This Week's YA Highway Road Trip Topic
If you couldn't use your own name, what would your pseudonym or penname be?
This one's a little complicated. It's not that I can't use my real name, but I already write under a psuedonym.
Hoffine is my maiden name.
There are a few different reasons I use it:
First off, my married name is almost as common as Jennifer...and that's saying a lot because it doesn't get much more common than Jennifer, esp among women my age.
Next, I wanted a little bit of cushion between my web and personal lives. I say a bit, since now that I've joined Facebook for High School Reunion purposes, that cushion is about as thin as a sheet.
Most important, and the reason my very first queries went out with the name Hoffine on them, is that I promised my dad that if I ever published anything it would be under his name, since he had no sons to carry on the name for him. Of course, as an education major, I think he figured that would be in a professional journal or maybe a curriculum book, but I think he'd approve of YA, and my writing. I still hope to do him proud with his name.
What about you? What name would you use?
I don't know but sometimes it's fun to play around and create the perfect name for an author. :)
ReplyDeleteI love your reasons for keeping your maiden name! Your dad will certainly be proud of you.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Meredith!
ReplyDeleteI keep by maiden name just because I think it sounds better lol
I'm sort of in the same boat as Gregoire is my maiden name and I'm sure your dad would approve of your name showing up on a YA novel just as much as a professional journal.
ReplyDeleteI like the name Jennifer, even if it is popular. And, as the father of five daughters, I like your reasons for publishing under your maiden name. Not that I think there's any danger of my last name dying out... :)
ReplyDeleteCan't think of a better reason than honoring a promise to your father. I can only hope my children are as devoted to me and my husband when they grow up. :)
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of passing on a name. My dad had three daughters, and his brother's kids didn't have children. So, I guess the same is true of me. very cool. :0)
ReplyDeleteI think those are great reasons. I think I'd write under a pen name if I wanted to try a different genre.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to write under my maiden name for all the reason you do. If I did, I wouldn't even think of it as a penname. It's the name I was born with after all. Saddly, there is already a best selling author publishing under my maiden name, so I'm stuck with my husbands name (or something totally made up) as my only option.
ReplyDeleteI also go by my maiden name. My husband's last name is 'Fink', which hardly inspires confidence. I like the way your name sounds.
ReplyDeleteI love your reason for keeping your maiden name for your writing! My sister and I are the last of the Behrenses on our family tree, so I feel similarly attached to mine.
ReplyDeleteI know several people who use their maiden names instead of their married names. I don't know what my name would be! I've never thought about it.
ReplyDeleteI've been hearing a lot about writers using their maiden names too. I think it's pretty neat that you use it as a tribute to your father too. I was named after my father (which I explain on my RTW post) and so I have toyed with the various ways to print it. I intend to publish with my real name. It would probably take me forever to come up with a pen-name I really liked.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone; what a wonderful reason to use your maiden name. If I used a different name, it would be for my mom, though I'm not sure which one I would pick. She always wanted me to write.
ReplyDeleteI like that you're using your name to honor your dad. I didn't really think of mine until after my parents split up...but suddenly I had to get both names in there--et voila, Kaylor Phillips!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a sweet tribute to your dad! You can bet he'd for sure be proud of you.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what I'd use instead of my own name. Heck, I think I'd get a bit confused if I used something else.