*likes Vale*

Some amazing suggestions you've got so far, Airianna. I like Vale, Young, and Nichols. I think a two-syllable last name flows well, as do the single-syllables.

Yeah, I was going to say two syllable ones as well, but the shorter the better, actually. I read an article that a popular writer did on using pen names and how to make one that will possibly be more successful, such as making it so you'll end up on the shelf between two really famous writers from the same genre. For thriller writers, the example was a name that alphabetically would put you between Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

By his guidelines, Airianna Bell would actually be the best. But Vale is so cool. If you must have one from the last half of the alphabet, it should be really easy to remember and nice and short. Plus cool-sounding.

Airianna Ellery is nice, but try saying it fast out loud. Too many repeated vowel sounds.

Awesome advice, Luke!

Thanks. Didn't all come from me, but I suppose I deserve something for so skillfully relaying it.

Notice that my pen name puts me near the beginning of an alphabetical list by author. Ever noticed how MANY author names are in the A through H section, and how few after that? 'Course it's not too important...just look at Rowling, Tolkien, Paolini, Rothfuss, etc.

I like Vale, it goes well with Airianna.

Vale is cool because it matches your username.
Hart is really cool because it almost matches my IRL name.

*ponders the implications of her own pen name under those guidelines*

*head desk * Okay, I am struggling with the idea of changing my character's name, after all.

So, I want an honest opinion from everyone. Do you guys think I should have a pen name, or not? After talking extensively with my Daddy during my book weekend, we came to the conclusion that there really is no security in having a pen name. A pen name just means no one will see me sign my name and go "oh, you're the girl who wrote The Diegosian Mark".

So, it is more for marketability, than anything. I want to remain Airianna, and yet, Airianna (the character) has been Airianna since before the series even started being written 5 years ago. So.... I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, and my head hurts over this whole thing and trying to decide what is ultimately best.

Hiring an agent is way better than this stress.

*nods* Ultimately, what you're debating over is the reason why I ultimately decided to use my real name. Although I think a lot of HWers are between your proverbial rock just because our usernames are now pen names of their own. Even though I've decided to publish under 'Andrew Joyce' I've still got eruheran floating around in the ether

Andrew

Well, I will admit, the fact that I am Airianna to so many people has me very torn over the whole thing.

To be completely and personally honest, I love your real name and would be a little sorry if you didn't use it. (unless you have reasons you'd prefer not to, and then I would perfectly understand) Your real name is who you really are, despite the fact that Airianna is a name you often go by, it isn't the real you. This is just my own small opinion, but I love it when people publish by their real names. It may seem silly, but to me, it becomes something special because the author is allowing you the privilege of knowing a bit of who they really are through their name. But this could be one of the reasons some prefer to use a pen name.

As to having too many syllables in a pen name, I tend to disagree. I find a simple name easy to forget. Just like people learned to say the name Schwarzenegger, people would learn to say whatever name you choose for yourself. Something highly original sticks in my memory a lot better than something short and simple. Weird as that may be.

But on the whole, whatever you decide will be fine, Airi. It won't change the quality of your writing.

I still think it's safer if your IRL name is as uncommon as mine (seriously, if you know it, google me). I do like the name Rin and I still don't know if I could break from it if I got published but I would stick with a pen name to avoid being brought into the mainstream. I'm a country girl and I love my solitude. I don't think I'll ever get as popular as to have to avoid that, but I'd rather not risk being stalked if I can help it. (Bushy's right though Airi, your real name would be great on a book cover. )

*is very torn and stressed *

Honey, don't stress. I'll pray God guides you to a very clear decision. He knows what will work the best for you.

Me deadline is the stress. *sighs * Thank you, I shall do the same.

What's her real name? Or Airi, can you PM it to me if you don't want to post it here...I could at least provide my opinion on the matter.

Personally, I love your real name. If you have a reason for not using it though, I understand that.

If your main reason is because other people use it on the forum, I wouldn't worry about it. Look at what happened with Phili, people will still be calling you Airianna (or variations thereof) because that is the name they have associated with the personality. The fact that you are no longer "officially" Airianna Valenshia won't change who you are and how people love you. Your personality is what makes you lovable, not your name (though the name is cool).

Airianna, don't stress and don't rush. If you're worried about the poetry book, well, I haven't finished editing/formatting yet anyway, so don't feel pressured. *grumbles at self for having a bad week and not getting anything done on the poetry book*

Changing names is hard, whether it's your own nickname or a character's name. We get attached to names and they are hard to break - but it can be done. My novel Peter's Angel has been around for eons, and most of the characters have had the same name the entire time. But for various reasons during revisions, a couple of them needed new names. Nathan, for example. He had always been Nathaniel, but I realized that he needed a birth name as well. A friend of mine helped me come up with something delightful, and after I got used to saying it... I loved it. The name Kennard is such a part of Nathan's identity now that I love calling him that in the book. For awhile I wished I could just drop the name Nathan all together!

The transition will be hard. But you will get adjusted to it. And, like Mark said, nicknames stick. If you decide to go by your real name all the time, you can still be Airianna to us, your friends! And that makes it all the more special.

