Hi, I recently have read a few stories about writers who have sent off their manuscripts and met rejections only to change their name, to a pen name of sorts, and been accepted. I was wondering if anyone else had encountered a similair story, and whether having a catchy name is very important in getting your manuscript even seen. I am aware that it is possible that a publisher/agent will change your name around a bit (JK Rowling) but I did not think about the effect your name could have in getting your manuscript read.
I don't think my initials would be a good idea, JCB.
Excellent answers - and my experience is that although I have a whole raft of pen names the only successes I've had so far have been when I used my real name!
Just my own opinion, but I think it is important to have a name, or choose a pen name, that "fits" with your chosen genre. For example, if writing a thriller, maybe a strong name (eg John Knight) may be more suitable than a gentle feminine name such as Daisy White. Having said that, I would have thought that if the book is good, the agent would advise on this.