Expert: Misti Sandefur - 10/1/2006

Question
I do not like my last name. Is it silly to change my name?
I am 44, single, and my father has passed. I will not have children. I
have quit my job to become a writer, so there is no career impact. I
just feel funny and embarrassed that my friends & acquaintances
will think this is stupid. And how do I choose a new name if I
decide to do this. What do you think?

Answer
I assume you're wanting to change your name for writing, and in this case it's not stupid at all. There are many writers out there -- including well-known authors (the author of Harry Potter, for example) -- who write under a pseudonym (a.k.a. pen name). So, if you want to change your name for writing or whatever reason then I encourage you to go for it, because the choice is yours, and you certainly have your reasons.

How do you choose a new name? Well, you want to choose a name you will like. To help you out with both questions, following are a few links to some articles, hopefully these articles can help you and answer anything I was unable to answer:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/56805/pros_and_cons_of_writing_under_a_...

http://www.jh-author.com/pename.htm

http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~david/derya/tywctipsMay2001.htm

http://fl.essortment.com/writingtips_rfyd.htm

If you have any more questions related to freelance writing or marketing your freelance writing, don't hesitate to contact me again. Best wishes to you!

Never give up on your dreams -- work toward them,
Misti Sandefur, freelance writer & editor
http://www.mistisandefur.com

E-zine for Writers:
http://coffeebreakforwriters.mistisandefur.com