Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Signature (You know you plan to sign some books one day!)

Image found here


I had a random thought the other day (well, I have many random thoughts, but I thought I'd share this one with you...). Let's say I actually publish a real life, hold-in-your-hands book one day -- and someone actually wants me to sign it.

I've never signed  Rachel Morgan  before!

These two names are my first and middle names. I've only ever signed R and my surname! Now I have to figure out a super duper awesome and elegant way to scribble R Morgan!

So tell me: 
if you're using a pen name, have you already figured out how to sign it? 
(You know, for all those book tours you'll go on one day!)


24 comments:

Diana said...

lol. this is like when I was in junior high and would write my name a million times using the last name of my crush. fun little exercise.

N. R. Williams said...

I think I will end up looking a lot like a Doctors signature on a prescription. LOL. I have wondered if I need to practice, though, N. R. Williams is my real name.

I answered your ISBN question, so stop back by and read the comment.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium

Unknown said...

Diana, I used to feel too embarrassed to even do that in private, like someone would find it somehow and tease me!

Thanks, Nancy, on my way over...

N. R. Williams said...

Ugh...I totally forgot to say thank you for buying my book.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium

Lindz Pagel said...

Fun story: Before I ever wanted to be a published author I wanted to be a famous actress... So, I've had my 'famous' signature for over a decade now. :D

Carol Riggs said...

Ah, I didn't know that was your middle name! I think writing "Rachel Morgan" would be really cool and flowing, with a high flair on the M. :)

Alexis said...

I've already decided that I'm gonna be "Alexis Fittinger" when I get published, maybe with my middle name in their too. And that is the name I was born with, but before I get published I will be married and while it is still undecided how we are going to deal with last names (both take each others last name, make our any into a hybrid of both names we are still discussing) I won't be just Alexis Fittinger any more.

Claire G said...

Lol! Just like Diana said, it reminds me of when I used to practice writing my name as a "Mrs" when I had a crush on some guy :D Actually, I *haven't* practiced my pen name yet- eek! You've sure got me thinking now!

Adina West said...

This is one of those "counting your chickens" things, but I will admit I'm 100% GUILTY. In fact, I might even be guilty of intentionally choosing pen names which lend themselves to a nice signature...

G Blechman said...

Wow, these comments are fun. I'm not using a pen name, but everytime I write my name in cursive every day on tops of papers and notes and things, and every time I do I think "wow, that signature might be worth something some day." Whatever you decide, have fun with it.

<3 Gina Blechman

dr3am3r said...

i'm not so good at the whole signature thing and i can't imagine being published. however, i do love the idea of a nice signature. i need to practice that.

Elizabeth Twist said...

I've practiced! My excuse is that I have, on occasion, submitted stories to the few magazines that still require paper submissions. I had to make my signature look nifty for my cover letter!

Jemi Fraser said...

Yikes! I've never thought of this! I'm going to have to try it and see what it looks like :)

Sierra Gardner said...

I had never thought about it! I mean, I had thought about signing books before (or daydreamed to be precise) but never thought about how I would sign my pen name. Off to go practice...

Karen Jones Gowen said...

isn't it funny when we're teenagers we practice writing Mrs. so and so, then when we're writers we practice signing our names on books. Well, that was my story anyway, maybe no one else did that. And the pen is important too. No crappy ball point cheap pen. Even if you don't use a pen name, it helps to practice.

Jennifer Hillier said...

Sadly, I have been practicing! My signature never looks the same, though. It always looks slightly different, so I'm working on consistency. Tired of the sales clerk looking at me suspiciously when she checks the sig on my Visa and compares it to the receipt I just signed.

Anonymous said...

Good question. I guess the book signature mustn't be like the cheque signature LOL! Not sure how I'd scrawl mine, but I'd have to practice one I felt comfortable with. :O)

Talli Roland said...

Haha - funny you bring this up, because yesterday I signed a book for someone, and I wrote the T like a J, then it looked liked 'Jalli'! I do need to work out my signature.

Unknown said...

What I should have added to this post is WHAT exactly would you write along with your signature? If it's someone you know it's a bit easier to include a message. But what if it's a random fan? Would you include a message before your signature, and what would that message be?

Colene Murphy said...

Get to practicing!! It's important. And will probably be a lot of fun, imagining the situations you could be in while you practice signing!
My chosen writer name is just my maiden name. Been signing that all my life. Might have to think of a way to make it prettier though, now that you mention it...rats.

Cinnamon said...

I just decided on my pen name this week after hearing from several authors that they wished they'd gone this route from the start. Apparently the crazy factor is very high with young, bored YA readers.

Elena Solodow said...

This is the reason I could never have a pen name. I wouldn't remember the new name. Signing mine is so natural, you'd think it would be very hard to memorize two separate sigs.

Lisa Nowak said...

I'm not using a pen name, but I do need to work on my signature. It's horrendous. :)

Julie Hedlund said...

Too funny! I'm not using a pen name, but I can't decide if I want to use my married or pre-married (hate the term "maiden") name. In any case, my worry is how bad my handwriting is - lol! I suppose I should worry more about getting published in the first place!