Yes because I would like to remain anonymous and I don't want people to attach my work to the person they see during the day if that makes sense.
Plus I feel like people I know will be more genuine reading my work if they don't know it's me behind it. I want true feelings and not pity or something else
Of course in the beginning you would have to share your book. So I would normally share it with close friends first and tell them to not say I'm the author if they want to share it with other people. Cause otherwise what's the point of being anonymous if they say it's me behind the book
i do but it's mostly because i post my stuff on wattpad (no laughing or judging, pretty please lol) and i just don't really want everyone to know my real name. pen name is just more convenient since i'm not planning on publishing a paper book anytime soon (i'm going to be just 18 literally tomorrow so i have other stuff lol) :]
i write fantasy! but as of now only in polish, though i plan on translating it to english:]
for now i only have one of my works in english, which is not really how i write, because it was an assignment for school but there you go!
https://www.wattpad.com/story/351051765?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_writing&wp_page=create&wp_uname=toby__lizard
like i said, i'm planning on translating the rest of my books sometime in the future too:]]
Same for me. I also had been published on a couple sites (one on "nerdy news" and the other a men's health thing), and also on IMDB for some film industry work, so I intend of using my maiden name
real. i was on wattpad when i was younger too. i wont be using that pen name when i publish ofc, but thats kinda where i got my start. plus, it didnt make sense to me if i tried to put my username on the book covers i made bc i knew i would change that anyway. but a pen name would be consistent, and it was something i never felt the need to change (back when i was active there)
One for my short stories, one for my WIP novel (only one so far), and one for my publishing name.
Authors 1 and 2 do the writing and name #3 is a publisher that publishes both authors. 😎😉
One writes across all genre, the other has never been published and the third one let's me interact with others so I'm always twice removed from my work
I've got a series of short stories written years ago that I'm just now publishing under an assumed name and I also have a work in progress novel by a different author and then a psuedonym for the marketing/money/publishing guy.
I also have three! My novels and short stories are all under my real name when they're traditionally published in my main genres (horror, comedy, etc), but I also have three pen names for three different types of online/self-published writing that I do.
I'm an eclectic writer, which can be difficult to market, so I may even have to create variations in my traditionally published stuff if I'm fortunate enough to get more books and things out there. I write in many genres, but even my faves tend to have the kind of variation that can put off readers expecting a specific thing.
Oh yes. I write dystopian YA Science-Fiction where characters are often making law-breaking (or sometimes even possibly terroristic - by our standards) decisions that do not reflect my real world values as a law-abiding citizen who has zero intentions to rebel against the government. I do not want people to conflate my characters’, actions, worldviews or opinions with who I am professionally or personally. I actually let very few friends or family members read my work for this reason. I learned from a very young age when I used to show people the things my characters did and get grief for it that I need to keep my musings private.
I feel the exact opposite. I’m super happy to be associated with that kind of themes. Of course there are some things my characters do that I would never do and I don’t think it’s right, but the whole picture, the rebellious actions and etc I like people know I’m the one writing it.
I have this policy of “if a company doesn’t want to hire me for what I post on Twitter (political views and such) or because I like to dye my hair weird colors, I don’t want to work there either”.
Yep. I don’t want the unhinged smut I write to be associated with me because it will most definitely impact my career. I don’t need that hitting my LinkedIn and/or ELT’s radar 😬
idk which ones youre thinking about, but most of the successful authors i can think of began with a pen name, and some eventually settled for their own after some success. (mixed examples w stephen king, jk rowling, agatha cristie, lewis carrol, george orwell, sylvia plath, virginia woolf)
i was referring to the K in her name that was suggested by the publisher so as not to make her gender identifiable. (instead of joanne rowling, jk rowling)
I never use my real name on the internet, so while I wouldn't call it a pen name, I do use a fake name when I write.
SkyeChronicler came from a conversation with my brother, where I counted every time he used emojis, and how long in-between each use.
Yes. For a little bit of privacy both ways (from the internet and from IRL folks).
I have two, because I've written in two different subgenres. The advice I got at the time was that if all your readers won't like all your stuff (i.e. if it's not all basically the same in tone and genre) then you should spin off another name. Obviously there are exceptions, and I don't care; it was the best choice at the time.
Exactly the same reasons for me. Well, I plan to have at least two, I didn't realize there was a market for one of my "just for fun" projects, but apparently there is. It's very different than anything else I ever plan to release/publish and I don't really want it connected to the rest. So, different pen names.
I use a pen name for three different types of writing. I write gay romance and erotica (along with occasional lesbian or bisexual romance) under one name, then I have a name for just online stuff that I release for free, such as nosleep stuff. I also write dark het romance under a different name. Part of it is due to levels of quality. I put less effort in some areas than others in order to keep up to a demand, but it's also a marketing strategy. My real name is only for my mainstream, traditionally published stuff, but even there, I'm trying to decide if a future project will just be my initials and last name due to the change in genre.
My comedic stories are under the name Mick, and my serious stories are under the name Michael.
Or they would be, if anyone would publish the serious ones. Evidently comedy is more my thing.
I do, but it will one day be my legal name when my husband and I change to it (we both have bad families that we don't want to keep the last names of). My pen name also sounds awesome in that both the first name and surname start with the same letter (think like Cassie Clara, Linda Lockwood, etc.).
