Many people have said to me that my name sounds like a fantasy writer’s name, asking me if it’s my actual name. Garth Nix also often gets asked the same question. In both mine and Garth's case, they are our real names, but it makes me wonder what it is that makes a name sound like it belongs to a fantasy writer?
Names are funny things. I recently discovered that Eddie Perfect is the Australian performer/writer's real name. I was absolutely convinced it was a stage name. As he says, though: "If I was willing to change it, I'd have gone all the way to F..king–Brilliant. Hyphenated."
So, what is it that makes a name sound like a fantasy writer's? My guess is that the letters “J” and “R” have something to do with it: J R R Tolkien, J K Rowling, George R R Martin. There aren't any initials in "Dirk Strasser", but there are three Rs.
I once had the venerable science fiction author and editor, Algis Budrys, comment in a rejection letter to me "Mmm, with a name like 'Dirk Strasser', I would have thought you'd be South African." And I would have thought maybe someone with the name "Algis Budrys" shouldn't really be commenting on other writer's names.
Do people with fantasy writer-type names naturally drift towards fantasy writing? That would be a bit spooky. Maybe there's a prophecy thing happening.
What if a John Smith wants to turn his hand at fantasy? One solution is to add some initials: John R R Smith works. But I think there's a better solution for turning an ordinary name into a fantasy writers' name – add an exotic sounding middle name.
John Tiberius Smith does the trick, as does Jane Aphrodite Smith. It's just a matter of trawling through enough history and mythology to get the right combination.
Not everyone has been fortunate to have been given fantasy writer names by their parents. For those of you that haven't, well, you're just a google search away from your destiny.
Names are funny things. I recently discovered that Eddie Perfect is the Australian performer/writer's real name. I was absolutely convinced it was a stage name. As he says, though: "If I was willing to change it, I'd have gone all the way to F..king–Brilliant. Hyphenated."
So, what is it that makes a name sound like a fantasy writer's? My guess is that the letters “J” and “R” have something to do with it: J R R Tolkien, J K Rowling, George R R Martin. There aren't any initials in "Dirk Strasser", but there are three Rs.
I once had the venerable science fiction author and editor, Algis Budrys, comment in a rejection letter to me "Mmm, with a name like 'Dirk Strasser', I would have thought you'd be South African." And I would have thought maybe someone with the name "Algis Budrys" shouldn't really be commenting on other writer's names.
Do people with fantasy writer-type names naturally drift towards fantasy writing? That would be a bit spooky. Maybe there's a prophecy thing happening.
What if a John Smith wants to turn his hand at fantasy? One solution is to add some initials: John R R Smith works. But I think there's a better solution for turning an ordinary name into a fantasy writers' name – add an exotic sounding middle name.
John Tiberius Smith does the trick, as does Jane Aphrodite Smith. It's just a matter of trawling through enough history and mythology to get the right combination.
Not everyone has been fortunate to have been given fantasy writer names by their parents. For those of you that haven't, well, you're just a google search away from your destiny.
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