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No longer in the company of Prince and Madonna

February 11th, 2011

I remembered what I wanted to tell you that I thought was really important!

So yesterday, one of my editors says to me (and I’m paraphrasing at best), “So… If I said to you, ‘Soandso says that you need a last name, or at least a second name, cause Google’s not picking up stories from authors who have more or less than two words for a name.’ What would you say back?”

I giggled. Cause the editor is also a really good friend of mine, and she knows that all decisions like that go through Master. And besides, writers are touchy about their names! Right? So she was all “God, I really don’t want to be the one to make her change her name!” about it, and I thought that was just precious. 

Anyway… It caused me all manner of stress. Between being worried Master would make me use something I didn’t like, and His original insistence that we use an anagram that had something to do with Him, and our relationship, and not being able to find anything cool to use, I thought for sure I was gonna end up with something so stupid I’d be laughed off the face of the planet.

What? I’m silly like that.

Add to that the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when I realized this would probably become my pen name by default, and I was ready to throw up, and cry hysterically, and…

I’ve been avoiding choosing a pen name. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea for me to ever become well known by my real name. Even if I got so fairy tale rich Master never had to work again. For the same reason, you can’t find me here or on Facebook by my real name. But choosing a pen name makes this writing thing seem so… real! Suddenly, I have a first and last name that people will use. I’m not just an IRC nick stripped of the dog tags in the name of professionalism anymore. I’m a face, with a name, and published writing.

I guess I expected there to be pressure. Pressure to write something, other than current events or personal experience, worthy of selling. Well, now that you’ve got a pen name, you need to get out there and be visible. And I mean… yeah! But it’s not gonna kill anyone if I just lay back in this like a hammock in the Bahamas and enjoy it for a little while.

So I’ve got a pen name, now. I’m not used to it, and it’s really weird seeing two names where just one should be. But Master likes it, and I like it… And here it is:

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  1. February 12th, 2011 at 04:50 | #1

    Rayne,

    I’m not sure I buy the orignal premise your editor put forth, but the name you’ve chosen is cool.

    Dave

  2. February 12th, 2011 at 12:24 | #2

    @ dweaver999 Nah, it’s true. Google News is weird. They have all these specific rules for picking up news, and if you don’t follow them, it’s like you don’t exist. They were pulling everything from SexIs Magazine’s Sex Feed except my stories, and the only difference was that I only had one name.

    Glad to hear from you! How’s life down under?

  3. February 12th, 2011 at 12:24 | #3

    @ dweaver999 Oh… And thanks 🙂

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