Using a Pen Name

Why Do I Need a Pen Name?

L.E. Perez — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:42:56 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by L.E. Perez on 10/8/2024 7:42:56 PM

There is an author in all of us. But is ours the name to put out into the world?

Sometimes we have to consider our circumstances, the market and more in deciding what name to attach to a written body of work. In this webinar session, author L.E. Perez reviews not only the whys and wherefores, but also the potential benefits of using a pen name.

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Pen-Names_5F00_ALC_5F00_Perez-2024.pdf
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../WhyDoINeedaPenName.mp4
About the Presenter:
Laura Perez is an author/publisher with Palmas Publishing and Manra Moon Press . She spent fifteen years working in Corrections and Victim Services while privately working on several novels. In 2010, she was given the opportunity to pursue two passions in life, writing and martial arts. She is a 4th-degree black belt who loves to write fight scenes and act them out for realism. She has published ten full-length novels and multiple short stories, has spearheaded several thriller anthologies with a group of Indie Authors called 'The Thrill of the Hunt' and 'The Thrill of the Heart'. In addition, LE is a Freelance Writing/Publishing Consultant for Macmillan and hosts the Legion of Writers Podcast.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Why Do I Need a Pen Name?

Author Learning Center — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 18:51:38 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Using a Pen Name by Author Learning Center on 10/8/2024 6:51:38 PM

There is an author in all of us. But is ours the name to put out into the world?

Here is the handout referenced in the session:
www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Pen-Names_5F00_ALC_5F00_Perez-2024.pdf

About the Presenter:
Laura Perez is an author/publisher with Palmas Publishing and Manra Moon Press . She spent fifteen years working in Corrections and Victim Services while privately working on several novels. In 2010, she was given the opportunity to pursue two passions in life, writing and martial arts. She is a 4th-degree black belt who loves to write fight scenes and act them out for realism. She has published ten full-length novels and multiple short stories, has spearheaded several thriller anthologies with a group of Indie Authors called 'The Thrill of the Hunt' and 'The Thrill of the Heart'. In addition, LE is a Freelance Writing/Publishing Consultant for Macmillan and hosts the Legion of Writers Podcast.

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, Recorded Webinar

Pen Names: Should You Use One to Publish Your Work?

Author Learning Center — Tue, 12 Nov 2019 16:55:01 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Author Learning Center on 11/12/2019 4:55:01 PM

A popular topic among writers is the use of a pen name, which is also called a pseudonym. But why do so many writers prefer to use a pen name when publishing instead of taking credit for their work themselves? There are actually many reasons an author would prefer to take on a second identity. Maintaining a hidden identity, writing about controversial topics, branding, and attempting to provide legal protection are just a few of the reasons an author may choose to write under a pen name. However, managing a second identity is not as easy as you may think.

If you are considering using a pen name for your work, first think of why. Do you want to be secretive? Are you a whistleblower? Are you revealing something of yourself that you don’t want your family to know? Here are a few pros and cons for you to consider.

Pros

Branding

Pen names are about branding. Book marketing expert and author Desiree Duffy chose to write under the pen name Vanta M. Black because her professional brand was vastly different from her author brand. She didn’t do it to keep her identity a secret, but some may choose a pen name for this reason. In that case, an author must consider how he or she is going to market and promote.

While pen names can be used to protect your professional brand, they can be used to protect your writing brand as well. One of the most common benefits is being able to create more than one brand when writing in different genres. Even well-known authors like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and James Patterson use pen names to avoid polluting their main brand. By creating a pen name for alternative genres, authors are also able to better target their new readers, both in-store and online, without confusing their primary audience. Author Jason Schmetzer states in an interview with the ALC, “There might be some crossover readers that purchase more than one genre from an author, but they are the exception and not the rule.''

Identity Protection

Another benefit of using a pen name is to protect your identity. Memoirists sometimes consider this approach due to the sensitive nature of their personal stories. We all have our demons and we don’t always want everyone to know about them, but may still want to help others with our story. With a pen name, you may be able to publish a book that contains the harrowing details of your life without your family, friends or coworkers ever knowing about it.

Authors who are writing about a dark childhood, upsetting divorce, or a double life can use a pen name to keep their families in the dark. Sometimes your story can be controversial. If peace around the Thanksgiving dinner table or in the office is a priority, you might want to explore this option.

Other Reasons

There are other less obvious reasons to adopt a pen name. If your legal name is difficult to spell or pronounce, a pen name may be a good option for you. Other examples include:

• Wanting your writing to be taken more seriously than your gender allows at the time

• There is another already published author with the same name as you

• Your legal name is too common and is easily forgettable

• Some male authors have used female pen names with the intention of increasing sales to women, who buy more novels

• Some female authors have used male names when writing in genre that is male dominated in order to be taken more seriously

Cons

Marketing/PR

Having to completely hide your identity will limit publicity opportunities. Podcasts, TV and radio interviews, and book signings will all be difficult if you want to maintain your protected identity. Speaking engagements, social media posting, blogging, YouTube videos, podcasts, book signings, pitching yourself to local media, launching online courses and hosting workshops are just a few examples of public appearances that will be limited if you choose to take on a pen name.