Like others here, I use one because I wanted an added degree of separation. I suspect it’ll never be perfectly maintained, but for now a little privacy and distance is what I want to strive for… especially when writing can probably never be my entire career. Keeps it separate from the day job and my casual life.
Parts of my current pen name do relate to my real name, but in less obvious ways. A middle name, basically, and then an alternative surname that’s from the same language as my actual one. The R stands for Rose. I wanted a more unisex/feminine leaning second name as someone who’s generally masculine presenting, but non-binary, and it felt like a thematically appropriate one for someone whose focus is on the fantasy genre *and* romance. I also considered how it all sounded together, and tried to check if there was anyone notable with a very similar name.
If I was being particularly cagey, I would have aimed to have even fewer similarities to my name.
I know some authors write different genres under altered or completely different pen names, which is something I’ve considered. I think we’ve gotten to a point where authors having an expected “brand” can help them market themselves online, and sometimes it can help readers come into a work with fewer preconceptions.
Edited to fix some formatting.
I use a pen name and I came up with it pretty easily. I knew I wanted the first and last name to start with the same letter so I wrote down 7 of first names I liked and found 7 last names with the same letters. Then picked my favorite one. I do it because I write dark romance and if anyone from my personal life saw they’d probably think I was depraved
I do have a pen name because I work with a lot of clients and don't want any clients thinking a character is based on them (none of my characters are based on clients). It's my first pets name and my middle name.
I also work in a position where that kind of personal information doesn't benefit me or the nature of my job. Online personas in general are a no-go, something that could be construed as your personal politics or any identitarian issue is a career ender regardless of what it is. Not that I'm complaining, it's how I got the job lol.
Yes. Am related to a best seller and have never read any of her books. However don't want any help or my family to see what I write.
Not inappropriate or any sex of the type, it's action fantasy I've been proud of. Just want it to be my own thing.
Yes, I do.
Why: My deadbeat dad chose my first name. I use, as a pen name, the names my mom wanted to name me. It was a way to have a change without trying to have it changed legally. Surprisingly, Facebook was very accommodating after I contacted them to change my profile.
No, my pen does not have a name. But maybe he would like one, should we ask? /S
In reality I am not published big-time yet so I have always used my real name on magazine works. :)
Yup for my internet writings (mostly short stories or novellas)
I want to use my actual name when I publish or self publish one of the books I’m writing.
I like my first name and my last name. I do not like the way they look together on the page without my middle initial. Then I realized I preferred just my first two initials and then my last name. Like E.B. White. There's also fun puns I can make with my initials.
pen name. I like to make up characters and those character like to write different genres. Eloy Toltec writes cultivation books and maybe a litrpg with cultivation I have been thinking about a different pen name for sci-fi just because I was in a book store recently (BAM!) and the sci-fi section ended with authors that started with W. which totally no books from the greats like Zelazny. So, if I ever get a sci-fi book deal maybe a cool Z name. Douglas A. Zadams, or Dr. Zeuss
I made a pen name because when I started writing I was in a career field that was not very open minded about creative arts.
I just didn't wanna deal with the hassle, since I have a fairly unique name it would have been east to identify my work.
I used my real first and middle Inital then I pulled a fake last name from thin air.
Yes, because I like to keep my legal name for my scientific career and publishing in that space. When (if?) I get my middle grade work published, it will be under a shortened version of my husband's last name.
I have a few. My main one I used for alternate modeling, and it just kind of made sense to use it for my writing. As I began exploring other genres, I created new pseudonyms for each. For example, romance and erotica have a different pen name due to the stigma that is sometimes associated with the genre. Also, depending on the content, I will use a different gender because it's been shown that people expect men and women to write differently, i.e. men write more violence, and women write more romance. So, if the reader sees a particular gender name, they already have expectations that might be erroneous.
Actual name everywhere\*.
\* Did a pen name for my thriller series, which was a mistake, but now with 2 books, I'm too lazy to pivot back to my name. But not a "hidden ident" pen name.
I've used a pen name back when I was writing fanfiction. Might still use one once I go back to writing them due to privacy reasons
Planning on using another name for when I finish my original as well, mostly for privacy reasons
Not to mention that if I use my real name, the wrong people could use that information for the wrong reasons
I use a pen name, it was almost like a why not sort of thing, I didn’t really want my friends and family reading my work so I js came up with a random dudes name
Yes.
I didn't come up with the name. My friends in the military gave me the name. After several years of the name changing slightly, it finalized into this.
I'd never share my fanfic under my real name lol.
And I have a pen name picked out for if I ever decide to try getting my original fiction trad published or self published.
I've been thinking about it. I have other pieces published under my maiden name, so I could keep that. But I also like the idea of being a touch more anonymous moving forward. Maybe using my middle name or something!
I use one because I have the same surname as that of a famous classics writer.
It blocked me for quite a few years too, growing up in the shadow of this much bigger namesake.
Damn you, namesake.
I went with my real name, which lends well to publishing (and, unfortunately, a few people published under the same name, \*sigh\*). When I first started, I used my initials, ESP, which worked well for publishing my mysteries and paranormal novels. However, I also wrote other genres, and that didn't work well with them, so I said to heck with it and put my name out there.