I agree with the others. Your real name is very authorly. Unique enough without being a tongue-twister.

If you need help coming up with names, I can ask my friend who draws up the most amazing lists of names for me when I'm stuck. She usually needs something to go on (a bio, a meaning, an ethnicity), and then the can draw up a huge list of possibilities. Just let me know and I can ask her.

That's a tough choice, Airi. And, as Philie said, don't rush. I'm mainly using a pen name because I don't think my name has a real ring to it when it comes to being author-ish.

Hey, wait a minute! Your last name is Andrews? That's my last name! Could we be related?

I wanted to use a pen name when I was little because I thought it would be cool. But Daddy convinced me that there was really no reason to (for me anyway). He also convinced me to add my first initial on for writing, as it sounds rather cool that way.

So when I write, I'm J. Grace Pennington.

@Laura: No, my middle name is Andrew My last name is Joyce

eru

You go by your middle name too? Awesome!

Really? Same here!

*Realizes she has derailed thread*
*carefully puts thread back on rails*

I've been rethinking what I had for a pen name before, and I really want to use the name Azlyn. What last name do you all think would go with that? Or I might use my real first *coughs* I mean middle name, which is Rose.

Nobody in my family can do that...all the boys have their father's first name as their middle name, and the girls get their mother's. So my father's name is Mark.

That's kind of cool But I like going by my middle name

And, to rerail said topic *cough* Because I use my middle name, my published name will look cool because it's A. Andrew Joyce

eru

Actually, I think "Azlyn Rose" flows very nicely. That being said, it has the essence of a historical fiction or romance writer to me. I can't see that name being paired with sci-fi or rough-and-tumble fantasy. That's just my opinion, but it's something to consider.

Hmmm.. *ponders* I do write mostly historical fiction, although I do want some thing compatible with fantasy as well. Rose is more old-fashioned, but I think maybe Azlyn could be used with either genre. Now, I just need a last name..

Ok so, what do you all think of the pen name Azlyn Maine? I would like to use Rose, but I want something compatible with fantasy as well as historical fiction.

Personally I like Azlyn Rose. I think it can fit both, and it's a good sounding name and that's what you're looking for. I don't like Azlyn Maine as much.

I think I'm going to go with Azlyn Rose. It's easy enough to remember, and uses a bit of my real name in there, which I really like.

I like Azlyn Rose.

*Approves*

~ZA

Oh, I thought you meant that you would use a modification of your real name, and that your real name was J. Arthur Andrews, therefore you would modify J. Arthur Andrews. Did that make sense? LOL

::is going to jump into this discussion because she loves pen names::

I think that's really pretty! Azlyn is such a flowery name!

I've used the pen name Shae Cambern a couple times. How do ya'll think that sounds?

I saw that interpretation of it. But I already knew his real name.

My bad. I meant that was the modification

@Airi -wait. So Airiana the character is in the story you're wanting to use this pen name for? I'm a bit behind, here.
I may be too late for this altogether, but I really like Airiana Vale. As others have said, you'll forever be known on HW as Airi, just like Phili will always be Phili.
It is quite difficult to change a character's name. It starts to carry connotations of who they are -the person you see in your head when you hear one name isn't the same as the other name.

*smiles * The decision has been made, Aldara, with a lot of help from Luke/MacGyver.

See, I have two MC's in my book. Tierin Valenshia (primary) and Airianna Valenshia, his sister (secondary).

I didn't want to change Airi's name in the book, but I couldn't imagine being anything other than Kaitlyn or Airi, as it has become a secondary name for me. So I was struggling.

However, I have decided to keep my actual name, and not use a pen name, after all.


The idea of Changing Airi's name about killed me. Nothing else fits her.

The funny thing being that the Andrew I know IRL actually goes by his middle name too... XD

I like the name, Azlyn

And I'm glad you got that sorted out, Kaitlyn.

Me too.

So am I.

I like her real name.

Yes, to all of that.

I like it myself.

Plus, her real name sounds authorly. I don't think my real name sounds very authorly, though it's passable when you write it with first and middle name abbreviated to initial. "Aubrey Hansen" fit the essence I wanted much better.

Yes, Airianna's real name is authorly.

I think your real name sounds authorly, Aubrey. But you had other reasons for not using it.

I need some opinions on whether or not I should a pen name. It's not urgent, though... I have yet to even finish a book.

As I said earlier, I have a famous cousin who has the same last name as me... but I don't really want anyone to connect me to him if they see my book on a shelf. On the other hand, my real last name starts with a 'T', and would probably put my books really close to Tolkien's on a shelf. (I think it was Luke who mentioned that things like that can be helpful. )

Besides all that, I like the idea of using my real name, but I don't think it sounds very authorly. What do all you people who are my friends on facebook think? (Though I would probably use Abigail instead of Abby. )

My real name is definitely not authorly. (If you want to know my real name, just ask. I don't mind telling.) So instead I'm happy with a variation of it.

Thanks, guys.