I have always wondered when you write a novel should you use your own name ? The reason I ask this is some people are not happy with the name they have. so should you use a Pseudonym to aid the sell of your book. I have also noticed there are quite a few authors who initials and surname their books, like C J Sansom, J K Rowling, P J Wodehouse, but to name a few. So what are your thoughts Pseudonym or own name ?
Gordon Bailey: rolls off the tongue like the liquor and gives an impression of strength and masculinity like the formidable chef who shares your first name
Great question. I will use one should I have the fortune of being published. The choice was simple for me, it gave me the chance to choose a name that I actually liked and gave me a identity quite separate from my other life as I do work (and occasionally publish) in another field. A pseudonym gives me the choice of disclosing I am a writer should I choose to share that.
It depends on personal choice - often, female writers use initials so as not to put off potential male readers, though whether or not this is still a 'necessary' course of action I don't know. I suppose it also depends on what your name is - personally, if I were trying to write a very serious novel that I wanted to appeal to both sexes, I would not use my real name if it were Lulu, because people are bound to make assumptions. Whether or not this is morally right is almost beside the point - the fact remains that I'd want to sell my book as easily as possible. Some writers also use middle names if they prefer it to their first. I quite like the idea of using initials but mine would be 'A.E Cattley', which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. It somehow doesn't sound anywhere near as good as 'A.E Housman', despite the fact that they both have the awkward double vowel! But for the record, I think that 'Gordon Bailey' sounds like a very respectable name for an author!