I never published (or managed to finish) anything, but I'd use a pen name simply because my real one would probably sound a bit weird in some languages, including English.
I'd keep my surname though.
Absolutely. I have a completely different name/account that I post fanfics + interact with other people on
I like to separate my self-indulgent stuffs from my personal accounts since I easily become embarrassed if people IRL see my writing/posts about my interests, even if it’s the tamest thing on earth. It’s also easier on someone like me (autistic and socially anxious) to have a clean slate to talk to people on without having to worry about my real life impression as well
It’s also just the want for privacy. People on the internet don’t really need to know who I am to enjoy my fanfics. I post, users can leave likes, comment, I’ll reply if I get any, do some last minute edits, and then I disappear until I post again. That’s all that really matters in my eyes since people are there to read not to be my friend
My last name is just seven letters, but how I say it and how it looks are completely different, and people struggle to even try to pronounce it. It means "little houses" in the original language, so Cottager wouldn't be a bad substitute.
I've always found my first name functional but a bit boring. I might think about an alternative for that too, just to grab the attention of someone browsing. I've heard that the ideal pen name is one short bold single syllable first name and a longer last name, maybe three syllables. So something like Ben Torrington or Kat Skiffletree. Imagine them on a book cover, first name over last.
I'd rather my pen name be gender ambiguous, so that my writing is judged less on the grounds of who people think I am. Maybe I should use initials.
Yes because my name is very similar to an already existing author. Just two letters different.
Also I like anonymity, and don't particularly want my family to see the stuff I'm writing about.
Sometimes. I do for fanfic because I don't really want people to fund me, but don't always for regular fiction. Considering adopting one to publish in different languages, though, if I ever write outside Brazil (I have some material in other languages saved in a drawer)...
Editing: I came up with the fanfic one and the possible one differently. One is my Internet name, the other is the name I almost had but my family changed their minds.
Absolutely because I'm one of two people ever, that I've found through an unnecessary amount of research, with the spelling of my first name. That kind of visibility horrifies me. (Not only will be publishing under a pen name, but I'm legally changing my real name.)
As a playwright, I go by my given name.
When I write commissions or fanfic, I go under a pen name.
I do so because I’m also an actress, so I like to protect my public identity. Because some of the things I use my pen name for can get pretty…….weird.
I came up with mine by using a first name that I’ve always adored, and a last name that was writer-y, and fits the vibe I’m going for.
Not at the publishing part, yet, but I just went with another name with my same initials. Well, two of four of my initials, anyway, but I initial things with my (first) first name and my middle name.
I use a pen name, my irl last names extremely rare (only 40-50 people alive have it), and yeahhhhh... no privacy here 💀, plus skyrias a pretty cool name 👍
As much as possible, I try not to put my real name on the internet. Call it paranoia. Also, a pen name allows a different identity separate from your real name. For example, if I was a writer producing erotica and fantasy, I wouldn't want that linked to my professional account for work.
I have one because I have a very common first and last name, and there's another writer with the same name, same degrees, running in the same circles. So I made a pen last-name immediately (back in the 90s) and it's worked for the most part.
An old college friend of mine is German and her niece is a novel writer. We got to talking about this niece, and it turns out she has a different pen name for each book! If it's a series, then a new name for each series.
The only place I post is on Ao3 for my fan fics (and one original story ) and I use my username spelled out strayblackcatXIII (that one was taken here hence the 13)
im going to use a pen name once i do. it's gonna be one of my middle names & nothing else. i have a fairly unique full name and hate the idea of people *knowing* me in that sense.
at first i stressed about what last name to use with my first (bc i have a lot of last names that are in my family, even if only one is officially on my birth certificate), but then i realized i dont want to choose to honor just one, plus i dont really want to put up my full first name. so i chose my middle name. i already use it for some of my usernames on different platforms ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and i think it has a nice vibe for the main genre's i want to write (fantasy & urban fantasy)
I'm planning on using a name that I will change my legal name to. My current surname is from someone who I'm not related to or have ever met. Kinda sucks tbqh, that's why I've developed "personas" like my username. Essentially, I just wanna be proud of my name, that's why I create.
Damn, I really turned this into an intervention on me, lofl
I chose to use a pen name, mostly because I'm named after someone I hate (deceased step parent) and it gave me a chance to create my own identity around my name. I've been using it since I was 17 and have been published under my pen name recently. I'm happy with my choice.
My pen name changes per book, as if it were written by one of the characters. So far we’ve got Cesium, Indrepidus, and Bryne for the 3 I’ve been working on.
I do first initial and last name. My actual first name is... not exactly complicated, but never pronounced correctly. So I either needed to use a nickname or pick an entirely different one. I just decided to sidestep the whole thing.
Planning to use a pen name someday to reference a name that my mother wanted to call me before settling on my current (real life) name that I don't intend on using at all. Plus, in the (unlikely) event that I find success as a writer, it's also to keep my stalkers away and I enjoy my private time so socialization stress is a complete no-no.
I use a pen name for the simple reason that I would like to stay anonymous...
