June 29 2026
If you had to choose a new author name, what would it be?
I started off as Bobbi Jo Aspen.
That was back when I was writing poetry. I even had a few poems published under that name. I still like it, but it doesn’t suit me anymore. Not in terms of my writing. There are non-writing occasions when it suits me perfectly.
My current pen name came from a failed snail-mail marketing campaign. The mail was misaddressed to the parents of ______ Mac Layne. Thus was born P.J. MacLayne. Having to change again would take more than a happy accident. There are so many factors to consider that I haven’t thought about before. Is the name already taken? (I am surprised by how many P.J.s there are when interacting with other authors. One who helped found this group.) How would the new name look on the cover of a book? Does the name carry a stigma?
How about an old-fashioned name?
I’ve always flirted with the name Gertrude. In fact, I wanted to use it for my Confirmation name (if you know, you know), but I was talked out of it. I don’t remember what I chose instead. Would it work as an author name? My fear is that potential readers would never take a second look, depending on the genre. Historical stories maybe, but science fiction or fantasy? As a side note, it’s likely too long to fit on a cover.
Although I often slightly change characters’ names to avoid using an actual person’s name, I wouldn’t make a drastic change to a name to use as my pen name. Many people are put off by names that have too many vowels or no vowels at al. Again, the rules are different for fantasy and science fiction.
What would my new author name be?
Well, I can’t use Gertrude. Or Geraldine, my backup name. What I can use is G.G.. And it isn’t against the rules, so I’ll retain the name MacLayne. That has a nice ring to it. G.G. MacLayne. Hmm. What genre should I write with it?
To find out what pen names the other authors would choose, please follow the links below.
And, as always, please stay safe until the next time.
Goal Update: I’m editing Chapter 20. I’m also fine-tuning some details of the story. There are 25 chapters, although I’m considering breaking the last one into two.
June 29 2026
If you had to choose a new author name, what would it be?
