My New Pen Name

So I've decided to change my pen name. How does this affect you? It doesn't. I never went by my real name away and I already sign a lot of my blog posts with "VC" as it is. "VC" obviously stands for "Vegetarian Cannibal." 


Since I write "VC" on just about everything I am just christening myself with that name to spare everyone and myself from further confusion. 


Starting (ha!) six months or so ago, I've been going exclusively by Vicy Cross. So...yeah. It's Vicy Cross now. Pronounced VEE-CEE (like TV) Not Vicky. 


Carry on! 


~Cheers from the Vegetarian Cannibal 

Pen Names Revisited

So last time we discussed the "good side" of pen names, didn't we? But I left out the cons of having a pen name on purpose so I could dedicate a whole post to the subject.

Here are some common problems I've run into (or heard about) when it comes to pseudonyms:

1. Confusing the hell out of your readers! Now this is a biggy. You can and will confuse your readers if you decide to use multiple pen names OR if you decide to use just one. And here's why:

Say, you're a talented author who can write more than one genre (like moi!). You write a little horror, a little sci-fi, a little erotica, a little non-fiction... you're such a badass you can write whatever the fuck you want, right? And you're good at it, so why not?

So now let's say you have one name for your horror stuff, one name for your erotica, and two more for your sci-fi/fantasy. Obviously, your fans are going to have to look all over god's green earth just to find and figure out which is which and what is what, and you don't want that do you? It's confusing! And a nuisance! It's much easier for them to just look for one name rather than five or six, right? It always pissed me off when a writer used ten million pen names. It often prevented me from buying their books just because I couldn't be arsed to go through the trouble of looking up all of their names.

On the flip side, however, you can confuse your readers just by going under one name.

Let's pretend I've become famous for my horror stories. When readers think: "Vegetarian Cannibal" they automatically categorize me with horror, thriller, suspense, etc. But say I got tired of writing horror stories and I wanted to try my hand at children's books. People may not buy my children's books under "Vegetarian Cannibal" because they've assumed I can only write horror! I've been "type-casted" by my pen name. And that can hurt sales and confuse your fan base. Your fans might turn on you if they see you doing another genre. Start saying stuff like: "Why the fuck is she doing kiddy books? She used to be so hardcore when she did horror! Now she's gotten soft. I'm not buying anymore of her books!" And just like that, you've sabotaged your career!

You have to remember that consumers are FICKLE FICKLE FICKLE! What's hot today is lame tomorrow. So be mindful of that if you write more than one genre. You do NOT want to confuse your fan base!

2. Picking a really STUPID pen name and getting "stuck" with it. Ah, how many writers have complained about this? Too many to count, I would imagine. Picking a pen name is like naming your company. Because really, as a writer, your name is your brand! It's all a potential reader (customer) has to go on before they pick up your book. So it is IMPERATIVE to choose a pen name (if at all) that represents you the way you wish to be seen. Maybe "Monkey Stupid Boy" was funny in college but not so much now that you're trying to sell self-help books! Or maybe you decided to use a pseudonym with your ex-husband's last name? Yikes! Make sure you really think about it because it can cause your grief in the long run.

3. Nobody knowing who you are. This is one I hear a lot about. Having a pen name gives you automatic anonymity. For some, this is great! For others, not so much.

Some writers have a very personal relationship with their work and want the whole world to know who they are and why they wrote that particular piece. I think that's great. It's not something I would personally do, given the subject matter of most of my stories, but there are a lot of authors out there who use their real names and get on just fine. Really, it's up to the individual and what your motivations and expectations are. If you're comfortable writing homosexual erotica under your real name--GO FOR IT! Just know that your 9-to-5 employer or devout Catholic grandmother could find out and give you grief about it later. Oy vey!

Those are the biggies I usually run into as far as CONS go. If you can think of some more don't be afraid to speak up and leave a comment. I'm curious to your thoughts. :)

Happy writing!

TK

Pseudonyms...hmmm...

To pseudonym or not to pseudonym, that is the question! Tricky, tricky stuff, I tell ya! Many writers have wrestled with this question, including yours truly. And I'm going to tell you why!

For those of you who are just starting out--the writing world is very small. Much much smaller than you'd think. So everyone knows everybody else. Publishers talk--writers talk--so the things you say and do to one writer might come back months later at a different publishing press. Which is great if you're looking for good publicity...but most often, this is NOT a good thing. I hate to say it, but the publishing business is rift with pettiness.

Pseudonyms are a way for writers to protect themselves from those inside and OUTSIDE the business. If you write erotica, like me, you may not want your grandmother finding out about it. Or your boss (if you work in a conservative company!)

Also, pen names are a smart way to boost your fan base! Names that start with "A" are shelved first in bookstores. So if you want people to look at your book, changing your name so that it is placed first in line is a good way to go! Pen names also hide genders and ethnicities. If you're trying to break into a dominant homogenous market (*cough SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR cough*) it might be a good idea to make your name as neutral (*cough MASCULINE *cough ANGLO-PHONIC *cough) as possible to cut out any potential biases your readers might have which will prevent them from picking up your book.

As sad and unfair that is, this is the way publishing works! It's not about how well you can write, because we've all read books that SUCKED ass--it's about how you can SELL yourself! Those who sell themselves best, win. And don't even get me started on the politics behind book covers! But that's for another post.

So let's review the PROS for having a pseudonym, shall we? Get out your pencils and take notes, as I might give a pop quiz later!

1. Pseudonyms protect writers from those in the publishing business who want to slander the writer's name or ruin their career.
2. Pseudonyms offer privacy to writers who wish their work to remain anonymous (due to a conservative job or family matters)
3. Having a pen name has benefits when it comes to shelving at book stores (either by alphabet or marketability)
4. Pseudonyms can be gender-neutral or ethnically-neutral, which can be an advantage if the writer is wanting to break into a slanted homogenous field.

So there you have it! Pencils down, class. I'll write more on the cons for pen names next time. But for now, that concludes the introductory segment on pseudonyms!

Signed,

The Vegetarian Cannibal (aka TK Turner) -----> Note: None of which are my real names.