putting your name on the cover. Like, I didn't know that thriller writers use their middle initial. Interesting. Keep up the good work!
Good Tips Shared, like how you backed up the tips with why you recommend or not❣👍
THAT WAS GREAT THANKS!
Teacher:Pen name please!
Student: Bond. James Bond.
teacher: Please proceed to the exit door to receive your course refund right now.
The title really should have been "Why to Choose a Pen Name."
Also, someone on Instagram stole the handle I'd use, too. 😡😡😡
An anagram is so smart! I just discovered a good pen name for myself, which is an anagram made of my last and first name. I'm in love with it!
love your hair!
Thanks :D
I actually chose my pen name when I was a little kid and first started making up stories and writing but I still like it and I use my middle name, which my mother got from a novel and the last name of an ancestor giving me the name; Evaine Wallace which I feel fits well with my mostly fantasy writing.
Thinks for the tip.
I have the same necklace as you (or something incredibly similar), it's very pretty!
Thank you!! I broke the chain a few months ago and nearly cried haha. I had to jump through hoops to get it fixed and learned I probably shouldn't sleep with it on anymore >.< I just never want to take it off!
I love your jokes! Great tips and ideas.
In my opinion, the best option is to modify your last name and choose the most suitable name or visa versa (actually all names have certain hidden meanings behind them, it's almost esoteric topic)
mine is Jeartlez. that is Heartless but with a J for my first name and a Z for my last name.
I write stories about killers and stuff
haha thats awesome!
so your name is basically heartless J.Z. ... I'm crazy in love with it for some reason
I am 13 but want to be an author! I came across your channel and I am loving it! Its easy to follow and very helpful.
I'm so glad to hear that! That's awesome that you're honing your craft so early :)
Vivien Reis thanks! I really love to write
Me, choosing a pen name: No, I can't use that. I might need it for a character someday.
My logical brain: In what book?
Me: I don't know, but I need it.
This feature of How To Use A Pen Name via the Vivien Reis TH-cam channel has some convincing and compelling ideas for utilizing pen names especially if an author writer cares how their writing might be perceived by certain key people in a professional andor personal life, I also am convinced to do so for privacy reasons, especially due to times I've unexpectedly encountered offlline stalkers which I logically understand is something for another post
I use my middle name and my mothers maiden name as my pen name, since my real name is foreign and difficult to pronounce, as well as rather long. People have a knack of saying my name really wrong, and it annoys me. It's also not very memorable so... Do you use a pen name? You might have said in the video, but I'm tired, and very lazy, I don't want to check. Also, you're so pretty! I can imagine you so well as the protagonist of a fantasy novel. Your face is so unique.
Carlotta TheFriendlyPerson I I'm using a pen name also I have a lot of middle names so I'm just going by my first name and my first middle name and not using my last name at all but my name is a native american name and when people try to say it it can be annoying they don't pronounce it right but for some reason that's the name I want for my pen name because I think it's unique and special
My pen name is Laelienne. It's quite far off from my real name. I made it up from my dad. He said he should've named me Aeinna instead of Mary and the L is from my second first name. Laelienne ❤
I'm a 14 year old Filipina writer btw
@@mai-in4xx are you 18 now
5:25 Yep I Can relate i was thinking of it but not expecting you to say it XD
Hi Vivien, I'm curious bout one thing. In which stages the pen name should start show up? While querying (using pen name to query) or after we got an agent?
I'd love to know this too!
I like the last option using the first two letter of your first and middle name then using your last name. Lol though my initials are all M's still a an interesting concept.
I'm debating to use my current channel name "Fellrendión" for my pen name as it's been with me on the internet for years so I see it as a part of myself and it's the coolest name I've ever come up with (some people think it's from Lord of the Rings but I made it up myself so that flatters me) but at the same time I want to separate my internet-me with author-me and also most people have a problem spelling it and the ' over the o makes it hard for some people to tag me also, so that's annoying. Thanks for the tips! I'm going to do more research.
I've been thinking about a pen name because it's very common. My sister in law's name is also Lisa so I was known as Lisa #2 until she got married. Not something I want to be known for. I thought about using my Hawaiian name or initials. Great advice as always! :)
Please forgive me, if you have answered this question. I'm on a Vivian Reis video-watching marathon, which is absolutely awesome, the best-but I'm weary.... is your name a pseudo name?
Great tips! I actually write under my legal name, but it feels like a pen name because I've always been (and am still) Tori in all other aspects of my life.
Her: "Don't want grandma to read it!"
Me: *she's dead*
it's reassuring that you mentioned privacy as one of reasons to get a pen name. I've always been paranoid to the point I simply refused to put my real name anywhere on the internet. the pen name I'm using sounds nothing like my real name and in fact even comes from another language, so it might be a little bit confusing at first. but it has some personal significance to me (if it makes sense) and I feel like this is the name I want to keep forever. :D
A reason you didn't mention, but I know someone who didn't want to risk their earlier work being associated with their later stuff.
