It’s been a long while hasn’t it? Well, sometimes life gets in the way. I’ve also come to the realization that there are times in a writer’s life when we slip into heavy contemplations. I say heavy because we often, (at least I do), sit in contemplation mode until I can make a decision. And decisions, no matter how minor, are one of those things I dislike.
I suppose you expect me to tell you here and now that I’ve quit writing, but that’s not the case. In fact quite the opposite. I’ve just been working on a plethora of things that my time hasn’t been conducive to blogging.
Which brings me to my contemplations.
When I first started writing I wasn’t sure who I was. Over the last few years I’ve grown, not only as a writer but as a person. I no longer try to blend in with the wall-flowers (all right, there are occasions). I’ve also grown in my relationship with my God. But the journey here has been confusing, not only for me but I’m sure for my readers as well. You get what you see, right? I’m real. I’m not fake. Yeah, I might use a pen name but that has nothing to do with hiding and everything to do with branding.
Let me explain. My university novel, my first, was a Scottish set in 1603. My real name doesn’t say Scottish Historicals like say Kathy Maxwell. And when I decided to start writing Westerns, my real name still doesn’t say Cowboys and feisty damsels that don’t know they’re in distress. But writing Ancient Biblical romance, yeah, my real name works.
It took me a long while to decide whether or not to keep my pen name. When I asked for advice it often came down to one question: What do you have to hide? Well, nothing. At least not that I know of. But I just couldn’t bring myself to do away with my pen name. I mean come on, I like it. And it means something to me. So I waited. In confusion. And I waited. And wondered, would I have to hang the pen name from the nearest tree?
Thanks to a discussion on one of my writers’ loops and to a few industry professionals who answered, I’ve made my decision. Renee Lynn Scott is here to stay unless a future agent/editor asks me to do away with it.
Renee will continue writing romantice Westerns and Pioneer full of faith. And if you’re interested in my journey writing Biblical Romance, you can find me here.
Hopefully now that I’ve made a firm decision about my writing there will be less confusion in my brain.
2 responses to “To Pseudo or not to Pseudo”
Nice to see you post again, Renee! I never doubted you weren't writing, but I know life can involve us in different preoccupations. 🙂
I've spent lots of time contemplating a pen name also and set the one I'd selected aside. Who knows when I might pick another. It's interesting how much of our identity can go into a name, isn't it?
Hey, Melissa! It seems like it has been so very long since I've been around that I feel out of place.
I almost feel like I'm trying to separate the two identities. Almost like having the good angel/bad angel on my shoulders. 😉