Author:
Wes
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Date Posted: 10:12:15 04/16/10 Fri
>I've got some longer unpublished stories that might go
>over well on such a site. I'm a bit worried about my
>name getting bandied about and would like to know more
>about your nom de plume and handle requirements as I
>would like to keep the real me in the closet for a
>while yet.
>
>Thank you for considering this step.
>
>Back to lurking,
First off, I don't have any problem with pen names. One of the authors I've liked best and who has influenced my work a lot was a Michigan Supreme Court Justice by the name of John Voelker. Since he was a judge, he used the pen name of Robert Traver (think "Anatomy of a Murder.") As far as I'm concerned, it was a perfectly legitimate reason to use a pen name and he didn't reveal himself until he was off the bench (although it was no secret among his friends.)
Now, I publish most of my writing under my real name. Basically, it's stuff that I'm not ashamed to publish. I have posted a few little things here and there that are under a pen name, for various reasons. However, I feel that if someone wants to post under a pen name, fine. I have no problem with it. If I get this site going I will probably have to have their real names and addresses if for no more reason than to keep my taxes straight -- and the writer's, too; I will have to file 1099s on them. I want to keep things legal!
So, that leads to the question of handles. I suppose they're all right in some circumstances, but I want to keep at least a hint of professionalism on the site if I get it started. An obvious handle just doesn't look professional to me. A handle of, oh, "Kingfisher" just to make something up just doesn't look serious to me. While it's likely that most people contributing are for the most part amateurs, I feel they should at least try to look like they're being serious. Now, a pen name of "A. J. Kingfisher," would be just fine, although that might not work for some of the names I've seen.
Hope this helps explain my position on this.
If anyone else is reading this and wants to discuss my proposed rules, I'm open to discussion because I would like to get this stuff ironed out now, while it's still in a consideration stage.
-- Wes
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