So, I don't like my legal name, my married name, Sarah Hutchinson, because it's too boring. And my maiden name, Sarah Baron, is hard to say, so I added my middle name because I feel like my 'hidden' self, the writer in me, is now out of the box (I didn't give myself permission to truly write until I was 36). Sarah Gabrielle Baron has been my 'pen name' for 5 years. Now, feeling some pretty feminist thoughts, I'm thinking of changing to Sarah Waterhouse, because I can trace my 'family' name back through matrilineal lines to my great-great-great grandmother, Waterhouse. I think that name is good and witchy too. I emailed Joey about this once, and his advice was, 'Just pick one and stick to it'. Anyone else use a 'nom de plume'? Why?
Screenwriting : Pen Names by Sarah Gabrielle Baron
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Your name, no matter what its is will become a representation of you. I use my middle initial because Craig Griffiths is as common as mud. My grandfather changed the family name from Coghlan-Griffiths because he thought it too posh for a policeman. When I think names I think of Idris Elba. How many people would have advised him to change his name. His name has become a representation of one of the finest actors of our time. PS: Idris for James Bond.
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Baron is a great surname: it's an aristocratic title. I prefer it to Waterhouse. And like Craig said, it doesn't matter much, otherwise Arnold Schwarzeneger for example would have never been famous.
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I don't and when it comes to screenwriting nobody is going to care.
I use a nom de plume to write erotica, for obvious reasons.
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I could use a nom de plume to write erotica - but with a name like Andrew Smith - people automatically conclude that it's not my real name.
Everything that I write to produce myself is under my name, everything that I submitt for commercial production goes out under my 'nom de plume'. Sometimes it's a little complex at tax time but it's really important to me to keep my professional and private life seperate.
I used to hyphenate maiden-married, but I've found I get better results as far as script requests when I use just the married. It's probably a coincidence, but it's kind of like wearing my lucky shirt for the Saint's games.
Ooo are you related to John William Waterhouse? Love his paintings! Anywho, I use my pen name on all my scripts. But the contact info has my legal name. (My name on here is my pen name. My legal name is already taken by a very famous Englishman...lol...and I want to avoid all confusion.) @Doug Nelson, Can you explain about ta time and how it can get complex? Hopefully you see this...