I’ve finally pinned down pen name for myself for my fiction writing: Wyeth Quinn.
Selecting a pen name is no easy task. It needs to be unique, relatively easy to spell, and have both domain name and Twitter handle availability. It also needs to “feel” right.
I initially selected Niko Quinn, which I played around with a bit on Twitter, but “Niko” didn’t seem right. The name Niko has Italian origins, and I certainly don’t want to misrepresent myself. Also, Niko sounds like Nico, an opportunity for confusion.
Now, Wyeth Quinn has both English (Wyeth) and Irish (Quinn) roots, as do I (I was born in England and I have a British mother and an Irish great-grandfather).
Also, I love the way this name sounds. It just rolls of the tongue.
Simply put, it just feels right.
What that means for me in terms of maintaining separate blogs, newsletters and websites has yet to be determined. But at least for now, I have a name that works—one that can separate thriller-writer me from physician-me.