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January 17, 2007

John Sandford Goes to Camp

March 12, 2007 01:57 PM EDT (Updated: March 12, 2007 03:21 PM EDT)

views: 63 | rating: 9.9/10 (13 votes) | comments: 24

Or Rather, John Camp went to Sandford. The two Johns are one and the same. One name is his given, the other he uses for marketing reasons.

John’s not alone. Other writers do it too. John writes two types of books, and instead of confusing or disappointing readers who have come to love one kind of book, he simply sells them under different names.

He uses his grandfather’s name for his adult fiction and his real name for children’s books.

What’s in a name? A lot when you’re a bestselling novelist.

Do you use a pen name when you go to publish your work?

Learn more about the two Johns at his website.

http://www.johnsandford.org/author.html

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Comments: 24

Gerald_Waving my Freak-flag High Brewster Mar 12, 2007, 2:03pm EDT

A name holds a type of power.

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Deb J. Mar 12, 2007, 2:08pm EDT

I knew that authors do that. For instance, I am a Nora Roberts romance novel fan, but she also goes by J.D. Robb for her murder/mystery novels, which I do not care for.

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Rob Appell Mar 12, 2007, 2:44pm EDT

I use my real name on everything I do, whether on the air in radio or writing. It's hard enough to keep myself straight with everything else going on in life. I don't want to confuse myself even further.

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Jo H. Mar 12, 2007, 2:51pm EDT

Great article, Eric, and it makes me consider the question once again: shall I use a pseudonym for some of my work when I vary genres? I have been toying with the idea, but haven't committed to any particular path yet. I will when the time is right, but probably on the three-second-rule, sort of like I choose titles:) I suppose I never invest too much emotion in choosing titles because after all, a publisher may change the title. However, I still try to give some thought and energy to the process, understanding that titles may be what grabs a reader or causes them to turn away. But I think I shall probably use a pseudonym when I write fiction and perhaps my real name when I am writing non-fiction. I am working on a Christian title right now and this article brought the issue of what name to use to my mind once again. Perhaps I should make a decision and quit putting it off! Thanks!

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Jennifer St.Antoine Mar 12, 2007, 3:09pm EDT

Thanks for the info. It's actually SanDford, though, with a D. I didn't know he wrote under a pseudonym! I think it's interesting for writers to use pseudonyms, just to turn around and tell us they are writing under a pseudonym!?! I guess when I say interesting, I actually MEAN bizarre. What is the point if everyone knows who you are anyway? Why does it help marketing to use a different name? I guess that's why I'm not a novelist, I don't get all of these things like the mioportance of using pseudonyms. I guess if I needed one, I'd try to pick out a really cool symbol.

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Nana to Seven Cutiepies Mar 12, 2007, 3:21pm EDT

Interesting fact I didn't know. I do read John Sanford but didn't know about John Camp.

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Eric D. Goodman Mar 12, 2007, 3:24pm EDT

Nice catch, Jennifer! Careless of me -- I've corrected it.

I think many writers who write under a pen name WANT you to know. It's more about marketing than hiding, sometimes. Follow the link and you'll learn what prompted John to use two names. Two different publishers were putting out books within the same half-year and one didn't want the other riding on the marketing campaign! John decided to keep the two names to categorieze his writing styles.

I'll stick to the name I was given, thank you.

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Pete S. Mar 12, 2007, 3:35pm EDT

The brilliant American SF/mystery writer John Holbrook Vance writes (or wrote -- sadly it's unlikely that he will write any more, being in his eighties and almost blind) mysteries under his full name and SF/fantasy as "Jack Vance". Unless you've got something to hide (and who doesn't) , if you write in two or more genres, it's probably a good idea to use a variant name rather than a whole new one -- it may help snag genre fans who might not cross over otherwise (and allows you to keep better track of which genre makes you more money -- sort the royalty checks by name).

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Matthew B. Mar 12, 2007, 3:41pm EDT

Talk about multiple personalities. There are many reasons that authors/ celebs/ personalities might want to have a 'pen name.' I am just too slow to keep up with two distinct personalities. I barely hold one down! Thanks for the article.

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tomi r. Mar 12, 2007, 4:08pm EDT

Thanks for the info. I look for authors alot of the time when I am looking for a certain kind of book. I think different names are a good idea.

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Carol Lloyd Mar 12, 2007, 4:10pm EDT

Thanks for the info

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Paula C. Mar 12, 2007, 4:13pm EDT

intersting information..thanks for sharing this.

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Eric D. Goodman Mar 12, 2007, 4:19pm EDT

Thanks for the conversation -- keep it going! Fourteen comments so far, but I wonder how many of us there are when all of the extra pen names are folded in.

UPDATE: TRACKS is in operation! Chapter one of my novel in stories is now on Gather and open to reading and rating! Hop aboard at the link below!

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976924563

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JoAnne D. Mar 12, 2007, 4:26pm EDT

This may be a question for the Dumb question group, but what is the point of having a pen name if your gonna tell your real name anyway. Maybe I'll post that later, and see how many responses I get.

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Cynthia B. Mar 12, 2007, 5:00pm EDT

I love Sandford's Prey novels, they're one of the few hardbacks I buy the day they come out. I can understand the point of the two names but it's a riot how the "JD Robb" books (which I also love) now say NOra Roberts writing as JD Robb which sort of defeats the purpose!

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Jean Winstead Mar 12, 2007, 5:54pm EDT

Using a pseudonym can be a way of hiding identity also. Look at George Sand.

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Shaunee C. Mar 12, 2007, 6:26pm EDT

This is really interesting

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Karolyn Q. Mar 12, 2007, 6:28pm EDT

Thanks for the information.

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Deb O. Mar 13, 2007, 1:36am EDT

I have read and loved Stephen King for years. When I learned he also wrote under the name Richard Bachman, it was like finding a treasure of new stories. He didn't want to share both names in the beginning, but has embraced both. He writes about the process in his book On Writing.
Eric, thanks for the chapter of Tracks.

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Dennis Leppanen Mar 13, 2007, 9:59am EDT

My nom de plume is Cliff Dennis. A reversal of my first and middle names. John Sanford tells of his John Camp identity in the jacket of some of his novels.

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Eric D. Goodman Mar 13, 2007, 10:16am EDT

From what I remember back in the 80s, Stephen King used the Bachman books to illustrate how difficult it was for writers to get in. He submitted the first Bachman novel under the pen name and couldn't get it accepted -- until he let them know who he really was!

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Lydia O. Mar 13, 2007, 10:24am EDT

But the Bachman books truly are a great deal different than straight King--almost like they were a conduit for another facet of his personality. I find that no matter the horror in a King book, there is always a flicker of hope, a shine of "the white"--not so in Bachman, IMHO. Perhaps that, too, is one of the uses of a pseudonym. :) Dean Koontz has had many false names, some of them female--mostly because he's so prolific.

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