So, I'll admit that I'm feeling a little narcissistic today, and as I was pondering my awesomeness this morning, I realized that though I write under three pseudonyms, I've never made it very clear WHY. I don't know if any of you particularly care, but indulge me as I explain.
I first started writing as Miss Lagsalot. This was a name tossed off on a whim. My initials spell LAG, and I've always wanted to write as "Lag," but when it came time to actually pick a "nom de porn" to write under for WHACK! Magazine, "Lag" just seemed too... blah. I wanted something flashier. I'd been reading up on some Arthurian legends (yep, I'm a big literature geek) and had the idea that working with Sir Lancelot would be fun. Sir Lagsalot would get all kinds of complicated as people would expect me to be male for interviews and such, so instead I took Miss Lagsalot as my name. I've been writing as Lagsalot for about three years now, I think, and the character that's developed out of reviewing porn, interviewing porn performers, and generally walking that line is a little bit crass, a little loud-mouthed, outgoing, and drunk. All of which describe me only under certain circumstances. Lagsalot writes most of my porn reviews, does my interviews, and speaks for me when I'm surrounded by the adult industry because she's a lot less easy to intimidate than I am.
Lynsey G, on the other hand, was less intentional. When I submitted my proposal to McSweeney's for my porn writing column, I used my full name on the materials, not thinking further ahead than my imminent rejection notice. But imagine my surprise when they decided to take me on as a year-long columnist! I was so excited I didn't even think about the fact that my full name was attached to it until they'd already announced their new columnists and it became clear to me that everyone I went to high school with, and many family members, would see it up there on Google along with the rest of the world. I wrote to them asking them to change my name to just "Lynsey G," and proceeded to write under that name for them for a year. I now write as Lynsey G here on my blog, on Madison Young's TheWomansPOV, and wherever else they'll let me! Lynsey G isn't exactly who I am in real life, but she's a lot closer to the real "me" than Lagsalot. She's more thoughtful, far more introverted, and much more political. She's concerned about the "big issues" of porn, rather than with porn itself. She's a big-time feminist (which Lagsalot is, too, but Lagsalot doesn't spend much time talking about it) and a queer, and she writes in a very unaffected voice.
Then, of course, there's Lag. Lag doesn't get much play because she's the voice of moderation between Lynsey's introversion and Lagsalot's degeneracy. She's who I write as when I'm not sure how to feel or talk about something, so she doesn't have a firm voice of her own. I hope she grows into something someday, but at the moment she's my fallback, and as such might actually be more like me than the other two voices, but I'm not quite ready to use her yet.
Anyway, in case you were wondering, people, that's the Lynsey Lagsalot trinity for you. Cheers!
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