Friday, June 28, 2013

Writing on the Double: Pen Names and My YA Twin

by Malena Lott
(or is it Lena Brown?)

Sometimes I pinch myself that I get to slip into another world where I can be in control of the universe, the conflicts are thankfully not real (though they feel like it!) and I come away feeling like I've had a great adventure. If you've written more than one book, though, you realize there are limits to those adventures.

As an author, you don't get to go wild with whatever story pops into your head. You have to be somebody pretty special to be able to write whatever the hell you want and still use ONE name. Readers may love your voice, but we're creatures of habit, too. If your "brand" is known for historical romance, readers will look for another book by you and be devastated that your next book is a sci-fi time travel without so much as one good earlobe sucking scene.

So if you do want to write a story unlike what you've been writing...ta-da!...get a new name.

That's just what I did.  In 2009, I needed a break from writing women's fiction. I'd had two books published (The Stork Reality with Dorchester and Dating da Vinci with Sourcebooks) and my option novel was going to require a major rewrite, revised to a single person POV, down from three - and a switch from first to third POV, at that!

I declined the start-from-scratch option on my manuscript, but realized I needed a real breather.  (Though three years later that book was published the way I had first envisioned as Something New and readers seem to like it this way.)

So I thought at the time - I SHOULD REALLY TRY SOMETHING NEW. Ha. See what I did there?

That "something new" became my YA re-invention, Lena Brown, which happened to be my name when I was a teenager. (Best friends called me Leners.)  I tried several story ideas before I landed on Twin Falls about a secret colony of Messenger angels in Twin Falls, Texas. It's in soft launch now at an introductory offer of just .99 in the Kindle Store and by Sunday for nook. It's also available in trade paperback for those teens who prefer to read the old-fashioned way.

Author Reinvention 101

Upside: You get to be creative and have a release for all those story ideas that didn't fit with your "other  established self."

Downside: It means you're starting near zero on platform. While I have a website and Twitter account I started last year to promote short stories under my pen name in YA anthologies, I don't have near the following I do for my women's fiction.

Downside 2: You may start feeling like you have multiple personality disorder. I say this because I'm working on two other projects in two other genres. Could make your head spin keeping up with it all. Thing is, lots of authors do this and do it well. And you can be published with multiple publishers as well as indie publishing, so you can pull it off. It just may take more time and marketing dollars.

I look at my other selves as brands, not people. And it's okay to mesh them when it makes sense. For example, I'm going on a five city book tour starting in late July I'm calling the "fly" sisterhood tour because I'll be promoting both my Twin Falls title *and* my fifth women's fiction novel, Family Charms. Calling it "fly" because one is about angels and the other is about sisters who travel the world to see where there mother has been the last twenty years. (See what I did there?) So you can see it's possible to do tie-ins and cross promotions where it makes sense. I'll be inviting girlfriends, sorority sisters, family and mother/daughters. I'll keep you posted on how it goes! Until then, you've got to meet my gorgeous cowboy angels...

Do you have a transformation or alter-ego story to share? Questions? 

Good luck, whatever you call yourself.






17 comments:

  1. Whoa, Malena! You are a powerhouse!!

    I LOVE your pen name, and I love it even more now that I know that it was actually your own name in another life!!

    I've been toying with a YA novel myself. This post gives me the motivation to follow through with it. Now I just need the fabulous pen name....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brenda,
      Thank you! I like that the name is short and easy. And I love "Ls". Is that weird? Good luck on your YA. After writing so much in the 'adult' frame of mind, it was wonderful to slip back into the teen years with a fresh outlook and "coming of age" angle. If you have a short list of names, you know I'd be happy to throw my two-cents in. xo

      Delete
    2. I totally don't!! I need a list of any kind, not just a short list. I was thinking that since I have two boys and I never got to use the girl names I'd picked out, I could use those!!

      Delete
    3. Those baby name lists are precious. That's where I get some character names. My husband calls them my "soap opera" names. lol

      Delete
  2. I'm crossing genres with my WIP and thinking of doing this, too! We'll have to start an alter-ego club. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Congrats on BOTH books, Malena! They sound terrific ;).
    And I don't have an alter ego (yet...I've considered it!), but I do cross genres a fair bit. I love the adventure of writing new things!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great covers...and I don't have an alter ego, though I'm quite certain my students thought I did, and if I'm not mistaken, her name probably started with a B...

    But--I've wondered about using another name to cross genres. I guess the good news/bad news about not yet having hoards of followers is I wouldn't be leaving them behind.

    And how fun to be able to reinvent yourself. Something new to think about when I procrastinate.

    ReplyDelete
  5. There has some writer who use this method while they are writing something. I am not that much familiar with this and so I do not use it. visit the website to know more how to get quality writing services.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great review.I know one thing if writing is your passion then you need to read such blogs.You can read more about writing skills and language on online web platforms.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There might have so many ways to get your things done in the writing section but never select two different writer for it. click this link that helps me a lot on my academic papers writing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I really love this article about john nichol and his overall life about being a writer and he is really going through adventure . try this to check out more helpful guide and tips for writing your papers.

    ReplyDelete
  9. It is so lovely that your girlfriend is really working with you in this thing and you get a better hand for your own writings. http://www.phrasingtool.com/tool/ will give helpful tips and you can ask any question related to the writing service.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It is really lovely to get into the writing section and it would be the perfect things if your closest one is connected to it. link the site for more ideas and tips about the educational information.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It is wonderful site to find yourself in the particular creating part and also it will be the right items if the best you are linked to that. website link your website regarding a lot more tips and also recommendations on the particular instructional details.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Chase Cardholder!! If you get your Debit Card recently then you need to complete your Chase Debit Card Activation first. This article will show you that how you will easily complete your Debit Card Activation.chase debit card activation phone

    https://debitcardactivation.com/www-chase-com-verifycard-activate-chase-card/

    ReplyDelete