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A reader, who wishes to remain anonymous, uses his real name in his writing for a weekly newspaper, but is considering using a pen name for other work. He wrote:
I have had heavy criticisms attached to my birth name, before my professional career [as a journalist] even started, and believe with a pen name I can have a fresh start. My question for you is this: When should a writer use a pen name? Should a writer use a pen name at all?
What is a pen name?
A “pen name” or “nom de plume” is a pseudonym used by an author. Sometimes it’s used to remain anonymous, but authors often don’t mind their pen names being known – they just use different names for their writing in separate genres, to avoid confusing their readers.
Professionals in other creative fields also use pseudonyms, but these aren’t called pen names; for example, an actor taking on a different name is using a “stage name”. The phrase “nom de plume”, as explained by Maeve in French Words for Writers was adapted from the French “nom de guerre” – a fictional “war name”.
Famous people with pen names
Authors throughout the centuries have used pen names. You’ve probably heard of the following authors:
- George Orwell (real name Eric Arthur Blair)
- George Eliot (real name Mary Ann Evans)
- Lewis Carroll (real name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)
And many writers today use pen names. For example, Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum is the real name of Ayn Rand (she wrote the famous novel Atlas Shrugged, examining philosophical and political themes).
Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden, a fantasy author, writes under two pen names: Megan Lindholm for her earlier, contemporary fantasy, and Robin Hobb for her epic, traditional fantasy books.
Why use a pen name?
Authors use pen names for a wide variety of reasons, which include:
- To remain anonymous (especially if producing a politically or religiously sensitive work)
This is perhaps less common today, but sometimes occurs if a very personal or sexually explicit work is written. An example is the author Belle de Jour (who writes a blog Belle de Jour: diary of a London call girl and has had two books published based on the blog). Some people see this form of anonymity as a ploy to provoke media interest, as newspapers compete to discover the real identity of such authors.
- To change or conceal gender
In the 18th century, many female authors used male pen names in order to be taken seriously. George Eliot is the most famous example, though the Bronte sisters all wrote under pen names too.
This trend still continues in some genres today: for example, female fantasy or science fiction authors will often use a gender-neutral name (Robin Hobb) or use their initials (J.K. Rowling) as the genre has traditionally attracted more male readers and authors. A similar effect can be seen when male authors adopt a female pen name to write a chick lit or romance novel.
- To write across multiple genres
Lewis Carroll also wrote mathematical textbooks under his real name (Charles Dodgson), so adopted a pen name for his children’s novels. Authors today who write in multiple genres will sometimes use a different name for each one, to avoid confusing readers. Others use alternative forms of their real name; for example, the author Iain Menzies Banks writes mainstream fiction under the name Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M Banks.
- To recover from poor sales or reputation
If, as in the question from our reader above, an author’s real name has attracted criticism – it may be worth considering changing to a pen name. Sometimes, the first few novels by a new author don’t sell well in bookshops, leading publishers to reject future submissions: changing to a pen name is often recommended in these circumstances.
Holly Lisle suggests, in her FAQs about writing:
Authors whose first three or so books have returns of fifty percent or more are out of the game. Publishers will stop buying from them — not just your current publisher, but also the other publishers you might hope to sell to.… This is where pen names can be useful — more than one author with bad numbers has started over with a new name, in essence becoming a first novelist again and acquiring a clean publishing history in the process.
So should you use a pen name?
If you are trying to build up a reputation in multiple genres, using a pen name (or several pen names) is probably a good idea.
And if your real name (or current pen name) has attracted heavy criticism or negative publicity, switching to a new name could be a good way to recover. Even if people do know what your real name is, you’ll be referred to by your pen name and it’s likely that few people will make a connection with your previous writings.
However, adopting a pen name means building up your reputation again from scratch – which could be a particular problem for freelance writers. You’ll still have all your experience and knowledge, but you may not want to use existing clippings of your writing which were published under your previous name.