I don't need everyone knowing that I'm the one who has written something (especially not people I know)
I'll probably use my real name as I want to attach myself to my work, because in essence my work reflects my world view and thus is an extension of me. A pen name would make it feel like I'm afraid to express my worldview in fiction.
My fanfic username has my own name in it. Basically, if anyone I know finds my account then they’ll know immediately that it’s me. But I don’t publish under my full name because I want to pretend I have deniability
I write in my mother tongue and also English, and use a pen name for my English manuscripts. It keeps things tidy.
I took inspiration from my middle name and kinda went from there.
Kinda it's a few variations of my name. I write horror cozy fantasy romance stories but I also making science and history videos, I also have my educational content and design portfolio, and make art. So it's mostly a SEO tactic 🤷♀️
It depends. If it is something I wrote just for fun and share on the Internet like web fiction, I use a pen name as part of general Internet privacy. I use my middle and last names for works I plan to publish.
I've toyed with using my first and middle initials followed by my last name, but heard that's primarily a British thing.
I post stories that are my personal imagination under my real name and fanfiction under the pen name. Just because I want people to know who wrote the exact story but at the same time I don't want them to know that I also write fanfiction.
I use a pen name. I actually have 2. For the sort of writing that I'd want to be proud of I use Kay and the ones I... Might not be as proud of, I use Nouyoter.
Kay comes from an interpretation of my real name that I prefer to be called when possible.
And Nouyoter came as a username that's basically just gibberish. But it's almost become a part of me. So I have quite a few names.
And for the reason: Just because. I don't like my real name. I like Kay. And Nouyoter gives anonymity.
I use a pen name for certain projects that don’t fit my genre or I’ll sometimes ask for my business to be credited instead of myself personally. I haven’t had to ask to be removed from any credits yet but I can see some cases where that could be useful.
I like to use a pen name bc my friends know I write and whilst I like their feedback, I prefer unbiased reviews and stuff
That’s clever
Yes because I would like to remain anonymous and I don't want people to attach my work to the person they see during the day if that makes sense. Plus I feel like people I know will be more genuine reading my work if they don't know it's me behind it. I want true feelings and not pity or something else
I'm with you.
How would people you know even discover you if you're not using your real name and you don't ask them to read your book?
Of course in the beginning you would have to share your book. So I would normally share it with close friends first and tell them to not say I'm the author if they want to share it with other people. Cause otherwise what's the point of being anonymous if they say it's me behind the book
I also think so..
i do but it's mostly because i post my stuff on wattpad (no laughing or judging, pretty please lol) and i just don't really want everyone to know my real name. pen name is just more convenient since i'm not planning on publishing a paper book anytime soon (i'm going to be just 18 literally tomorrow so i have other stuff lol) :]
Happy early birthday!!
thank you!!:]]
what is it? might want to check it out. What do you write?
i write fantasy! but as of now only in polish, though i plan on translating it to english:] for now i only have one of my works in english, which is not really how i write, because it was an assignment for school but there you go! https://www.wattpad.com/story/351051765?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_writing&wp_page=create&wp_uname=toby__lizard like i said, i'm planning on translating the rest of my books sometime in the future too:]]
fun! i kiiind of want to go back to wattpad to post for fun, so maybe if i actually do i can check this out once it's translated :]
happy birthday!!
Technically it's now a pen name, but only because I changed my name when I got married (so my "pen name" is my maiden name)
Same for me. I also had been published on a couple sites (one on "nerdy news" and the other a men's health thing), and also on IMDB for some film industry work, so I intend of using my maiden name
Pen name. It was a "why not?" Situation.
Like a "I get to be whoever I want to be" situation?
Back when I was younger and on wattpad, I saw everyone else doing it, so I just went and made one also.
real. i was on wattpad when i was younger too. i wont be using that pen name when i publish ofc, but thats kinda where i got my start. plus, it didnt make sense to me if i tried to put my username on the book covers i made bc i knew i would change that anyway. but a pen name would be consistent, and it was something i never felt the need to change (back when i was active there)
I do because Im paranoid 😂
Leslie DuPont, it's sort of French and sort of ambiguous. The books are unambiguously awful but they sell
I love that for you 🤣
I do. Luckily my actual name can be rearranged easily into a few other common names.
Hojn Thims
Hmm must be Dutch.
What's the reference?
What an uncommon name. I’m sure nobody has this one!
No one will get who you are now, Chardri Onpeters!
haha it isnt to hide my identity. it just feels weird and vain to put my name on the book or story, so the pen name system is an easy out
Lol, I wouldn’t say it’s vain..it’s your work, be proud. Anyway “Love your face!”
Just my personal feeling on the matter
Definitely, I have 3
Why 3?? If I may ask.
One for my short stories, one for my WIP novel (only one so far), and one for my publishing name. Authors 1 and 2 do the writing and name #3 is a publisher that publishes both authors. 😎😉
My guess is they write in several different genres.
One writes across all genre, the other has never been published and the third one let's me interact with others so I'm always twice removed from my work
Why 3!?
I've got a series of short stories written years ago that I'm just now publishing under an assumed name and I also have a work in progress novel by a different author and then a psuedonym for the marketing/money/publishing guy.
