Me, My Work & I: Why Use a Pen Name?
Do you know what Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, Louis de Conte, and Mark Twain have in common? You may well do, because they’re all the same man. Samuel Clemens, writer and wit, was a prodigious user of pen names, but have you ever thought why? In fact, why do any authors spend years of their life crafting their novels, only to slap another name on them?
Nom de plume, alias, pseudonym, literary double…there are a lot of synonyms out there for the act of writing under a different name, and just as many reasons for using one. Back in the days of tall hats, gaslights, and institutionalised sexism there was a reason for women like Charlotte Bronte and Mary Ann Evans to assume a pen name, but these days such bars to entry don’t exist. Anyone, male or female, can write a book, so by all rights pen names should be a historical hangover. Yet writers of both sexes still love to use them.
Let’s look at just some of the many reasons why…
All in a Name
If your name is Thelonius Q. Hornswaggle you may not like the way your name looks on the top of a manuscript. Or if your name is one shared by thousands and thousands of others, like John Smith, you might think you need something less normal so that you stand out. But you don’t want a name to stand out too much: if you happen to share the same name as a celebrity or another author it’s probably best to assume a nom de plume, otherwise you run the risk of being overshadowed or misleading people – that’s why there aren’t any authors called Brad Pitt.
Type of Book
If you’re writing fantasy or a period book having an appropriate pen name may help to the tone of the whole book. Western novelist Zane Gray felt ‘Zane’ was more in keeping with the style of his genre than with his real name, Pearl. Let’s say you’ve written a crime drama set in the dank and fetid backstreets of Elizabethan London. Using a name like Erasmus Olimander not only looks cool on a manuscript/dust jacket, but adds to the atmosphere and mystery of the book. Going even further, the name can actually be a part of the story, for example if you’re writing a fictional biography or autobiography, like Lemony Snicket.
On the topic of style, while anyone of any sex can write any style of book, a trip to your bookshop will show you that certain styles are dominated by certain genders. Books about war and spying and fighting off crocodiles with a machete are mostly written by male authors, while female authors dominate the expansive romance section (I refuse to use the modern term ‘chick-lit’ – no one comes off well in that description). So if you’re a chap who’s written a great romance story you might feel a little conspicuous putting a male name on it. There’s no reason you should of course, however you might feel that a male name atop ‘The Ladies of Lily Cottage’ will adversely affect your chances of it being picked up by a publisher or a reader.
It’s a Marketing Thing
If you write across a wide range of genres or write both fiction and non-fiction then you or your publisher may decide it’s best to employ a pen name for some of the things you write. This is especially important with an author who writes both fiction and non-fiction. Charles Dodgson, author of mathematics textbooks such as ‘A Syllabus of Plane Algebraic Geometry’, wrote some distinctly algebra-free books that you might have heard of under the name Lewis Carroll.
Sci-fi novelist Iain M. Banks is probably the most famous modern day example of an author writing under two names, keeping the ‘M’ in his name for all his sci-fi novels, and dropping it to become just Iain Banks for his ‘mainstream’ works. Incidentally, the only reason he had to drop the ‘M’ from his name in the first place was because unbelievably his publishers thought it ‘too fussy’ for his first novel. Once he started selling books that soon changed. It’s not the only time a publisher has asked an author to use a pen name for reasons that smack of profit rather than clarity. Believe it or not, Stephen King was forced to write under the pen name Richard Bachmann by his publishers, because they felt the public would not buy more than one novel from an author in a single year. They were soon proved very, very wrong.
You’re Scared
Perhaps the book you’re writing is an expose that would get you into trouble. Maybe you feel that writing under a pseudonym will make receiving rejection letters that little bit less hard to take personally because it’s your literary alter-ego taking the criticism/rejection and not your name atop the dreaded ‘thanks for your interest’ boilerplate. Both are really good reasons.