If you’re using a pen name in an attempt to remain anonymous, be aware that people are often insatiably curious when they suspect a secret – you may well be “discovered”. In some cases, this can lead to great publicity, but if your client or publisher suspects you of trying to conceal a less-than-stellar past, it may backfire.
Ultimately, only you can decide whether it’s best for you to adopt a pen name or not. Many very successful authors have done so in the past, though, and many do today – so you’ll be in good company if you decide to use one!
If you’ve written under a pen name – or even just considered using one – why not share your experience in the comments or on the Daily Writing Tips forum?
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Being the practical person I am, that leads me to wonder about some aspects of being an author using a pen name. In the old days of using a traditional publisher, you could hide behind that wall and they would still pay you in your real name.
But what about those who want to self-publish and use a pen name? That is, conceal their real identity but need to set up an account and get paid in their real name for book sales? Using a service such as lulu.com, for example, needs to be linked to your Paypal account which needs to be in your real name.
Interesting article. I can only sigh with envy at the thought of requiring a pen name to handle copious piles of cross-genre output. Struggling with one story at a time is hard enough!
In the last point you make about the possibility of being “found out”, you mention that a publisher might get a little miffed if they discover you’re concealing something. I’ve always assumed that this is where an author is unmasked–anytime someone has to write them a check. Surely a pseudonym isn’t legally valid when it comes to receiving payment or signing legal documents, yes? In the manuscript formatting guidelines I’ve found, the author always heads the document with their real name and address, even when a pen name is used beneath the title. It seems like that would avoid any surprises on the part of agents and publishers from the get-go.
I use a pen name for several reasons:
1) I want people to like my writing for my writing, not because they know my gender, age, or race.
2) If any of it ever got atttention, I really, really do not want to deal with all the junk that comes with it, i.e. press delving into my past, embarrassing photos, interviewing family, etc.
3) With my regular job in a higher profile situation, the views expressed under my pen name would become a liability to keeping my income at this stage.
I choose my pen name because my blogs are giving tips about family and blogging, and guardian angels guide humans right.
Actually, my real nickname is Angel so I am not confused when my readers call me Angel.
For me, choosing a pen name also requires responsibility. I see some bloggers using weird and offensive pen names.
Thanks.
I’ve been considering a pen name for a dating guide I’m interested in writing. I want to share my personal experiences with the world, but at the same time, I don’t want my family to disown me. I’m trying to figure out another way around this. Not sure if a pen name would help in this area b/c obviously if the book sells/takes off, the media is going to find me out.
Also, I always wonder where people come up with pen names. I can’t think of any!
I’ve started a thread on pen names in the Forum.
One blog I regularly read is written by professionals in the field, and they use a single pen name to allow them to more freely express personal opinion on politically charged issues relating to public health. Additionally, they use a single pen name for all authors, in the spirit of the Federalists and “Publis”.
I don’t see where there would be a problem in using pen names. Sometimes if a person becomes famous perhaps they prefer to keep their everday life private and simply use the pen name when writing books and doing a book tour. Besides a pen name can be used by more than one person to sustain the longevity of a book series. Both Franklin Dixon (The Hardy Boys) and Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew) are fictional names and those books have been around since the 1930s!! In that case though, it allows many authors to write books for the series but only one name is identified to keep an anominity to the real writer.
If you’re real name is something like Charles Manson or Fred Krueger then yes, by all means, use a pen name to avoid problems!
I technically write under a pen name. Mari isn’t my legal name; Mary is. But I’ve gone by Mari since I was 15, and that’s the version everyone knows me as.
Great overview of this topic.
Thank you.
Don’t forget the classic, “So I want to write, but there’s this famous author with the same name as me” case. (Damn him. Damn him to hell!)
@guardian angel:
I think you’re talking about what I would usually call a “handle” (not sure if that’s a bit of a ’90s term!) — ie. a name used for email, forums, etc online?
@jennifer:
That’s a tricky one. I’ve never been in a similar situation myself but can imagine how it must feel. I guess you have to be brave and hope that if it DOES take off, your family would be proud of what you’ve achieved, rather than shocked at any of the content. Regarding making up pen names — perhaps pick your favourite name, or use your initials as a starting point?