So is Vivien Reis your real name or pen name ?
You'll never know...
My guess is she just likes how the name sounds.
Pen name, most likely.
no its her real name she already said her name is Vivien Reis
I was going to ask the same thing.
Yeah, this isn't the top of my list of concerns but it is hovering there - I have the same name as a known award-winning Australian pop artist and have been mistaken at least once online, I was almost offered to autograph merchandise for them. I have to admit I feel a bit bummed out at having to even think about using a name other than my own, but maybe I'll come round to the possibility that it could be a good thing too.
One tip, make sure you get domain secrecy when you get a pen name domain. If you don't get domain privacy someone can look up your domain's "WhoIS" record and get your name, address, email, and phone number. ;)
I have a lithuanian surname that I always think will not go well as an author name so I need a pen name and this was an interesting watch thanks!
what if you have a pen name on the cover but then want to put a copyright page after as well?
what name do you use on the copyright page? if it is your full legal name then doesn't it contradicts your pen name on the cover?
I am writing a few new books. I'll let only you guys in on my pen name.( it has nothing to do with my real name ) 👀drum role....... P.R. Jame. Yep. (This is mostly for when I become a world famous author)
Thanks for the video, Vivien! I do have a question; how can an author make a social media presence or, more importantly, a website with his/her picture and details on it if he/she's using a pseudonym?
I used Luna Ann Koenig because there were 4 published authors with my name and a famous actress from the 40s. Figured that was a lot of competition.
These are all great ideas. Is there a website that we can go to and check to see if there is another writer with the same pen name? That would be a bad thing. :( I especially like the idea of looking through your ancestry for a name. I do genealogy research and I've got some really different names in my ancestry. LOL!
Ah ah! I knew that Reis was a Portuguese surname! A great choice!
What advice would you give to somebody who has a following under their maiden name but wants to establish themselves as a writer with their married name? I am currently struggling with this issue.
HAHA, should have waited to post my first comment. You said if you are half-Portuguese (last name Furtado, my father's side is from the Azores), I couldn't help but laugh that I'm finally an example. :) Thank you.
Lol my current unprofessional pen name is Sour Skittles, obviously I can't use that. 🤣😅😫
I have two middle names that make up a great penn name when slighty altered.
my last name changed to Reeves when I got married and I always think people will think of Keanu Reeves, but I'm not worried people will be turned off... everybody I know loves Keanu 😍
p.s. now I have 5 E's in my full name 😲
what about writing a fantasy novel in first person and using the main character’s name as a pen name?
What would be your thoughts on using this username as my pen name? It's comics i'm doing and you get names like "Jock" or "Montynero" that work, but what are your thoughts on this realistically?
This was very helpful. I've been considering using a pen name because my name is Alyssa Casey and there's a lot of people that have either my first name or last name. Although I haven't been able to find a good pen name. I was wondering, could you possibly use one of your characters names for a pen name? Thank you for the video!! :)
Kingdom Hearts I think it'd be fun if you find a name that sounds similar to your last name. There's some Italian-sounding last names starting with "Cas" here: www.surnamedb.com/Surname?alpha=C . I don't know if I'd use a character name for a pen name, but quirky Lemony Snicket seemed to do that and it worked :)
I write and illustrate kids books and write fantasy, should I use two different pen names?
I have the most basic name, first, middle and last, very common, but I've always hated my first. I've always gone by a different name, even while younger, and I'm so excited to be going under a pseudonym. I'm probably going to still do my last name, love it, so this is going to be fun.
I would kinda like to use my middle name instead of my first name but I'm not really sure, my first name is kinda long at 9 characters, and I think my shorter middle name looks better with my last name. The other option I've considered is just inserting my middle initial into my name, I think it looks kinda classy. Though perhaps classy is the wrong sort of feel for a Middle Grade and YA fantasy author? Concidering that, perhaps option one would be better? Or I could just stick with my regular name. But I'm only 16 and I haven't completed the first draft of my novel yet so I have plenty of time to think about it.
IceRiver1020 I would go with your first name my name is very hard to pronounce it is a native american name but I'm using it because it's very unique and I think it looks good that way but I'm not using my last name because it doesn't really go that we'll with my first and middle name
IceRiver1020 my middle name is Marie I might change it to Marie Claire
Ella Morgan that name seemed very familiar so I searched it. Marie Claire is the name of a famous magazine.
Cat Mince is it? I didn't know that woops
How do we start using a pen name if we've already started writing?
Would Kuickpity work?
Would L.I Perez be a good option? I'm Mexican and I write both in English and Spanish so I want something that works for both 🤔🤔
I have a question. l have a TH-cam channel and I also started writing a book. My name is hard to pronounciate, so I have a good pen name, but my social media is linked to the channel. I would liked if it was all linked together, what should I do.
