This post is inspired by Elgaisma's "pen-name" post My initials are J.A.H. My middle name is Alexander, so I decided to use: J.H. Alexander as my "pen-name," although it's not really a pen name, is it? I'm pretty sure everybody can see the resemblance with J.K. Rowling, haha. Do you think it'll be a good name?
As a reader, I don't really care what name a writer uses. I judge a book by its writing, not by the name of the writer. If you like the name, then go ahead and use it.
Yes. Of course the reader cares about the writing more than anything :] Sometimes I go out and buy a book that was recommended to me without even knowing the author's name. But it's nice if the author's name has a nice ring to it. For example: Dan Brown, Robin Cook, Tom Clancy, J.K. Rowling, etc.
Come on folks...if you can't even make an executive decision on a pen name how are you going to get anything done? You know when you can decide on your name - when you write "THE END" at the end of your finished book.
According to your profile, your first name is Jonathan. If you name is then, Jonathan Alexander, I think you should stick with that. Your parents did a good job naming you. Your name has a very powerful and beautiful ring to it. However, it's a long name to put on a cover of a book, admittedly. You could shorten it to John Alexander, and it would still have a powerful sound to it. It's a very writerly name isn't it? John, of course, was the writer of the best of the four Gospels. Alexander was a great conqueror. It's a very auspiscious name. To shorten it to J.H. Alexander is like carrying a twelve-pack through a muddy trailer park in a wedding dress. That's my opinion, anyway.
Well thank you, sir. Haha, yeah, I want to add Alexander in there because of the conqueror. And thank you for the name compliment. Edward is a nice name as well. "It's a very auspiscious name. To shorten it to J.H. Alexander is like carrying a twelve-pack through a muddy trailer park in a wedding dress." hahaha
I agree. 'What's in a name ? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.' - Shakespeare The Bard knew what he was talking about all those years ago, and it still holds good today. It all depends on the quality of the writing - not the name of the author. But if you have a complicated name that is difficult to pronounce then simplify it. I can't see anything wrong with your own name, it sounds fine to me.
J.H. Alexander doesn't sound like J.K. Rowling. If it were J.H. Ramling or something there might be a problem, but your pen name will be fine.