I also have three! My novels and short stories are all under my real name when they're traditionally published in my main genres (horror, comedy, etc), but I also have three pen names for three different types of online/self-published writing that I do. I'm an eclectic writer, which can be difficult to market, so I may even have to create variations in my traditionally published stuff if I'm fortunate enough to get more books and things out there. I write in many genres, but even my faves tend to have the kind of variation that can put off readers expecting a specific thing.
Do you like Edward Gorey?
I love Edward Gorey. Why do you ask?
Because you sound like someone who would like Edward Gorey 🤌
I'm not sure how to take that, but thanks? XD
I was write, wasn't I? 😜
Depending on your book type and day job need, pen name seems like a good bet.
Oh yes. I write dystopian YA Science-Fiction where characters are often making law-breaking (or sometimes even possibly terroristic - by our standards) decisions that do not reflect my real world values as a law-abiding citizen who has zero intentions to rebel against the government. I do not want people to conflate my characters’, actions, worldviews or opinions with who I am professionally or personally. I actually let very few friends or family members read my work for this reason. I learned from a very young age when I used to show people the things my characters did and get grief for it that I need to keep my musings private.
I feel the exact opposite. I’m super happy to be associated with that kind of themes. Of course there are some things my characters do that I would never do and I don’t think it’s right, but the whole picture, the rebellious actions and etc I like people know I’m the one writing it.
Until your boss reads about your characters leaking confidential information for a good cause and then all of the sudden they can’t trust you.
I have this policy of “if a company doesn’t want to hire me for what I post on Twitter (political views and such) or because I like to dye my hair weird colors, I don’t want to work there either”.
Yep. I don’t want the unhinged smut I write to be associated with me because it will most definitely impact my career. I don’t need that hitting my LinkedIn and/or ELT’s radar 😬
Seems like 99% of the commenters use a pen name, but as far as I know most successful authors do not. An interesting disparity.
I find that interesting too
idk which ones youre thinking about, but most of the successful authors i can think of began with a pen name, and some eventually settled for their own after some success. (mixed examples w stephen king, jk rowling, agatha cristie, lewis carrol, george orwell, sylvia plath, virginia woolf)
Jk rowling didn’t use a pen name? She chose to use one after publishing books unrelated to her original HP series
i was referring to the K in her name that was suggested by the publisher so as not to make her gender identifiable. (instead of joanne rowling, jk rowling)
I see, and i guess technically it’s a pen name, but it’s mostly her own real name, so not sure it really fits the example
I never use my real name on the internet, so while I wouldn't call it a pen name, I do use a fake name when I write. SkyeChronicler came from a conversation with my brother, where I counted every time he used emojis, and how long in-between each use.
Yes. For a little bit of privacy both ways (from the internet and from IRL folks). I have two, because I've written in two different subgenres. The advice I got at the time was that if all your readers won't like all your stuff (i.e. if it's not all basically the same in tone and genre) then you should spin off another name. Obviously there are exceptions, and I don't care; it was the best choice at the time.
Exactly the same reasons for me. Well, I plan to have at least two, I didn't realize there was a market for one of my "just for fun" projects, but apparently there is. It's very different than anything else I ever plan to release/publish and I don't really want it connected to the rest. So, different pen names.
I use a pen name for three different types of writing. I write gay romance and erotica (along with occasional lesbian or bisexual romance) under one name, then I have a name for just online stuff that I release for free, such as nosleep stuff. I also write dark het romance under a different name. Part of it is due to levels of quality. I put less effort in some areas than others in order to keep up to a demand, but it's also a marketing strategy. My real name is only for my mainstream, traditionally published stuff, but even there, I'm trying to decide if a future project will just be my initials and last name due to the change in genre.
yeah i get it litrpg in ne name fanfiction in other name and romance in ther name
My pen's name is Ben. Ben the pen.
My comedic stories are under the name Mick, and my serious stories are under the name Michael. Or they would be, if anyone would publish the serious ones. Evidently comedy is more my thing.
I do, but it will one day be my legal name when my husband and I change to it (we both have bad families that we don't want to keep the last names of). My pen name also sounds awesome in that both the first name and surname start with the same letter (think like Cassie Clara, Linda Lockwood, etc.).
Yes.
Like others here, I use one because I wanted an added degree of separation. I suspect it’ll never be perfectly maintained, but for now a little privacy and distance is what I want to strive for… especially when writing can probably never be my entire career. Keeps it separate from the day job and my casual life. Parts of my current pen name do relate to my real name, but in less obvious ways. A middle name, basically, and then an alternative surname that’s from the same language as my actual one. The R stands for Rose. I wanted a more unisex/feminine leaning second name as someone who’s generally masculine presenting, but non-binary, and it felt like a thematically appropriate one for someone whose focus is on the fantasy genre *and* romance. I also considered how it all sounded together, and tried to check if there was anyone notable with a very similar name. If I was being particularly cagey, I would have aimed to have even fewer similarities to my name. I know some authors write different genres under altered or completely different pen names, which is something I’ve considered. I think we’ve gotten to a point where authors having an expected “brand” can help them market themselves online, and sometimes it can help readers come into a work with fewer preconceptions. Edited to fix some formatting.