A handful of writers use a nom de plume because they feel being a writer will affect their chances of employment when going for a job. They think that if a prospective boss looks up your name on line and sees you’re a writer then they may think you’ll just pack in the job and leave should your career take-off. Personally I find this completely unlikely, and if you think this has ever happened to you then you probably need a better CV, not a nom de plume. C.S. Lewis did publish poetry under the pseudonym Clive Hamilton in order to avoid damaging his reputation as an Oxford don, although I still really don’t know why he felt the need to when he had made his career writing about a talking magic Lion.
It’s Cool!
Everyone likes to have a secret, and the idea of having a hidden literary identity is about as close to being Batman as you’ll ever get. Plus it’s fun coming up with your own alias, especially if you manage to conceal it in an ana form. “Rory Bleedstem”. See? I just did it there, and what fun it was. Go on, give it a go. You don’t have to use it, but coming up with cool new names is a good exercise for a budding author, and you can always put them in your novel. That’s assuming you want people to know it’s your novel…
If you use or have ever used a pen name I’d love to hear why you used one and whether you felt it helped/hindered you in any way. Get in touch in the comments below!
Images link to original source.
Robert Smedley is a TV Reviewer and Writer. When not staring at moving images or being creative with ink, he can be found at any bar that serves a good martini.
I planned to publish using my real name, until I found four other authors with books in print with my name (with different middle initials). Although none of them has achieved any significant level of celebrity, I realized it would be hard to stand apart from the crowd.
I spent months searching for a name that was unique and felt right.
Now, I’m thrilled because when I search for my pen name on Google, I fill the entire first page of results. (I can’t find myself using my real name anywhere in Google’s first 10 pages.)
Dax I’d just like to say that you’ve got a fantastic pen name! It’s unique, which as you say is really great for things like Google searches (I gave it a try and there’s no missing you on there!) but also the name itself has a really great ring to it. It nicely trips off the tongue too.
Thanks for sharing your experience of pen name creation!
Dax MacGregor — I think I would expect to see your name on a sci-fi novel. I guess Dax sounds sci-fi to me. I really think pen names are a plus for an author on many levels.
A wonderful idea using Google as the barometer for your pseudonym. Never thought of that, but love the idea!
I use a pen name. I’m not yet published, but that doesn’t mean I’m not trying. Whe I do get published it will be under the name MJ Henry. MJ is for Mary Jane (that’s me) and Henry is my maiden name. I think Henry just sounds better than Lick. I think people will be more likely to read a book or short story by MJ Henry than they will one by Mary Jane Lick.
Mary Jane,
I’m looking forward to see MJ Henry on the title page. You are right, that name is a lot more marketable that your real name.
I write speculative fiction and am proving to have a rather twisted imagination. At 61 my family (kids and grandkids) think I’ve gone mad. I love their reactions to some of my stories. I have already sent about a half dozen stories either for publication or to contests. I hope to have something to brag about soon. Just keep me in your prayers.
Not to poke fun, but depending on how “out there” this speculative fiction might be, “Mary Jane” could be an appropriate name given the reference in some circles.
However, I agree MJ Henry looks awesome in type and would look great on a title page! Can’t wait to see it!
Hi MJ
I found your comments about what you write interesting and inspirational. I’m in my 60’s and haven’t yet given up hope that one day my name will be in a bookstore somewhere…I just hope I recognize it!!!!!!
Jen, I know it’s a daunting task to start out at our age. By now we have already finished out careers and if you’re like me, found retirement to be quite lacking. I was bored to death. I didn’t have the money to travel and my healty isn’t the best in the world. I got really bored with virtual farming and remembered my writing. I started and can’t stop. Sometimes it helps to have a friend who has a similar situation to compare notes, swap horror stories, and just shoot the bull with. If you would like I would be delighted to be that friend for you. mjtexasrose61@live.com
I’m still wondering whether to use initials or not in my author’s name. My name is Madeline and my initials are M.J.A as I have two middle names. I write fantasy and adventure; which do you think is best to use?