@Maeve:
Thanks for starting the forum thread, I’ll post there in a moment
@Mari:
I started using “Ali” online when I was 15, too (I was “Alison” to everyone else at the time.) It stuck, and now everyone calls me Ali, except my grandparents
@JuwBagel:
Darn it, how did I forget that one? Yes, if you share a name with a famous author — or any very famous person, really (Bill Gates, George Bush) — using a pen name can avoid confusion.
Another point worth mentioning is the issue of having a very common name. In this age of search engines, I imagine it would be helpful to use a pen name so that potential readers find information about you and your books, instead of hundreds of hits about hundreds of other people who share your name.
In the 18th century, many female authors used male pen names in order to be taken serious.
ly
(Another example for your list of authors: Anne Rice, Anne Rampling, and A. N. Roquelaure are all pen names of the same author)
@Peter Ack, well spotted! Thanks, I’ve eradicated that typo now…
I want to have someone who I would communicate with him
Thanks Djelloul
Came across this forum while debating whether or not to use a “Pen Name” and how I would get paid if I did.
I’m a hobby writer but lately have been focusing on getting a few pieces published. I write Fiction, Poetry and I’m also working on my memoirs and so I felt it necessary to use different Pen Names for each category because I am also well known by a small circle for a Private business which I own and have run for the past 11yrs. People in this circle hear my name and they know exactly who I am and my clients are by referral only.
I plan on marketing my published work to these clients as well as to the general public but they may not necessarily think of me as an author and may be skeptical to purchase my work. Enter PEN NAME.
I’m also in Executive management…C.E.O of a Holding Company so I have a certain reputation to uphold among my colleagues. And then there’s my family…Of course I hope the buy my work but if they knew it was me right off the bat the my think twice. I would have to market it as a book I came across then turn them on to it. You know how families are
Good luck to everyone!
Lizzie, I think you underestimate your family, friends and colleagues. Unless you’ve developed a really tough or bad reputation. I find that my family, friends, colleagues and anyone at all who knows my name are only too keen to buy my books and tell others about them for me. They get excited that they know a true published author.
Hi Kathie M. Thomas
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate different points of view. However, its not that I’ve developed a bad or tough reputation with my family or anything its just that I come from a very strict, religious upbringing and some of the topics I may write about whether or not my book does well, may not sit well with my family. Oh I’m sure they will be proud to have an author in the family, and there are probably some pieces I will write in my own name, I live thousands of miles away and there are things about me that they don’t know and it’s for their own good or perhaps mine but I would rather not deal with the fallout should they find out. And of course, Lizzie is a Pen Name for this forum
My colleagues and clients may be more open, so I agree with you on that point. But my family will only be privy to certain pieces. The rest I will take to my grave. Or I will deal with it if I get discovered but until then I stay undercover.
As a matter of fact, now that I think of it, I have always been the person who likes to be behind the scenes never in the lime-light. I will be one of the people they thank for helping to make things happen. Maybe I will change as I get older…or when I have my 3/4-life-crisis, but for now, I’m just me.
Have a blessed week.
Fair enough Lizzie. I do have one blog I write under another name because it reveals things that were done to members of my family. I don’t want to release their names or have people pointing at them so I’m protecting their identity but need to publicise things that happen which need laws reformed or something changed. So I can appreciate where you might be coming from. I would hope that I’m only 1/2 way through my life but then that would mean I’d live to over 100 so perhaps I’m being hopeful
Thanks for the feedback….
I use a pen name for my fictional stories because my birth name is terribly common and dull as dishwater. With a pen name I can evoke a certain image to my readers (if you doubt it, consider that the birth name of movie cowboy/tough guy John Wayne was really Marion Michael Morrison — not exactly an appropriate monniker for a hard-punching, gun-slinging, kind of guy) that fits the story they’re about to dive into. For my non-fiction, my birth name is fine.
I use a pen name to seperate my admirers from reality. I have been stalked and it is not a good feeling. I write because it is my passion.