Thursday, July 13, 2017

What's your name, again?

This is for my writing buddies. Did you ever use one of your  non-fiction pieces, such as memoir or personal essay, as a basis for flash fiction which is about 1,000 words?

I have been doing this lately, adding untruths galore, and having so much fun developing characters. Maybe it is the confidence building approach I need to again try fiction writing, which I always say I cannot do. I just submitted a flash fiction piece to Penn State literary journal, and am hoping I hear from them soon.

I may have to use a pen name if I keep tinkering. My parents had selected several names for me before I was born. Pearl, Priscilla, or Patricia. Thank goodness for my grandma who liked actress Linda Darnell and convinced them to name me after her.

Have you ever used a pen name?  Be creative. I used to think I would use a combination of my grandchildren's names.


 What name would you use? Come on, have a little fun.

8 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

Linda--I disagree with you. I think you ARE a fiction writer. You just haven't found the main character or story line that's worthy...

In my opinion, once you settle on a character that's demanding to take you places, off you'll go, tugged into the story by your character. I think you'll be surprised. If you just take the leap, the story might end up writing itself... because the main character will be calling the shots.

A pen name? I've thought about just "Sioux" or the name I would have had if I wasn't adopted. My birth name was Margaret Gann. I don't see myself as a Margaret, but I would love to be a Maggie...

Or maybe Sasquatch Killer?

Lisa Ricard Claro said...

Ditto what Sioux said. I think you'll rock fiction.

I briefly considered a pen name---Melanie Sherwood. Melanie, which is my middle name (Ricard is my maiden name) and Sherwood because it is the street I lived on until I was about 7. Kind of boring, eh? If forced to choose a pen name now, I'm not sure how I'd do it. Probably run a blog contest and ask for suggestions. lol

How does Merrie Beaches sound?

Sandi said...

Francesca Fury!

Ok, I totally stole that from the Kids in the Hall, but I do think it would make a fabulous pen name.

What is flash fiction? I need to google!



Val said...

That's some good advice! I DO like to exaggerate a tiny bit on occasion...so I might be able to fictionalize some true stuff.

Good luck on your fiction AND your pen name!

I use a fake name on my blog, but it wouldn't quite do for an actual submission, I think. My fake name, Val Thevictorian, came from a student who didn't understand what a valedictorian was, and wrote it down as Val, the victorian.

Allow me to advise you, though, not to choose Buck Naked. That's been taken, by George Costanza.

Trisha Faye said...

Trisha Faye is my pen name. Kind of. I'm Patricia Faith, so my mom used to call me Trisha Faye a lot when I was a kid. When I started writing some pieces for the local paper I wanted a pen name. (A side effect from years of working for the same city I lived in, working two unpopular projects - weed abatement & sidewalk replacement. For the articles I didn't want the residents to know my real name lol)
When I dabbled with a little romance, I didn't want the romance genre mixing with my Trisha Faye writing, so I chose Chrys N. Jay. My sons are Chris and Justin, nicknamed Jay - so I was always hollering 'Chris 'n Jay'.

LOVE the Val Thevictorian name above!

Linda O'Connell said...

Maggie, Merry Beaches, Francesca Fury, Val, and Trisha Faye, you all made me smile, especially TF working incognito because of weed abatement and sidewalk replacement.

Connie said...

Good luck with your submission! I hope you hear back some good news. I think you are capable of writing any genre that you put your mind to!! :)

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Kathryn Saile. That is my first name and my last name spelled backwards. But now you know and it is no longer secret!!