Would using initials give you more ‘privacy’ and stop others finding out loads of information about you?
Thanks for the great article!
Hi Madeline! Thanks for your post! Personally I think Madeline Dyer is a pretty good name for fantasy and adventure, although there is precedent for authors of such genres using initials (J.K Rowling, J.R.R Tolkien are the two off the top of my head), and M.J. Dyer would look good on the cover of a book jacket too! I think in the end it just comes down to personal preference – after all, it’s the name your readers and fans will be addressing you by, so it’s got to be something you like.
As for privacy, I don’t think initials would give you any more privacy than using your real name; maybe just a thin veneer or mystery (however these days thanks to Google thin veneers of mystery can be broken pretty easily! :) ) If you’re on stuff like Facebook or Twitter then the information’s already out there for people to see. Whether you choose your name or initials it won’t affect how much anyone who wants to find anything out about you will find out.
Thank you for your quick reply – very helpful :). Also just wondering of someone uses their maiden name would that be counted as a pen name? And would you have to register it as a pseudonym to avoid copyright issues? Thanks again!
Yeah I think using your maiden name (if you don’t use it for the day to day stuff) can count as a pen name. And when it comes to copyright law, whatever you produce is yours, no matter what name you choose to produce it under, so you don’t have to register anything. Hope that helped Madeline! :)
Thanks for the reply to Madeline’s question. Since I am using my maiden name that is good info for me too.
Thanks for the copyright info! That really helps!
I really like Madeline Dyer as an authors name. Stick with it. It rings.
Thank you :) I think I will be going with it over the initials. Good luck with your writing and getting published!
Madeline Dyer is a good distinctive name. Plus it rolls of the tongue nicely. Much better than the initials.
Agreed! “Madeline Dyer” is a great name.
Yeah, I think Madeline Dyer has a great sound to it too :)
I like Madeline Dyre — I can see in in print. :)
Excellent points! Of course this tradition continues, and not just in the publishing world… see also: screenname!
Eric, that is so funny. Of course I have been teased about my name being MaryJane all my life … but it’s OK because I think it is funny too.
Eric, you mentioned screen names — I usually use some form of my email address, or my pen name. In some sites I am MJTexas Rose. Bet you can’t guess where I’m from.
Lol. Gee, I wonder.
Perhaps the screenname discussion is better suited for the FYBlogging site, but with so much online content posted with little more than a screenname in the credit line I thought it was worth including on a pseudonym thread. Some use it as a brand, some use it to hide anonymously, but its effect is the same: a rose, even a Texas Rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.
LOL
I actually took on this pen name because I’m about to qualify as a speech therapist, and didn’t want people googling my name before bringing their children to sessions, or coming along themselves, and finding nothing but dumb robot stories and sweary Twitter updates. So there’s certainly something to be said about professionalism here.
That would create a wrong picture for your clients. I think using a pen name has its advantages. Your need for a pen name is right on.
I agree. That’s a perfect reason to use a pen name,
Hello,
First, may I express my thanks for such an imformative article and comments section. It’s really encouraging to read about fellow aspiring authors.
I decided to put in a comment in order to get a little feedback on my choice of pen names/if one is a good idea.
I am a college student with facebook/twitter accounts (both not under my real name), and I am a performer in a show choir, where my real name is used. There are some videos of me (under my real name) up on the net, and some print articles.
I guess my question is if any of you think separating my writing from my other interests is a good idea, especially since I don’t really see it being a full-time career…and if it becomes one, well, we’ll see (lol).
I’m thinking about creating a website and posting some of my poems/stories on there, just to share, and possibly submitting some things to publishers (stories/screenplays.)
One of the names I’ve been tossing around is Kay Augusta; I write random poetry and Christian fiction geared toward young adults. I may venture into fantassy one day, but so far, it hasn’t worked out, haha.