Multiple Identities

Using a pen name, secretly or not, also means you now have two identities to manage. You’ll have double the social media profiles, and possibly multiple websites. This can be a huge undertaking. You will have to treat it as a separate business and a separate brand, which will require extra effort on your part.

Adopting a pen name is a lot of work to maintain. Separate email addresses. Separate social media accounts. Separate personas. A pen name forces an author to split his or her personality, having to jump back and forth between two mindsets and communication strategies. When deciding if a pen name is right for you, think, “Is this a good reason so that some other parts of my life will be affected if I do not adopt it?”

Author and editor Elaine Ash, who writes crime fiction under the pen name Anonymous-9, says, “If your family is strictly vegan and you’re writing a drama about raising livestock on a ranch, you might want to use the pen name because it will make things more comfortable around the tofu-turkey at Thanksgiving.” Another helpful piece of advice Ash offers is to sit down with a pen and paper and write down the pros and cons of using a pen name and come to a decision from there.

Legal Considerations

Some writers believe that by using a pen name to publish their work, they will reduce their risk of getting sued. This is not always the case. Memoirists, for example, can’t assume that changing their name will protect them from a lawsuit. Even if the book contains their truth, the individuals they write about can claim otherwise. For more on these legal considerations, please see Libel Basics and Tips for Avoiding a Defamation Lawsuit as an Author.

Conclusion

While it’s not impossible to successfully write under a pen name, considering these factors and deciding how you will be able to handle it is an important first step. Every writer’s situation is different, but adopting a second identity is not an easy task and should be carefully researched.

Tags: article, fiction, Nonfiction

Advice for Writing Under a Pen Name When Switching Between Genres

Naomi Brett Rourke — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 18:48:58 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Naomi Brett Rourke on 10/3/2019 6:48:58 PM

Creating multiple pen names is not usually necessary, but there are cases where it would make sense, says author Naomi Brett Rourke. She writes under only one pseudonym, but has seen other authors use different ones depending on which genre they’re writing in. Rourke says this would be a smart move if the author is creating work in vastly different genres, like children’s books and erotica. But a writer moving from suspense to horror would probably be better off continuing to use the same name they have been using. Rourke acknowledges that this is something you just have to figure out as you go along.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AdviceforWritingUnderaPenNameWhenSwitchingBetweenGenres.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Author Naomi Brett Rourke on Writing Under a Pseudonym

Naomi Brett Rourke — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 18:45:45 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Naomi Brett Rourke on 10/3/2019 6:45:45 PM

Authors may choose to write under a pseudonym for a variety of reasons. Author Naomi Brett Rourke chose to do so because as a teacher writing about murder, crime, and the supernatural, she found it necessary to separate her professional persona from her writer persona. Rourke gave a lot of thought to what her pen name would be: it includes the name her birth mother was going to give her and the maiden names of her adoptive grandmother and adoptive mother. Rourke was able to honor these women with the pseudonym. While going by a different name was sometimes confusing at first, it’s no longer a problem for Rourke years later.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../AuthorNaomiBrettRourkeonWritingUnderaPseudonym.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

The Pros and Cons of Writing Under a Pen Name

Desiree Duffy — Thu, 12 Sep 2019 15:51:10 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Desiree Duffy on 9/12/2019 3:51:10 PM

If you are considering using a pen name for your work, there are a few things to keep in mind. Book marketing expert and author Desiree Duffy chose to write under the pen name Vanta M. Black because her professional brand was vastly different from her author brand. She didn’t do it to keep her identity a secret, but some may choose a pen name for this reason. In that case, an author must consider how he or she is going to market and promote. Having to completely hide your identity will limit publicity opportunities. Using a pen name, secretly or not, also means you now have two identities to manage. You’ll have double the social media profiles, and possibly multiple websites. This can be a huge undertaking. Finally, a pen name forces an author to split his or her personality, having to jump back and forth between two mindsets and communication strategies. While it’s not impossible to successfully write under a pen name, considering these factors and deciding how you will be able to handle it is an important first step.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheProsandConsofWritingUnderaPenName.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

The Pros and Cons of Writing Under a Pen Name

Desiree Duffy — Mon, 09 Sep 2019 14:08:19 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Using a Pen Name by Desiree Duffy on 9/9/2019 2:08:19 PM

If you are considering using a pen name for your work, there are a few things to keep in mind. Book marketing expert and author Desireé Duffy chose to write under the pen name Vanta M. Black because her professional brand was vastly different from her author brand. She didn’t do it to keep her identity a secret, but some may choose a pen name for this reason. In that case, an author must consider how he or she is going to market and promote. Having to completely hide your identity will limit publicity opportunities. Using a pen name, secretly or not, also means you now have two identities to manage. You’ll have double the social media profiles, and possibly multiple websites. This can be a huge undertaking. Finally, a pen name forces an author to split his or her personality, having to jump back and forth between two mindsets and communication strategies. While it’s not impossible to successfully write under a pen name, considering these factors and deciding how you will be able to handle it is an important first step.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheProsandConsofWritingUnderaPenName.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