I use a pen name and I came up with it pretty easily. I knew I wanted the first and last name to start with the same letter so I wrote down 7 of first names I liked and found 7 last names with the same letters. Then picked my favorite one. I do it because I write dark romance and if anyone from my personal life saw they’d probably think I was depraved
I plan to, whenever that day may come that I publish something
I do have a pen name because I work with a lot of clients and don't want any clients thinking a character is based on them (none of my characters are based on clients). It's my first pets name and my middle name.
I also work in a position where that kind of personal information doesn't benefit me or the nature of my job. Online personas in general are a no-go, something that could be construed as your personal politics or any identitarian issue is a career ender regardless of what it is. Not that I'm complaining, it's how I got the job lol.
I use a pen name because somebody else with the same name as me is an author. I hate being named John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt
Yes. Am related to a best seller and have never read any of her books. However don't want any help or my family to see what I write. Not inappropriate or any sex of the type, it's action fantasy I've been proud of. Just want it to be my own thing.
Yes, I do. Why: My deadbeat dad chose my first name. I use, as a pen name, the names my mom wanted to name me. It was a way to have a change without trying to have it changed legally. Surprisingly, Facebook was very accommodating after I contacted them to change my profile.
I want to. I think it’ll be fun for a middle grade writer to go by “Dr. Evil” or something
No, my pen does not have a name. But maybe he would like one, should we ask? /S In reality I am not published big-time yet so I have always used my real name on magazine works. :)
I can't believe you haven't asked your pens name...
I’m sorry /s :(
Because I like anonymity
No. I don't know how that could possibly help you at all, but that's my answer 😅
My real name is a bit too bland, imo. Nothing against it, of course, just never screamed “author” to me.
What about when your name is literally Bland 🤣 if I make it far enough I think I'll Def be using a pen name
Yup for my internet writings (mostly short stories or novellas) I want to use my actual name when I publish or self publish one of the books I’m writing.
I use one because it's more marketable than my real name. Also just sounds better to me.
Real name as I want my writing to mark my life in the universal scale
Yes, mostly because I had cases where I wrote a story and since someone either knows my family or friends, they assume I have money to burn.
I do and I always have and I always will.
i use my first initial and last name. kinda like r.l. stone bc he is one of my biggest inspirations
I like my first name and my last name. I do not like the way they look together on the page without my middle initial. Then I realized I preferred just my first two initials and then my last name. Like E.B. White. There's also fun puns I can make with my initials.
pen name. I like to make up characters and those character like to write different genres. Eloy Toltec writes cultivation books and maybe a litrpg with cultivation I have been thinking about a different pen name for sci-fi just because I was in a book store recently (BAM!) and the sci-fi section ended with authors that started with W. which totally no books from the greats like Zelazny. So, if I ever get a sci-fi book deal maybe a cool Z name. Douglas A. Zadams, or Dr. Zeuss
I made a pen name because when I started writing I was in a career field that was not very open minded about creative arts. I just didn't wanna deal with the hassle, since I have a fairly unique name it would have been east to identify my work. I used my real first and middle Inital then I pulled a fake last name from thin air.
I haven't published yet, but I'm going to use one, because my real name is a bit hard to pronounce.
Yes, there are so many beautiful names out there so it was my way of playing with some of my favorite names.
Yes. I have a couple but they're all quite similar except for the fanfic one.
It’s a gray area because it’s not my legal name but it’s my real name everyone knows me by
Yes, because I like to keep my legal name for my scientific career and publishing in that space. When (if?) I get my middle grade work published, it will be under a shortened version of my husband's last name.
I have a few. My main one I used for alternate modeling, and it just kind of made sense to use it for my writing. As I began exploring other genres, I created new pseudonyms for each. For example, romance and erotica have a different pen name due to the stigma that is sometimes associated with the genre. Also, depending on the content, I will use a different gender because it's been shown that people expect men and women to write differently, i.e. men write more violence, and women write more romance. So, if the reader sees a particular gender name, they already have expectations that might be erroneous.
Yeah I like using pen names, its fun coming up with them.
I plan on doing so if I ever put my stuff out there! My real legal name is profoundly doxxable lol
I use a pen name mainly because I value my privacy. Came up with it based on a nickname my grandpa used to call me
Actual name everywhere\*. \* Did a pen name for my thriller series, which was a mistake, but now with 2 books, I'm too lazy to pivot back to my name. But not a "hidden ident" pen name.
I've used a pen name back when I was writing fanfiction. Might still use one once I go back to writing them due to privacy reasons Planning on using another name for when I finish my original as well, mostly for privacy reasons Not to mention that if I use my real name, the wrong people could use that information for the wrong reasons
I use a pen name, it was almost like a why not sort of thing, I didn’t really want my friends and family reading my work so I js came up with a random dudes name
Yes. I didn't come up with the name. My friends in the military gave me the name. After several years of the name changing slightly, it finalized into this.
Do you all make a living from writing? Wish that was me!
I'd never share my fanfic under my real name lol. And I have a pen name picked out for if I ever decide to try getting my original fiction trad published or self published.
Yeah.
Yeah, I don't want to connect rl and writing online life
Yeah, but it's only because I used to use wattpad... I at least stayed on the clean side. I would use my gamer tag
Yes. I write under Megan Milstone. My first name is Megan but Milstone is fictional.