Thank you for your thoughts :)
Using a pen name is certainly a matter of preference. For me, the pen name (M J Henry) just sounds so much better than my real name (MaryJane Lick). Some have expressed their reason for using a pen name to be for professional reasons. Some chose a pen name just because they want to. It is an opportunity to “change” your name to something you have always wanted your name to be, even if it is just for writing. There is just no rule about it. You just do what feels right to you. If you would rather no one know about your writing, then a pen name could be your answer. If you don’t care if people know what you’ve written and you like your name, then go with your real name. Of course, Kay Augusta is a cool name. It sounds like someone who would write romance or poetry.
Sorry if I haven’t given you any definitive answer, but it is just a matter of desire.
That would create a wrong picture for your clients. I think using a pen name has its advantages. Your need for a pen name is right on.
Nom de plume indeed! Great article. If I ever do finish my book, I’ll opt for using my real name so I can catch all the flack I deserve.
Everyone likes to have a secret, and the idea of having a hidden literary identity is about as close to being Batman as you’ll ever get. Plus it’s fun coming up with your own alias, especially if you manage to conceal it in an ana form. “Rory Bleedstem”. See? I just did it there, and what fun it was. Go on, give it a go. You don’t have to use it, but coming up with cool new names is a good exercise for a budding author, and you can always put them in your novel. That’s assuming you want people to know it’s your novel…
I’ll be publishing all my upcoming novels under my registered pen-name: “Wolvercat”
I’ll be using the pen-name as just the one word, no first name in front of it – that way it’ll take up less room n the novels hardcover binding side, and thus can be type-faced w/ a bigger sized font. And using just the one word / name will also be easier for folks to remember it, I hope!
It’s been my nickname for years, upon years, so it kinda made sense to use it now, as a pen-name too. Shrugs. I’m known all over online now too, as Wolvercat…or just Wolvie; so its a no-brainer at this point.
I’m still on the fence as to whether or not I should use my pen-name to sign my artworks too; so right now I do sign them sometimes with my birth name & other times w/ my pen-name, depending on where the particular artwork is going to appear. I’m a cartoonist & pencil illustrator by main trade; and a novelist 2nd.
“WOLVERCAT”
Well Wolvercat this is interesting. Not since Dickens wrote his sketches as ‘Boz’ has an author used what is clearly a nickname as their publishing name (unless anyone knows of anyone more recent?). I’m going to assume you’re a YA novelist or similar, because otherwise I’m not sure your pen name would work attached to something like a romantic novel.
However I’m genuinely fascinated by your decision to use a nickname/online name as a pen name, because I’ve never heard of it happening before, although a single word to brand yourself and all your literary/non-literary works under is an interesting concept from a marketing perspective. Are you using the name Wolvercat so that the people who already know you online will recognise your works in a store? Or to give yourself a mystique to the readership? And by doing either of those things are you worried about alienating readers who’ve never heard of ‘Wolvercat’? After all, it’s one thing to use a different name, it’s another to use something that sounds like a username. Personally I’d worry that it would distance me from the reader too much, and that it sounds too much like an alias or a YouTube username. But then, it isn’t my novel, and I don’t have a nickname.
(And I wouldn’t worry too much about space on bindings when deciding your name – Alexander McCall Smith and Robert Louis Stevenson have fared okay despite their long names, and cover design’s completely out of your hands so it’s up to artists and publishers whether they want to emblazon your brand across a spine, or make your title the stand out)
Hi again Robert,
Thought I’d come back & clarify my whole nickname / pen-name thingy. My choice of nickname / pen-name actually wasn’t my choice at all – it was given to me by some friends of mine. And well over the past 9 years it just stuck. People usually just shorten it down to Wolve, Wolver, or Wolvie. All across online, because I’ve used my nickname continually as a user name too, people just always now use it as if it was my birth name. Shrugs; guess I’m just so used to it now too that it’s actually foreign to me to be called by any other name.