The Benefits and Challenges of Writing with a Pen Name

Jason Schmetzer — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 20:44:54 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Jason Schmetzer on 11/19/2018 8:44:54 PM

One of the more common questions that many writers face is whether or not to use a pen name or pseudonym for their work. There can be some benefits to using a fictitious name when publishing your work says author, freelancer, and marketing expert Jason Schmetzer. The most common benefit is being able to create more than one brand when writing under different genres. Even well-known authors like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, and James Patterson use pen names to avoid polluting their main brand. By creating a pen name for alternative genres, authors are also able to better target their new readers, both in-store and online, without confusing their primary audience. There might be some crossover readers that purchase more than one genre from an author, Schmetzer says, but they are the exception and not the rule. Another benefit of using a pen name is to protect your identity. Memoirists sometimes consider this approach due to the sensitive nature of their personal story. Schmetzer warns authors to be careful when using a pen name, as it comes with some serious challenges. You will have to treat it as a separate business and a separate brand, which will require extra effort on your part.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheBenefitsandChallengesofWritingWithaPenName.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

The Benefits and Challenges of Writing With a Pen Name

Jason Schmetzer — Mon, 19 Nov 2018 20:30:16 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Using a Pen Name by Jason Schmetzer on 11/19/2018 8:30:16 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../TheBenefitsandChallengesofWritingWithaPenName.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, video

Elaine Ash on Establishing Her Pen Name, Anonymous-9 - podcast

Elaine Ash — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 17:05:28 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Elaine Ash on 2/2/2018 5:05:28 PM

Not wanting to alienate her clients, professional book editor Elaine Ash established the pen name "Anonymous-9" when she started experimenting with writing hard-boiled fiction. Hard-boiled fiction, also known as noir fiction, includes gritty, graphic crime stories with deeply conflicted characters. Her third short story "Hard Bite" won a Spinetingler Magazine award, greatly increasing her exposure. This success allowed her to be more open with her work going forward. If you are considering creating a pen name, Ash says, know that it's a lot of work to maintain this separate persona. Be sure you have a good reason, such as risking personal relationships, when you establish a pen name.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Elaine-Ash-on-Establishing-Her-Pen-Name_2C00_-Anonymous_2D00_9.mp3

Tags: fiction, podcast

Elaine Ash on Establishing Her Pen Name, Anonymous-9 - video

Elaine Ash — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 17:05:27 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Elaine Ash on 2/2/2018 5:05:27 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Elaine-Ash-on-Establishing-Her-Pen-Name_2C00_-Anonymous_2D00_9.mp4

Tags: fiction, video

Derek Taylor Kent on the Benefits of Creating His Pen Name, “Derek the Ghost” - podcast

Derek Taylor Kent — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 13:14:21 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Derek Taylor Kent on 1/5/2018 1:14:21 PM

Author Derek Taylor Kent writes the books for his award-winning, popular middle-grade series, Scary School, using the pen name "Derek the Ghost." This eleven-year-old character lives at the school and narrates the stories, writing about all of the crazy things that go on there. Kent created this character and pen name so that he could more easily capture the voice of his audience, allowing his readers to better relate to the stories. This approach has given him a big advantage, as publishers have told him they have a hard time finding content that is appropriate for this age group. He has expanded on this in his marketing efforts by offering a tour of the Scary School on his website along with opportunities to interact with "Derek the Ghost." He's found that authors as characters, such as the popular Lemony Snicket, keep kids engaged and interested, while opening the door for unique marketing initiatives.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Derek-Taylor-Kent-on-the-Benefits-of-Creating-His-Pen-Name_2C00_-Derek-the-Ghost.mp3

Tags: fiction, podcast, Children's Books

Derek Taylor Kent on the Benefits of Creating His Pen Name, “Derek the Ghost” - video

Derek Taylor Kent — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 13:14:08 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Derek Taylor Kent on 1/5/2018 1:14:08 PM

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../Derek-Taylor-Kent-on-the-Benefits-of-Creating-His-Pen-Name_2C00_-Derek-the-Ghost.mp4

Tags: fiction, video, Children's Books

Why Use a Pen Name? - video

Leslie Carroll — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Leslie Carroll on 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

Do you write in different genres? Listen in as author Leslie Carroll talks about why she needed a pen name to clarify her brand.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../LeslieCarrollWhyUseaPenName.mp4

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, video

Why Use a Pen Name? - podcast

Leslie Carroll — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Leslie Carroll on 1/9/2017 12:00:00 AM

Do you write in different genres? Listen in as author Leslie Carroll talks about why she needed a pen name to clarify her brand.

www.authorlearningcenter.com/.../PCLeslieCarrolWhyUseaPenName.mp3

Tags: fiction, Nonfiction, Subscriber, podcast

Using a Pen Name

Former Member — Sat, 12 Nov 2016 01:43:56 GMT

Current Revision posted to Using a Pen Name by Former Member on 11/12/2016 1:43:56 AM