Initial Pretension
Initial Pretension This week I received a contract for a short story I wrote and submitted in the same week. It was a fast turnaround, and after sending it off I fully expected I would have ample time to edit and rewrite for future submissions. So, hooray for not over-thinking a piece. Before sending back the signed contract I had to make a decision. I publish under my own name. It's a common name—practically a cliche. To distinguish myself from all of the other Patrick Murphys out there I include my middle initial, like Heinlein and Clarke. I don't pretend to be in their class, but I do have the same drive to tell stories and be recognized for it. The contract omitted my middle initial from my byline. It's early days for me, and this is the time when I need to establish my "brand." For more then an hour I sat on that contract trying to decide if I wanted to risk offending the editor over one letter. It's my name and how I want to be recognized, my proud and d...