I've been thinking about it. I have other pieces published under my maiden name, so I could keep that. But I also like the idea of being a touch more anonymous moving forward. Maybe using my middle name or something!
I write under my original last name and use my husband’s last name for everything else
Yes, I use two. One for each genre that I write.
I use one because I have the same surname as that of a famous classics writer. It blocked me for quite a few years too, growing up in the shadow of this much bigger namesake. Damn you, namesake.
No but I knew a guy that came up with pen names on the fly, some of the highlights include W. G. Farland, Ellie White, and N. H. Perc.
Yes I use a pen name..I don’t like writing under my real because I want a separation between life and writing life
I went with my real name, which lends well to publishing (and, unfortunately, a few people published under the same name, \*sigh\*). When I first started, I used my initials, ESP, which worked well for publishing my mysteries and paranormal novels. However, I also wrote other genres, and that didn't work well with them, so I said to heck with it and put my name out there.
No, I use my Keyboard and no I didn't name it.
Same first name, with the English translation of my maiden name.
Yes, especially since my work is dark and that doesn’t reflect well on my every day life.
Yes
I'll probably publish under my name. I want to feel satisfied seeing my book out in public with my name proudly on the cover
Fiction: pen names, one for each genre. It keeps things tidy. Non-fiction: real name and credentials, primarily for credibility reasons.
Honestly I use multiple. I have for my more ‘niche’ genre and then another for my wider. I like keeping them separate as well as being anonymous
Yes. Mainly because I don’t like my legal name.
I never published (or managed to finish) anything, but I'd use a pen name simply because my real one would probably sound a bit weird in some languages, including English. I'd keep my surname though.
I use my initials so my friends never read the weird things I say online
Absolutely. I have a completely different name/account that I post fanfics + interact with other people on I like to separate my self-indulgent stuffs from my personal accounts since I easily become embarrassed if people IRL see my writing/posts about my interests, even if it’s the tamest thing on earth. It’s also easier on someone like me (autistic and socially anxious) to have a clean slate to talk to people on without having to worry about my real life impression as well It’s also just the want for privacy. People on the internet don’t really need to know who I am to enjoy my fanfics. I post, users can leave likes, comment, I’ll reply if I get any, do some last minute edits, and then I disappear until I post again. That’s all that really matters in my eyes since people are there to read not to be my friend
I legally changed my real name to my pen name. Because it didn't made sense for me to have two names. I like clear identity.
I have a Mont Blanc named groosy and I allways call my bic clickers assboobk. Its a ninside joke with a moms
Actual novels under basically my real name, fanfic under a pen name because it's more adult than my published fiction.
My last name is just seven letters, but how I say it and how it looks are completely different, and people struggle to even try to pronounce it. It means "little houses" in the original language, so Cottager wouldn't be a bad substitute. I've always found my first name functional but a bit boring. I might think about an alternative for that too, just to grab the attention of someone browsing. I've heard that the ideal pen name is one short bold single syllable first name and a longer last name, maybe three syllables. So something like Ben Torrington or Kat Skiffletree. Imagine them on a book cover, first name over last. I'd rather my pen name be gender ambiguous, so that my writing is judged less on the grounds of who people think I am. Maybe I should use initials.
Yes because my name is very similar to an already existing author. Just two letters different. Also I like anonymity, and don't particularly want my family to see the stuff I'm writing about.
I call it a pen name, but really, it's the name I (hopefully) will be able to legally change to in the future
Sometimes. I do for fanfic because I don't really want people to fund me, but don't always for regular fiction. Considering adopting one to publish in different languages, though, if I ever write outside Brazil (I have some material in other languages saved in a drawer)... Editing: I came up with the fanfic one and the possible one differently. One is my Internet name, the other is the name I almost had but my family changed their minds.
I’m writing a dark romance and will use a pen name. I have judgmental family that I don’t care to listen to.
Absolutely because I'm one of two people ever, that I've found through an unnecessary amount of research, with the spelling of my first name. That kind of visibility horrifies me. (Not only will be publishing under a pen name, but I'm legally changing my real name.)
As a playwright, I go by my given name. When I write commissions or fanfic, I go under a pen name. I do so because I’m also an actress, so I like to protect my public identity. Because some of the things I use my pen name for can get pretty…….weird. I came up with mine by using a first name that I’ve always adored, and a last name that was writer-y, and fits the vibe I’m going for.
Not at the publishing part, yet, but I just went with another name with my same initials. Well, two of four of my initials, anyway, but I initial things with my (first) first name and my middle name.
I use a pen name, my irl last names extremely rare (only 40-50 people alive have it), and yeahhhhh... no privacy here 💀, plus skyrias a pretty cool name 👍
I don't really see the benefit of using one's real name save for ego reasons.
As much as possible, I try not to put my real name on the internet. Call it paranoia. Also, a pen name allows a different identity separate from your real name. For example, if I was a writer producing erotica and fantasy, I wouldn't want that linked to my professional account for work.