I don’t think it’ll distance me from the reader(s); in time they’ll just get comfortable with the singular name & the type of novels I write under it; which are mostly urban sci-fi & period sci-fi, detective / supernatural, and ghost stories. Now although I don’t write romantic genre novels; the publisher I have, actually thought my pen-name was mysterious & romantic sounding – in fact, she suggested that I remain just as Wolvercat, and that I also don a mask to hide my identity, should it be decided that my author picture be put on the novel(s) back-covers. She went as far as to say that I should adopt a whole Wolvercat persona at book signings, interviews, etc… (Double shrugs). She (my publisher) feels it would actually stimulate more interest & thus book sales. (Which I’m all for).
I just feel that the name will become so easily recognizable that both fans of my books, as well as the bookstore owners will be attracted to them; continuously; if I keep each book up to snuff with previous novels. It will force me as a writer to make sure that any book sporting the wolvercat ID maintains a high standard of quality.
As far as the cover designs go – I actually have total control over their design(s); it was a deal breaker inclusion put into my contract w/ the publisher. See, I’m actually a published illustrator & cartoonist, by my main trade. So after seeing my artwork portfolio, the publisher was in agreement about me creating my own covers; and it also makes it cheaper for the publisher to create the finished novel product. (They don’t pay me for doing the covers).
I’m being quite innovative on my 1st novel’s cover, (the novel is apart of a trilogy series). My pen-name will only appear on the binding side; not on the front cover, at all.
Btw, Robert, I’m not a YA novelist; I’m an all ages novelist. Think of you favorite action movies, and or fantasy movies, that have actual multi-layered storylines to them and you’ll get a general handle on the type of writing I do. (My trilogy series is a time-travel story, filled with multi-layers in it’s plot-lines).
I’m also presently fashioning an ongoing series too; (which be the only ongoing series I’ll ever write). It’s an urban supernatural / detective series; which I think would make a great TV show too. Besides the trilogy series & the one ongoing series all the other novels I’ve got slated to do will just be single shot books.
Now being an artist; I think very visually when I write; so my novels are written from a format standpoint of becoming movies and or TV shows. And thus, I’ve set my sights on going that far w/ my novels.
The readers will come to know my pen-name and attach it to anything I do, as a branding; with any confusion to anyone else, I might add, because I checked and there’s actually no one in the USA or Canada with the first name or the last name of Wolvercat. (In the future I might actually, eventually, change my real last name too Wolvercat). It’s just a thought that’s been cruising around my brain lately. I’ve already copyrighted & trademarked the name as a brand; so it would be easy to change my real / birth name to it.
Hey like you said, Robert, if Dickens did it, It’s good enough for me to do it too. I’m in good company.
~Wolvie
Well Wolvercat it sounds like you’re certainly dedicated to your name, and short of taking an actual wolf to signings (not recommended – wolves tend to like the movies better than book stores) it looks like you’ve put a redoubtable amount of thought into your name and its branding. I’d be interested to know what other FYW commenters think. Good luck with it and your upcoming publication. And thanks for commenting.
Hi Robert & fellow posters,
I’ve come back, like a bad penny, to yet again assail your minds w/ my opinions.
It’s funny Robert, that you mention wolves (it made me smile), when one reaches a certain level of proficiency in Chinese Kung Fu the practitioner is given a nickname. One that personifies the persons personality and attitude, and philosophy. It is not polite though to ever ask one’s master / teacher why exactly a particular name is bestowed. I had 2 masters I trained under at the same time; one Chinese & the other Japanese. Both agreed upon the name I was given. Mine is the Chinese word “Lang” and in Japanese it’s pronounced “Kuro O’Kami” – both words essentially mean the same thing; they mean “Wolf” ["Lang" simply wolf & "Kuro O'Kami" translating into black wolf; (black) further translating to mean stealth instead of referring to a color]. So I guess I must be very wolf-en in my ways. So maybe a wolf by my side at book signings wouldn’t be so inappropriate.
(Nothing; no small detail; ever escapes a wolfs eyes).
