Author: C.A. Simonson

C.A. Simonson is a freelance writer and author of eight novels and seven nonfiction books. Her award-winning short stories have appeared in seven anthologies. Close to 800 informational articles, human interest stories, content pieces, and DIY articles have been published in national print and online magazines, periodicals, and newsletters. Her books are available in paperback, digital, and audio format on Amazon, KOBO, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, and audible.com or at casimonson.com. With her love of writing and skills as a former IT help desk/trainer, she assists other aspiring authors with editing, formatting, and self-publication. C.A. Simonson lives in the Ozarks of Missouri.
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NOM de PLUME – What’s in a Name?

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Ellery Queen
ELLERY QUEEN – Photo: Al Aumuller, Library of Congress

Why would any author want to write behind a fake name? Isn’t getting your name well known the whole point of becoming an author? One of the most common reasons may be because their earlier work(s) failed, says Writers’ Digest.

However, some famous authors have written under one or more pseudonyms. Mark Twain comes to mind. This name is perhaps more famous than his real name, Samuel Clemons. J.K. Rowling said choosing a pen name was liberating to her writing as there was no hype nor expectations that way.

Test Your Author Knowledge

These are pseudonyms. Do you know their given name?
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Single Quotes or Double Quotes?

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The Write-Design

It can be confusing to know where to use quotation marks. Writers are familiar with using quotes for sentences but what about thoughts? What about words with anothermeaning? This is simply a question of style, and what country you live in. The British do it opposite of Americans.  Single or double quotation marks denote either speech or quotation. Neither style—single or double—is an absolute rule, although double quotation marks are preferred in the United States. (grammargirl.com)Picture1

A few general rules:

  1. For quotes within quotes—“Why did she call the man a ‘traitor’?” 
  2. For ‘scare quotes’ —terms used in a nonstandard, ironic, or other special sense.  Quotation marks used around a word or phrase when they are not required, thereby eliciting attention or doubts.

“Putting the term ‘global warming’ in scare quotes serves to subtly cast doubt on the reality of such a phenomenon.”

  1. If you have a scare…

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