I've always considered using a pseudonym because my name is just so unusual but I haven't decided yet
good
I have a really unusual first name (it's Hebrew, and I usually shorten to 'Joni' so that people will be able to pronounce it) and a veeery common surname - will the surname be a problem? It is best to use my full first name to set myself apart from others, or use my nickname for pronunciation purposes?
I’ve decided that I want to use a unisex pen name but I’m struggling so much to come up with one
I've been waiting for a video like this!
how does book promotion work with this though?
If you use a pseudonym because you don't want your high school friends to come across your smut 😂, but then there's a picture of you at the back of the book, under a name like Crystal Metheny and a whole website dedicated to it, so embarrassing. 😭😂
How can an author still promote their book without putting their face out there ..?
very good I do believe that authors have the option to "put their face out there" or not
This is a question I've been thinking about for years, as I'm very shy. Still don't know the answer.
Don't add your pictures at all, anywhere. That is enough, if you want to maintain your pen name. You can still promote, without showing who u really are. Later, when you hit 10,000 copies, you may reveal it to your readers. But your close ones can know about your dual names.
Thank you so much for this video, you're inspiring me a lot. I have a question can I use titles like Lord or Sir with my pen name ? Please reply.
Already done. Mr. Dark has been my Goth name.
Just by looking at my avatar here on the left... what pen name can I come up with.? Can we use a Characteristic of ourselves as a pen name,? Can a pen name be like cipher, tagname, nickname??
do you have to trad mark a Penn name? Or can i just pick a name and start writing?
I've decided to start using my full name (middle name included) because not only is there an artist with my name, he's also from the same city as me. I'll take the route of David Foster Wallace (without my books being as long, haha).
ive been thinking about using the name Alaric because it is the given name of my oldest known ancestor, Alaric by Cræft, or the last name Cunningham because it has always apealed to me. But i think the name Alaric Cunningham clashes with itself and doesn't go with my genre, Science Fiction. The other name i have been thinking of is T. H. Cunningham which would let me hide from any sort of presumptions of gender behind a first initial.
I use my real name and turn it around to create a pen name. Add the first part of your first name to the last part of your middle name last name and just mix it ul until you find one that sounds good.
I tried Yomamas and Upyurs, but they've always been refused for some strange reason.
But I do recommend Yagami.
Yne-U or Cyrik?
I'm a High School math teacher and I'm writing a M/M romance (hopefully more), and need to have my work and my writing to be separate (can't imagine a student finding my novel).
You can use your first and middle instead of first and last
Really long name club!
I'm going with Mugetsu :) it's been my username for everything for 7 years
What about using titles in your pen name like "Professor"?
Where did you find the po box or did you wind up putting down the $$ for one?
I use my own first and middle name for writing and skip the surname. This is because I'm descended from a famous classical author and a) it feels like kind of a big responsibility to use it and b) I didn't want to even accidentally coast along on his name. Mostly a though, honestly. I very occasionally dip into fanfiction as well, just for fun, and I just use a completely made up name for that.
I also have another non-writing question, but what equipment do you use to make your videos? And what editing programme?
Harkat Macaulay?
My favorite Pen I have I have named Jeffery. It's a great pen, gel pen with blue ink
There is something I am puzzled about though: how could thou use a pen name and still be somewhat anonymous. I mean, I could publish under a pen name but what about the author's photo? It kind of gives away everything. How then?
Iv always liked my second name more than my first but iv never been able to get people to call me by it being a writer is my opertunity to go by my second name
You could also have a funny name like Lemony Snicket its very memorable
could we use our first and last name initial, but have our middle name (so for example Stephen King it would be S. Edwin K.)
I knew a guy named Harrold Potter. He went by Hal
ShoehatProductions I once met a Percy Jackson. And I swear that I'm not messing.
Non-writing question: What products do you use in your hair? We seem to have the same type of hair. When my hair is wet, it's all curls. However, if I don't use products, the curls fall out into very loose waves. If I do use products, my hair dries into crunchy curls. Any help?
I was watching her hair towards the end of the video and literally thinking the same thing haha
Susan Watson / emzadia I use DevaCurl Ultra Defining Gel! I've battled my curls for a couple years because the hard water here builds up so easily in my fine hair. I use Organix shampoo, which has a mild surfactant that seems to help strip any build up, and I don't use any sulfates/silicones in any products. I also diffuse my hair after I wash it (which is every 2-3 days), since my fine hair is easily weighed down. The DevaCurl gels aren't cheap, but they make the difference between me fighting my hair and loving my hair :)
I was gonna ask the same thing lol!!
***** 😁 This makes me so happy! I've been hating my hair for a while (previous videos show how *not* curly it's been), but I'm glad I figured out what works with my hair again!
Same here! my hair is not curly but kind of wavy, and if I don't put any products on it, it looks so frizzy when dry, I hate it! so I end up using the flat iron to straighten it instead because I haven't found a good product that works with my hair.