Maybe that’s why I get into small details, like giving the picking of a proper pen-name so much thought & consideration. Shrugs. Then again, I’ve done so with every aspect of creating my novel(s). Let me explain, Robert and posters —–
I consider myself a writer; not an author. To me; an author is someone who dreams of writing / being published / and has a long standing passion for expounding the written word. A noble pursuit, to be sure. But this is not me, I did not grow up wanting to be an author – truth be told – I’d probably be happier if I didn’t write. I actually write novels because some online friends nagged and nagged me to do so; after reading a short story I’d written for a friend. And the other reason I write is simply curiosity as to what lengths my visual creativity will translate into the written word. So I’m a writer; not an author. Truth 2 is, I could give up writing in a heartbeat – but I could never give up doing my artwork. So now the posters have learned way more about me than they ever had a mind to know. LOL!
Ah; thee little details…
My pen-name; just the beginning of my attention to details and the perfection of details. It’s not just in my selection of my pen-name. The novel(s) I write begin with the same attention too – oh; not w/ the page writing – it actually begins with selecting the title of any particular book I want to start writing; the final actual title; not a working title, as a normal author would usually have until they thought up the book’s actual title. I can’t ever start a novel’s writing without thinking up the actual title first. Weird huh?
Once I have the title – then and only then do I begin writing the book. The actual writing of the book goes usually slow – why you ask? – because I don’t usually write a first draft; like a proper author, who knows what their doing, does. I usually don’t write a 2nd draft or 3rd…and so on…at least so far I haven’t. And my 1st novel is 800 pages long. Now I do go back and forth thru the written MS and tweak it here and there as necessary, while writing it. Mostly adding other details I’ve come up with while churning out pages. I don’t write outlines – wouldn’t know how. I research and or have a certain friend of mine research what I need for a book as I need it. (Not very author-ish, huh? But I’m just a writer so it’s okay).
Oh; I also write backwards so to speak; according to what authors have told me. Meaning I thought up the ending of the first book before getting to the 3rd page of it’s chapter 1. And I then thought up the actual ending for the 2nd book & the 3rd book’s ending of the trilogy; by page 8 of book one. [But a writer can do a crazy thing, like that]. Everything else in the trilogy just then leads to those already formulated book endings.
Now I do have an unfair advantage over strictly authors; I can draw out; flesh out; visually; any and all important aspects contained in my novels. Which makes getting past any writers block I encounter while writing. I just also write only what I see visually in my head play out. (It’s cool to be an artist).
Again; details; from pen-name; to title(s); to cover designs; much thought to every aspect of the end result of my novels – of which even my pen-name is a part of; in the overall writing mix.
My point is this about pen-names; whether you select to use your birth name, or a semi-amalgamation of your name, or an actual made up pen-name – separate from your birth name. An author / writer should give a lot of thought to the moniker that with represent their name / credit on their novel(s). It is worthwhile. (Just ask Mark Twain).
So give the idea of using a pen-name or your birth name, more than just a passing thought. It could be all the difference in you being perceived as an author…or just a writer.
*I’d love to hear other poster’s thoughts on what I’ve said here in this crazy long post…
~Wolvercat
(writer)
This article was wonderfully informative, so thank you.
I’ve been considering using a pen name since I first decided to seriously pursue publishing. My name, while not hard to pronounce, just annoys me when it’s spoken wrong. And it’s so easy to say it wrong. Yasmine is pronounced YAS-MEEN, whereas most of my English-speaking friends initially thought it was Yahz-min, just like Jasmine. As such, I decided to just go with Jasmine. The only difference is one letter, so would that count as a pen name?
I’d like to add that, since I live in Egypt, all of my legal papers are written in Arabic.
Hi Jasmine, thanks for your comment!
I guess it’s up to you whether changing just one letter counts as a pen-name. Personally I think since you’re altering your name (even by just a little) that it is a pen name. And pen names have no legal impact on your work – no matter what name you use or how many names you write under your work is still all yours in the eyes of international copyright law.
