Publishing!

[rowyn]

[Edit: I've closed this poll because I've made a new poll here with MUCH BETTER options.)

I plan to self-publish A Rational Arrangement in June, and want to have a name for my publishing business. Since I plan to publish under a pseudonym (it's easier to use my existing hand than it is to establish a web presence under my real name), I need to register some name with the state anyway, so I might as well register a publishing company and make it all official-like. I Are a Real Business!

Step one of this (very complicated) process:

Pick a name.

... right.

Since I am not attached to any of the names I've come up with thus far, I figured I would use the time-honored Make It A Poll approach*!

[Poll #2012549][Poll #2012549]

I do kinda like "Rational Romance" (which was alinsa's idea), but I am concerned it sounds like "romance for rationalists", which is not what I am writing. (Nothing against rationalists!) Also, only particularly applicable to this one book. On the other hand, I can always make another publisher name, and probably will want to regardless because publishing lines are associated with genre, and I don't only write romances.

* I do not promise to use whichever name gets the most votes.

Comments

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

I don't like "Rowyn Press" because you're writing under the pseudonym L. Rowyn and it just looks arrogant. Rational Romance Books I don't like because it's very nearly the title of your first book, which will create confusion ("are you talking about the book? I looked for a rational romance on amazon and didn't find anything--" "No, the book is Rational Arrangement!" "I thought the book was Silver Scales!" "Yes, but it's not a romance--" etc).

Anything else is better than those two!

[rowyn]

I figured "Rowyn Press" had the virtue of "no, I am not trying to trick readers into thinking I'm not self-published" , but good point about that, and about the problem with "Rational Romance". Thank you!

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

I don't think readers care about things being self-published, honestly. They look at the cover, the title, the blurb--the number of reviews, and the average star rating. If they are super-motivated, they might read some of the reviews. But for the most part, it doesn't seem to figure into the average person's buying decisions unless they're the sort of person who requires name-brands, and at that point they won't give you a second look whether you look tricksy or not...!

I am sorry if I came on a little bit too strong there. I've spent most of the morning fighting about something and I'm still apparently in combative mood. *applies cookies until relaxes*

[rowyn]

You are helpfully pointing out angles I did not consider! It's all good. :)

I am sorry that the morning has been full of fighty for you. *sends virtual hugs and virtual chocolate, which is at least non-fattening*

[alinsa.livejournal.com]

I don't think readers care about things being self-published, honestly

I've read more than a small number of things that suggest that many readers will avoid self-pub stuff if they know it's self-pub, and I can't actually remember reading anything that says it doesn't matter, and certainly a lot of people pay a lot of money for ISBNs just so they don't have to appear that way. I have no firm evidence one way or the other, though.

The way I look at it, though, is this: There is almost certainly a nonzero number of people out there that won't buy obviously self-published books. Even if that's just 1% of the potential audience, that's 1% less people to buy your book. Given how easy it is to not look self-published (if you excuse the difficulty of choosing the name), why run off even a single potential reader?

[archangelbeth]

Hm. Though it does have the "very similar to title" issue, you might just go with Rational Romances as the publisher name. (I mean, I went with "Terran Alchemy" instead of adding "press" or anything.)

[alinsa.livejournal.com]

Trademark searches (interesting bits, anyhow):

- Rowyn [anything] -- no matches

- Rational [romance|book|books] -- no matches

- Rational Publishing -- One match, "A Relentless Pull on the Rational Mind Black Hole Publishing Company" (...totally not a conflict)

- Rational [anything]:
- The Rational Male (category books ...unlikely but possibly conflicting, though not actually registered yet)
- Rational Animal (magazines... probably not conflicting)
- Rational Republican (comics and comic books... probably not conflicting
- Rational (financial services)
- Rational Lies (non-fiction self-help books)
- Rational (software, chat rooms, user guides ... probably not conflicting, but it *is* owned by IBM)
- Rational Inquiry (educational services)
- Rational Apex (computer software)
- Rational Rose (computer software)

- Delight [in] Books:
- Children's Books That Engage, Delight and Entertain! (children's books -- probably not conflicting) (also boo no serial comma)

- Delight [in] Romance: no matches

- "delight in" (literal string)
- Delight in Living (mental health booklets)
- Delight in Your Skin (oils and skin treatments)
- Delight in Being You (jewelry)
- A Delight in Every Slice (processed meats and other foods)
- Delight in the RIchness of BV (wines)
- Delight in the Season (coffee)

- Comfrey
- Comfrey Adult Diapers

- Finally Books -- nothing

- Finally [anything]
- Several registered uses of "Finally" as a standalone term, none directly conflicting
- About 100 other matches, but none is really very interesting

- GUPHs? I don't think they exist

- LittleMore [books|publishing|anything]
- Little More Charming (bags, purses, wallets)
- Lil' Mo' (educational software)
- Sip Into Something a Little More Naked (wine)

[rowyn]

Oh hey I hadn't thought of using Little More.

Good to know the trademark details! <3