If you would write a book, would you use a pseudonym
- Thread starter Morgain
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I think I'd be very tempted to use a pseudonym. For me, writing stems from such a personal place, and I'd feel too weird & vulnerable if people knew the book was mine. It would be kind of like having a diary with my name on it lying around for anyone who knew me to read. Maybe if it was something like a children's book I'd be OK with it...
I have been toying with the idea of writing a book. I have actually started it, but can't seem to decide if I want to complete it. If I ever do complete it I will not publish under a pseudonym. While the concept for the book is very personal, I don't feel a need to hide from it. If I were to publish it I should be able to own up to it and take credit for it. If I am unable to do that then I don't believe I would even bother finishing the book, but that's just my opinion. To each their own.
I don't think anybody ever sees the real me, faults and all, but my wife. I just realized how beyond terrible it would be for my relationship with the world if she were to suddenly die. With the little things she does that I take for granted, she has made a deep and lifelong connection with me. She gives me hope when I ponder the world. Most everyone else sees me in their own way, disregarding aspects of my personality which do not fit in the mold they've created for me. My wife is probably the only friend I have that knows me on a deeper level. It is scary to think of death...
But back to the topic at hand,
I would definitely use a pseudonym, if writing a book.
I don't think anybody ever sees the real me, faults and all, but my wife. I just realized how beyond terrible it would be for my relationship with the world if she were to suddenly die. With the little things she does that I take for granted, she has made a deep and lifelong connection with me. She gives me hope when I ponder the world. Most everyone else sees me in their own way, disregarding aspects of my personality which do not fit in the mold they've created for me. My wife is probably the only friend I have that knows me on a deeper level. It is scary to think of death...
But back to the topic at hand,
I would definitely use a pseudonym, if writing a book.
no this was definately the topic. The book is only the start of it :becky:
I don't have a partner right now so there is nobody around that know me completely. I wonder whether I will ever find someone I want to share my whole life with. It is so beautiful that you have that with your wife! For the rest, no one seems to know the whole of me. I only reveil what I think will be accepted and valued by the other person. The rest remains hidden for that person, maybe forever...
Is it the world who disregard aspects of you, are is it you that doesn't show them to the outside world?
Heh. I am published, and I did use a pseudonym for a while. But it gets complicated with a pseudonym - and honestly, unless you're big enough folks can't find you if you have too many names out there (well, family and friends, anyway).
But if you get a pseudonym, keep it - don't change it around.
My two cents.
Yes, I would definitely write under a pseudonym. Writing using my real name would make me feel really uncomfortable. What if random people would go up to me and clasp my hands [<<<awkward] and then further on gush about how my book was so great? Granted, that's a compliment that I would love to receive but I don't do well with random people who comes up to me.
I'd be happy writing under a pseudonym and staying anonymous. You know, to think about it, I don't even want to show my picture alongside my pseudonym. Privacy paranoia, for no good reason at all.
I'd be happy writing under a pseudonym and staying anonymous. You know, to think about it, I don't even want to show my picture alongside my pseudonym. Privacy paranoia, for no good reason at all.
My birth name is technically pretty. "Monique Helene Something" ButI would still have a nom de plume for two reasons. One, I never felt like a Monique Helene so I feel no connection to it. And two, my father is crazy and I'm sure if I ever achieved any sort of recognition, not only would he seek to capitalize on it, but I'd see him on some awful talk show telling everyone what a cold bitch I was for not talking to him. It would be like Jon Voight and Angelina Jolie.
Luckily,i have no plans to pursue writing professionally anymore. I'll write books but I'm not going to publish them and I want them burned upon my death. No not burned, I'll just give them to people I love and who can appreciate them, but I have no interest in a bunch of strangers rummaging through my soul for bit of meaning. There is something a bit vulgar and exhibitionist about recognition. A friend told me that I was selfish or feeling that way. and that it was childish to hoard my words when they could inspire others. But I don't think I owe my silly little thoughts to anyone.
Besides, being a chef is pretty nice. My cooking is FAR better than my writing anyway.
Luckily,i have no plans to pursue writing professionally anymore. I'll write books but I'm not going to publish them and I want them burned upon my death. No not burned, I'll just give them to people I love and who can appreciate them, but I have no interest in a bunch of strangers rummaging through my soul for bit of meaning. There is something a bit vulgar and exhibitionist about recognition. A friend told me that I was selfish or feeling that way. and that it was childish to hoard my words when they could inspire others. But I don't think I owe my silly little thoughts to anyone.
Besides, being a chef is pretty nice. My cooking is FAR better than my writing anyway.
then your cooking must be stellar...I think i want to taste it just to find out! because if its better than your writing...it might just be the best food on the planet!
A little bit of both probably. I think I tend to keep certain thoughts, ideas, and feelings within myself, partly because they seem fairly obvious to me, but that isn't necessarily the case for others around me. Besides my wife, I have one ENFP friend who I feel comfortable enough to share my thoughts with, and we can expound on these for hours.
I do believe that you will find someone and truly hope so. Life has ways of surprising us when we least expect it.
If you lived close I would totally cook for you. It actually makes me happy to cook for people oddly. My hidden nurturing streak can come out to play when I make food. Plus it is fun and calming. Writing makes feel abrasive, vulnerable, and self conscious so I should prolly stick to cooking. It's like chemistry for lazy creative people.
*Ponders a road trip*
I love to cook to, not remotely close to your caliber...but I love when my food is appreciated. I feel the same about writing, but Unless i write i get all backed up. This way my creations flow freely, and i am free of back lock. And right now I am clearing out 12 years of back up! lolz!
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I think I would. I would like to keep promotional stuff separate from my personal life.
I've never really been fond of attention, so I think it would be easier for me to take it all in thinking of the person that published the book as a subsidiary of myself. Like, I would never put a book out in the world and ask people to read it. I would have to sort of step out of myself to get published, in the first place. And then I'd want all the attention focused on my pen name, who I would know was really me but would also be able to think of as a separate entity.
I've never really been fond of attention, so I think it would be easier for me to take it all in thinking of the person that published the book as a subsidiary of myself. Like, I would never put a book out in the world and ask people to read it. I would have to sort of step out of myself to get published, in the first place. And then I'd want all the attention focused on my pen name, who I would know was really me but would also be able to think of as a separate entity.
Probably not. I mean, my name is already a pseudonym of sorts, being my married name from my last marriage. Okay, I know that's not technically a pseudonym, but it's not my name; I kept it only so I'd have the same last name as my kids. Secondly, it's such a common name, I don't think anyone would know it was me anyway. It does have a kind of nice ring to it, though.
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I think it's a mixture of both. The world disregards aspects of myself, probably because I don't show them to the world. But, the reason I don't show them to the world is probably due to having certain "aspects" trampled on a few times.
So, I think now I "screen" people before I open up too much.
Interesting. I don't have anything against using my real name, Michelle, at all. Although using a pseudonym highly appeals to me, like Pristine haha. I consider both my names so if it was for the cover, I would probably want them both to be there. =)