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.
Trawling back up my family tree I have discovered the name Armstrong, which sounds a perfect fit to me - Mark Armstrong seems like a good name for a fantasy writer!
I'd leave Victoria as it is if I were you - I like it :)
Never meant to upset anyone. It was an article I read which made me think about my name, and the names of the authors who have made slight differences to their names as authors, whether through their own choice or agents/publishers. Initials seem to be catchy and memorable. In which case writing under V.R Limbert is just fine with me (if the oppotunity ever arrived) it does not mean that just because someone has a boring name their manuscript will definately not get read, but I did wonder if maybe, while going through the huge volumes of manuscrips publishers/agents receive whether certain names jump out at them because they are memorable and catchy. It was quite a fun debate though :)
Does it mean that if the manuscripts are being is rejected because the names are not sexy enough? It means that good manuscripts would miss the audience due to such practise. What a terrible thing. Shame on them!!!