Creative Writing 101

Lesson 8: Lucky Dip.

Names- Author and Title.

AUTHOR NAMES.

What are you going to call yourself? If you're writing for your own satisfaction or entertainment, you'll be using your own name. However, if you plan to offer your work for publication, you may want or need to use a pseudonym (false name) or nom de plume (pen name).

Some writers prefer to distance themselves from their writing. Some feel that the "me" who does the writing isn't the same person as the "me" who takes the kids to school or mows the lawn. Others prefer it if their neighbours and relatives don't know about the book. Maybe they're shy. Or bashful. Or maybe they're afraid of the reaction of people who may have acted (unwittingly) as models for the villain.

Then there are writers such as Stephen Chance/Philip Turner, and Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt, who write in more than one genre and use different names to differentiate these writing personae.

A few writers choose a former name (such as a maiden name or family name). Thus Agatha Christie continued to use her first married name even after she had become Agatha Mallowan.

Then there are writers whose editors force the change upon them for reasons of image.

If you choose to change your name for writing purposes, you should probably use your chosen name on your manuscript, but add your real name and address to the covering letter and cover page. If an editor wants you to change your name, then you should give thought to a name you like, and which the editor will find acceptable.

It is usually good to use a name people can spell and pronounce. After all, you hope they'll be asking for your book in the shops!

BOOK TITLES.

Having settled on a name for yourself, you need a name for your manuscript. There are exceptions to every rule of thumb (who'd have thought 'He Died with a Felafel in his Hand' was a "selling" title!), but most writers choose something shorter. After all, it has to fit on the cover!

Book titles should suit their genre and have something to do with plot or theme.

Don't get too attached to any title, as it's quite likely to be changed at some point if the book is published. Here is a list of ten titles initially chosen by the authors for mss, and a list of the published titles, plus reasons for the changes.

'The Adamant Man' became 'Mix and Match'. Why? Because the editor thought the original title too obscure.

'The Calf and the Chemistry Set' became 'The Magician's Box'. Why? Because the editor preferred to emphasise magic rather than science.

'Golden Lode' became 'In Search of a Husband'. Why? Because the editor thought the original too obscure.

'The Jersey Refugee' became 'The Calf on Shale Hill'. Why? Because the editor feared confusion with another book set in the Channel Islands, starring a cow, and called 'Appointment with Venus'.

'All Packed Up' became 'A Horrorday to Remember'. Why? Because the editor wanted something catchy.

'Floodtide' became 'The Lamburger Emergency'. Why? Because the editor wanted something with more punch.

'The Leopard and Her Spots' became 'In Mara's Case'. Why? Because the author preferred the latter pun to the former.

'One Cubit to her Growth' became 'Shadow Summer'. Why? Because the editor thought the original too obscure.

'Doing What Explorers Do' became 'Angie the Brave'. Why? Because the editor thought the original too long.

'UFO' became 'Aurora'. Why? Because the editor wanted something that sounded less like science fiction.

Obviously, it's a good idea not to get too wedded to the idea of any particular title.

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