nom de plume
When I decided to write and publish the science fiction Meniscus Series, I thought it might be a good idea to take on a pen name, just for the Series. I chose to use my first name Alexandra. A pretty name, but always my unused first name and therefore not familiar. But now that everything is electronic, Alexandra is the name I encounter more and more often in my daily life.
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name of this boat is Alex
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When I was a child, starting school, my parents warned me I might hear the name Alexandra when people addressed me. On the first day of school we all sat on the floor of the gymnasium and listened for our names to be read. I listened extra hard, terrified I would not recognize the unfamiliar name. At last the gymnasium was empty and my name, Jane or Alexandra, had not been called. As it turned out, my parents had sent me to the wrong school!
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Using the pen name Alexandra has been a little strange. When registering for things like Access Copyright and Public Lending Rights I have to remember to register both names. I show up at launches and behave as Jane since that is the name most people know me by. I started a special blog www.offplanet.blog for posts about my science fiction series but recently I sign “All my best, Alexandra (a.k.a.Jane).” I sign books in the Meniscus series with Alexandra (a.k.a. Jane). I guess I am always going to be Jane.
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Do you have a pen name and what has been your experience with using a nom de plume?
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All my best,
Jane (a.k.a.Alexandra)
nichepoetryandprose 
It’s interesting that you bring this up as I’ve been considering working on an entirely different type of art, and creating a blog to go with it. I’d call it Lissa Blue. It appeals to me up to a point. There is always the lure of suddenly being someone else, isn’t there?
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melissabluefineart
September 24, 2018 at 12:37 pm
Yes, I know writers who carry a new personae along with the name. I have enough of a challenge just being me! I like Lissa Blue … sounds very free-spirited.
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jane tims
September 30, 2018 at 1:49 pm
Haha, I can just imagine what it would be like to carry an alternative persona. Good grief. I’m with you~its hard enough just being our own true selves. 🙂
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melissabluefineart
October 1, 2018 at 4:58 pm
I’ve actually been thinking about the mechanics of all this (copyright etc), should I one day write something (when I was young I always thought I would). There is a Danish author by my name already, so I’d basically HAVE to get a pen name if I wanted to publish. I’ve received quite a few calls and letters meant for her over the past 30 years, I’m sure she wouldn’t be amused to suddenly get mine!! 😉
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Pia
September 24, 2018 at 9:42 am
Interesting problem. I’ve seen people who add a middle initial to their name. But it would be best to have a unique name on your books.
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jane tims
September 30, 2018 at 1:46 pm
I have indeed considered getting a middle name just for that. Not to use, I’d introduce myself as I always have, but could then use 1-2 initials instead for anything “published” or double first names. I never understood the use of aliases, so if I write “by mrs. Trudy Hopscotch” anyone could basically claim they were her, couldn’t they? 😉
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Pia
October 2, 2018 at 4:21 am