Thanks, Robert. The only reason I was asking is that, well, I’m starting to submit to magazines now, and I was wondering whether I should specify Jasmine is my pen name and tell them the difference or whether it just wasn’t worth it over a letter.
It’s not worth telling them Jasmine – you can tell them your real name when they need it to send you a cheque for your first article :) Good luck with the submissions Jasmine!
I am thinking of just using my First and Middle name as I ‘ve been divorced a few times and dont’ want to associate myself with any last name…
how does Patrice Ellen sound??? For any genre
Thanks
I once used a pen name because I was hated in school and people liked the article I was making for our school paper. It was sad because I couldn’t let them know that I was the one writing it. :(
Hello. I’m hoping to break into writing, and I was curious to know about pen names. I already have an odd surname. I’ve heard that female writers sometimes write under male pen names. Therefore, I was curious if it works the other way around…would it seen as ok that male writers write under female pen names? Probably just me being incredibly paranoid, but I just don’t know…
Hi Pete! It’s incredibly rare but there’s no reason why a man cannot write under a female pen name. I know that one or two men have done it when writing for the romance book series Mills & Boon, but otherwise it really doesn’t happen very often (there’s all sorts of reasons why but i won’t go into ‘em here). There’s no reason I can think of why it wouldn’t be okay, and if you’re writing Romance then it’d probably be of help. So pick a female name and happy writing!
Hey Pete,
Pen names have been used almost as long as people have been writing. There is a long and well established tradition of writers using pen names to switch genders. You would be in good company doing so!
There are a number of goods reasons for using a pen names and a few reasons for not using a pen name. It’s an interesting topic. I wrote a book about pen names, if you’re interested in learning more please have a look.
http://www.amazon.com/Writers-Guide-Using-Names-ebook/dp/B007GB4JSA
I think people are placing too much importance on the name stamped on the front of their book. Good writing is what sells. I’m using my full name for non-fiction, with a shortened version for works of fiction. If I achieve any success, I want my real name attached to my work!
I was curious how payment and taxes work with using a pen name. I’m looking to do some self publishing, and would like to distance my writing from my blogs and other social media (I’m quite opinionated). However, I’d like to avoid fiscal nightmares!
Hi Hemlock, I’m not sure about the whole paying taxes side of things, but because a pen name isn’t a legal title (unless you change your name to it), I imagine that all payments and taxes are conducted to your real name.
Hello. My name is Sammi and I’m still in high school, but my dream is to become a novelist. I love writing very much and I’m said to be quite creative. I’m also having difficulties with a pen name…I was wondering if it was weird to have a pen name that sounds slightly foreign
Hi Sammi. No it’s not weird at all. Washington Irving went under the rather flamboyant pen name Diedrich Knickerbocker a couple of times, and there’s a philosopher called Cameron Schwartz who writes under the Spanish-sounding Marcel Garcia-Carpintero. It doesn’t happen very often, and usually authors tend to actually try and make their names sound less foreign (sometimes just so they’re easier for readers to pronounce), but there’s no reason not to go for a foreign-sounding pen name. Good luck with it and with your writing!
Thank you Mr. Smedley. I just think a pen name sounds best when it’s as original as the author’s characters. This was a great help! Thank you very much.
hi i’m new here, i really have no idea whether i should use my real name or not (i am leaning toward not) i have written an urban fantasy for young adults but i dont think my name suits it, my middle name is melinda, still dont think t m park sounds that good either
I’ve never been a fan of my last name, especially since it sounds like “Kill Christ” when pronounced phonetically-correct. I actually fled to a name generator for my pen name, clicking “random” until I liked what I saw. I was going to make my first name Xena, but Alyce seemed to appeal to me in the fact that I value originality in writing. Plus, Xena sounds like a warrior princess’ name.
