Happy Anniversary, Ceruleans!
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It's been two years since the
first book in the Ceruleans series was published, and I'm helping celebrate the
relaunch of the novels with gorgeous new cover art and under the author's real
name . . . Say hello to CHARLOTTE WILSON! I was super curious about why Charlotte chose to first write as
Megan Tayte and what brought her to the point of having a "big
reveal." So I asked her about it, and she was kind enough to share the
back-story with me. Read on, and then be sure to enter the giveaway of a print set of the full five-
book series!
Guest Post
What’s in a name? ‘Coming out’ from behind a pen-name
by Charlotte Wilson
A
decade ago, my first book was published – under a pen name. A strange choice,
perhaps, given that I run The Book
Specialist, a writing and editing business; surely demonstrating my ability
to author a book makes good business sense? It does (which is why I published
later books under my professional name, Charlie Wilson). But that first book
required sensitive handling, because its content was very personal.
A
golden rule of business: draw a line between the personal and the professional,
and then respect that boundary.
When
I began writing my Ceruleans series, it soon became apparent to me that this
was another very personal writing project. The central themes of the books –
most notably grief – relate to personal experiences. I began writing intending
on publishing as Charlie Wilson, but the further I got into the writing, the
more that name held me back. The answer was logical: publish under a pen name.
So
I did. Two years ago I published the first Ceruleans book under the name Megan
Tayte. Megan, because I love the name; Tayte for the Tate Modern art gallery, London,
one of my favourite places on the planet (the added ‘y’ made it a unique name).
I created a little brand around that writing name, and over the next year I
grew that as I published four more books. In marketing terms, it made good
sense to continue on down this road.
But…
The
thing about writing under a pen name is that while it can be liberating –
you’re cushioned to a degree from criticism and judgment – it’s also a) hard
work and b) uncomfortable.
Why
hard work? Because you’re handling a whole set of media for the pen name as
well as your own, which means multiple email accounts, multiple social media
accounts, multiple websites. I ghostwrite all the marketing channels for one of
my clients, which meant I’d got to the point of having at least three Facebook
accounts open simultaneously on different browsers: overload and confusion were
rife.
It
was the discomfort, though, that really pushed me to make a change – a feeling
of being slightly out of step with who I need to be. Anyone who reads The Ceruleans
gets a feel for me as a person; I’m a heart-on-my-sleeve kind of writer.
Increasingly, I came to see that being wholly authentic and ‘owning’ my words
is really important to me.
‘Coming
out’ meant a whole lot of work relaunching The Ceruleans and bringing my
fiction into The Book Specialist. It also meant getting brave: being ready for
clients – from fellow authors to publishing houses and organisations – to be
able to read my fiction and consequently know a lot more about me.
Every
day at my desk I still write under more names than Charlotte/Charlie Wilson.
That’s the nature of ghostwriting, after all. But when I look up at the shelf
and see the new-edition Ceruleans books with my name on the covers… I feel centered. That’s who I am. That’s how I write for myself, as
myself.
What’s in a name? A defining sense of self.
About Charlotte Wilson
Once upon a time a little girl told her
grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop
lady. Or a fairy princess. ‘Write, Charlotte,’ her grandmother advised. So
that’s what she did.
Thirty-odd years later, Charlotte is a professional writer. For authors and publishers, she writes and edits books as The Book Specialist. For herself, she writes soulful, coming-of-age romance for young adults.
Charlotte grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in a village of Greater Manchester with her husband and two children. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her walking someplace green, baking up a storm, or embarking on a DIY project. She recently achieved a lifetime ambition of creating a library in her home to house her ever-increasing collection of books. She pretends not to notice that the shelves are rather wonky.
You can find Charlotte online at:
Thirty-odd years later, Charlotte is a professional writer. For authors and publishers, she writes and edits books as The Book Specialist. For herself, she writes soulful, coming-of-age romance for young adults.
Charlotte grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in a village of Greater Manchester with her husband and two children. When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll find her walking someplace green, baking up a storm, or embarking on a DIY project. She recently achieved a lifetime ambition of creating a library in her home to house her ever-increasing collection of books. She pretends not to notice that the shelves are rather wonky.
You can find Charlotte online at:
GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!
Print set of the whole five-book series! Ends 2/28/17
Thank you for sharing, Kristine.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome! You know I am a super-fan!
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