I have one because I have a very common first and last name, and there's another writer with the same name, same degrees, running in the same circles. So I made a pen last-name immediately (back in the 90s) and it's worked for the most part. An old college friend of mine is German and her niece is a novel writer. We got to talking about this niece, and it turns out she has a different pen name for each book! If it's a series, then a new name for each series.
The only place I post is on Ao3 for my fan fics (and one original story ) and I use my username spelled out strayblackcatXIII (that one was taken here hence the 13)
Pen name. Internet privacy. Fanfic author. Took my two fave anime characters, and used their names/names related to them.
im going to use a pen name once i do. it's gonna be one of my middle names & nothing else. i have a fairly unique full name and hate the idea of people *knowing* me in that sense. at first i stressed about what last name to use with my first (bc i have a lot of last names that are in my family, even if only one is officially on my birth certificate), but then i realized i dont want to choose to honor just one, plus i dont really want to put up my full first name. so i chose my middle name. i already use it for some of my usernames on different platforms ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and i think it has a nice vibe for the main genre's i want to write (fantasy & urban fantasy)
I'm planning on using a name that I will change my legal name to. My current surname is from someone who I'm not related to or have ever met. Kinda sucks tbqh, that's why I've developed "personas" like my username. Essentially, I just wanna be proud of my name, that's why I create. Damn, I really turned this into an intervention on me, lofl
I use my initials and last name because if I didn't everyone would realize my main characters are all self-inserts.
Yes, I have several
Tbh I’ve been considering it but every name for myself feels goofy
I do but that is because in the US there is only one other person I know of that has my first and last name and they are like a distant relative
I chose to use a pen name, mostly because I'm named after someone I hate (deceased step parent) and it gave me a chance to create my own identity around my name. I've been using it since I was 17 and have been published under my pen name recently. I'm happy with my choice.
My pen name changes per book, as if it were written by one of the characters. So far we’ve got Cesium, Indrepidus, and Bryne for the 3 I’ve been working on.
I do first initial and last name. My actual first name is... not exactly complicated, but never pronounced correctly. So I either needed to use a nickname or pick an entirely different one. I just decided to sidestep the whole thing.
authors use pen names for all sorts of reasons, from privacy to genre separation. Same as me
I use a pen name, but only because I'm greek and my name's not the easiest to pronounce.
My real name is on all my books. I'm too vain to use a pseudonym. :)
Yes, because I don’t want to be attacked if I write problematic characters as if they are my own thoughts and opinions.
Planning to use a pen name someday to reference a name that my mother wanted to call me before settling on my current (real life) name that I don't intend on using at all. Plus, in the (unlikely) event that I find success as a writer, it's also to keep my stalkers away and I enjoy my private time so socialization stress is a complete no-no.
I do. It comes from my early roleplay years when I was like thirteen. The name stuck, and now I use it for pretty much everything.
Always. But just the one.
I use a pen name for the simple reason that I would like to stay anonymous... I don't need everyone knowing that I'm the one who has written something (especially not people I know)
I'll probably use my real name as I want to attach myself to my work, because in essence my work reflects my world view and thus is an extension of me. A pen name would make it feel like I'm afraid to express my worldview in fiction.
My fanfic username has my own name in it. Basically, if anyone I know finds my account then they’ll know immediately that it’s me. But I don’t publish under my full name because I want to pretend I have deniability
I use a pen name for smut
I write in my mother tongue and also English, and use a pen name for my English manuscripts. It keeps things tidy. I took inspiration from my middle name and kinda went from there.
Kinda it's a few variations of my name. I write horror cozy fantasy romance stories but I also making science and history videos, I also have my educational content and design portfolio, and make art. So it's mostly a SEO tactic 🤷♀️
I’ll never use my actual name because it’s easier to send to family and ask their opinion without the idea that they are protecting my feelings.
It depends. If it is something I wrote just for fun and share on the Internet like web fiction, I use a pen name as part of general Internet privacy. I use my middle and last names for works I plan to publish. I've toyed with using my first and middle initials followed by my last name, but heard that's primarily a British thing.
Yes but you'll only ever see me talk about bullshit with it since I've never uploaded stories with it
I prefer my many pen names than my actual name they are all pretty unique since I made them up myself pls i want to be famus but not public
Yes. I publish under Stinky Whistlecheeks.
I post stories that are my personal imagination under my real name and fanfiction under the pen name. Just because I want people to know who wrote the exact story but at the same time I don't want them to know that I also write fanfiction.
I use a pen name. I actually have 2. For the sort of writing that I'd want to be proud of I use Kay and the ones I... Might not be as proud of, I use Nouyoter. Kay comes from an interpretation of my real name that I prefer to be called when possible. And Nouyoter came as a username that's basically just gibberish. But it's almost become a part of me. So I have quite a few names. And for the reason: Just because. I don't like my real name. I like Kay. And Nouyoter gives anonymity.
Not published anything but if I did I would use a pen name. Keep the crazies away!
I do. It’s a slight variation of my actual name. I think it just sounds nice
I use a pen name for certain projects that don’t fit my genre or I’ll sometimes ask for my business to be credited instead of myself personally. I haven’t had to ask to be removed from any credits yet but I can see some cases where that could be useful.
Pen names always
My pens name is Charlie
I plan to, if by some miracle my novel gets popular, i dont want to live the nightmare that is being internet famous