Yes, the title of this post is a Snoop Dogg/Flight of the Conchords mashup. That’s how awesome I am.
Aaaaaanyway, it’s time for YA Highway’s Road Trip Wednesday. This week’s topic:
If you couldn’t use your own name, what would your pseudonym or penname be?
It’s like these people are reading my mind! I’ve been pondering pen names for a long time now.
If/when I ever get published, do I use my real name? If yes, then which one? I’m legally an Amanda, but I go by Mandy. My last name is Aguilar (clearly Hispanic), but my maiden name is Spain (clearly… nothing?), and I’m white. What about my middle name – does it figure in anywhere?
So, if you do the math (note: not a mathematician), there are at least 12 possible names I could adopt simply by using my first and middle names plus my last name and maiden names.
So many decisions.
I mean, I could just use my Wu-Tang Clan name: Fearless Mastermind.
Or my pirate name: Fineglin’ Wally Bonny.
Or even my Hobbit name: Lila Boggy-Hillocks.
Of those three, I think the hobbit one is my favorite.
Wait, is there a romance novelist name generator??? *Googles*
Ah yes, here’s one. My name: Lavender Garden (I chose “sweet romance”).
Maybe I should stick with Mandy. Or maybe Mandy Boggy-Hillocks. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
I personally think Amanda Spain sounds pretty awesome.
But that’s just my opinion.
Perhaps base your decision on available usernames/gmail/email/tumblr/twitter URLs…
mandyaguilar.com looks taken by a dude. amandaaguilar.com is for sale!
Thanks Vicki. I’m sure my parents would agree!!
Debbie – Those are good ideas!! What’s some dude doing with mandyaguilar.com, anyway?
Amanda Aguilar has the advantage of putting you near the top of author lists. Amanda Spain is easy to pronounce, and might be a little more memorable. Yes, these are all marketing points. It seems you don’t have any issues about using your real name online, or in print, so I think marketing considerations would be the influencing factor. If you had to choose, I would go with Amanda Spain. Even though Mandy Boggy-Hillocks is a great name!
Your real name has a nice ring! This was a hard one for me. I copped out and made a poll on my blog, lol.