Being a writer, part 1: Who are you?

Welcome to my first writing blog of the new year.

The question in the title seems absurd, but who are you when it comes to writing? I'd bet you have little idea at all. Are you great with people and raring to push your novel onto an unsuspecting public (chances are you would prefer a traditional publishing contract), or do you hide behind your words and prefer to go for an e-book? And how do you want to brand yourself? Clever titles? Irresistable blurb? Great covers?

And what do you want to call yourself? This is no idle question - it matters a lot. Some people are blessed with an alliterative name like my friend Mike Martin, others use initials (like JK Rowling) to hide gender, like another friend who writes as CJ Harter.

Then there are pseudonyms. When I was thinking about what name to write under all sorts of anagrams suggested themselves, such as Jackson Rioch, John C Corakis and even Aron J Hiscock, but in the end I decided that my own name would do just fine. True, my family and work colleagues might be surprised by my stuff, but that's their problem, not mine. Besides, I'm the only Jack Orchison in the UK and that must have something going for it!

So, give a great deal of thought first of all about what you want to achieve, how you present yourself, and march forward confidently once you know.

Jack Orchison, 7 January, 2014.