I am writing a book and am thinking of using the pen name of a deceased celebrity. Any thoughts on this.
Hi Bernice, which name were you thinking of using? I wouldn’t advise using a dead celeb’s name, mostly because the name itself may overshadow the work, and partly because some people may find the idea of using a deceased celebrity’s name to be in poor taste. Depends the kind of name you plan on using, and how explicit you’re going to be about using it.
I’ll likely use a pen name because I am hunting like mad for a full-time job and I don’t want recruiters to be turned off by the content of my upcoming first novel. It includes a lot of sex and violence, plus its a horror story, and I don’t want to be judged harshly by recruiters. I’m a little disappointed because I always wanted to be an author, I like my last name and I’ve always wanted other people to hear it. Also, I’ve got to set up a whole new Twitter account and website. Phooey…
Hi! Mostly I am a creative writer. I’ve had several teachers tell me that they like what I write and they think I should enter some stories in a creative writing contest soon. I would love to do this, but I will be applying to college soon. I don’t want a recruiter to search my name and see one of my stories until I can really find my style and develop my writing process, and know that what I write is good. I was thinking about using the name Ava Mason as a pen name, but I don’t know if contests allow pen names. Any help? Thank you!
I’ve been writing for publication since high school and never gave much thought to what name I put on my stories. Trouble is, I’ve published under numerous variations of nickname+surname (Peggy Maddox), birth certificate name (Margaret Joan Maddox), married name (Margaret/Peggy Wallworth), and back to family surname (Margaret/Peggy/M.J. Maddox). A few years ago I started writing online as Maeve Maddox. I find that I like this name for several reasons, the chief being that there doesn’t seem to be anyone else with that name out there. As you say in your article, there are valid reasons for choosing to write under a pen name, but as you also say in your response to one of the comments, the expectation of privacy is not one of them. The fact that Google tells all is an advantage to someone like me who has made a hash of “branding.” A Google search gathers my several identities in a second. Now that writers are expected to market themselves on Facebook, Twitter, and the like, writing under more than one name without a commercial reason is a waste of time and effort. Maeve Maddox it is from here on.
Nice, I will also use a pen name, Tikaani Moon. I have already used this for social sites for marketing.
What about using a pen name for name numerology reasons?
Hi Larry! I’m afraid I know next to nothing about numerology, but I don’t see any reason why not. Your reasons for choosing a pen name can be anything you like.
I am a university student and want to submit a few short stories to our annually published literary magazine. I feel extremely shy about my name being published. I feel more confident and honest as a writer if my words are not directly attached to me. I don’t know if this makes sense… I would like my work to be known, but not because I wrote it.
Anyway, if I choose to submit under a pen name, how am I able to credit myself in the future? Apologies if this is a repetitive question!
Hi Leigh! The fact is that you can’t. All you can say is ‘I wrote that. I wrote it under a pen name’.
Seriously though, don’t put too much weight and worry into the pen name – it’s the writing that speaks to the reader, and it sounds like you really understand that.
If you’re worried about someone else in the future trying to claim that they wrote what you wrote, or that whoever you’re telling won’t believe that you wrote it, don’t be: everyone’s writing has a DNA to it; a specific rhythm and style and structure that identifies it as theirs. Your writing will be as much a signature as your real name or your pen name.
I hope that’s helped (feel free to reply back if not!) and best of luck getting your stories published, whatever nom de plume you use :)
I want to use my real name, and I already have a blog on writing tips using my real name with a following, but my real name is so common. Should I still just use Stephanie Jones or should I put in my middle name, Marie, or Stephanie M. Jones or S. M. Jones? I write medieval fantasy/romance novels. Thanks for anyone’s advice!
I definitely like the idea of a pen name. My real name is Saima Khalid and I write YA novels so I decided to go with something that’s much easier to pronounce. What do you guys think?
I like your real name. Far more interesting in this case. I will probably publish with a pan name to separate my scientific writing from my fiction. Kind of like Carroll in the post.