Comments on: Author Pseudonyms

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 06:05:44 +0000

I came across this post searching for advice on using a pseudonym. I have a unique concern. I am an RN and I have a specific thing I want to blog about that I think would be a great start up. I also have a goal of expanding the blog into a book or two. Because I am a nurse and will be focusing on a unique nurse experience, I feel that I should use my real name for credibility purposes. However, I am married to a police officer. Our last name is also unique and is hard to forget. It’s one of those names that always puts a smile on your face. So my ultimate concern is safety. Anyways, just wanting to pick your brains. How do you maintain credibility without putting yourself at risk?

Thanks,
heather

By: Kathy Henderson-Sturtz

Kathy Henderson-Sturtz — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:22:42 +0000

I’ve only used a pseudonym when one newspaper I worked (as an advertising rep) for insisted I use one when I published articles in a regional magazine. Never quite understood upper management’s reasoning since they made it clear they had no objection to writing for any other non-competing newspaper or magazine.

I choose to use a sort-of-real name. My middle name + my step-father’s last name: Susan Kaufmann.

Otherwise, I’m agree with you, Nicole. I’m okay being me.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 17:15:44 +0000

Another issue is that there are times in our lives when we do change our names. I must admit to being surprised to the reaction I have had to saying that I used to be a James. I was Susan James until got I married. It was not linked to long term medical treatment. When I got divorced one of the things I had to do was decide what name I would use. It came down to which name carried the least baggage my maiden name or my married name.

Add to that mix trying to think of a business name at the same time. That is why I came up with Lily the Pink. It was more than just name in a silly song but the name of someone who was a good role model. Susan even means lily so it was a good nickname. It also means that that if someday I do change my name again I can stay being a Susan and being Lily the Pink.

By: Mary Schiller

Mary Schiller — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:44:18 +0000

In reply to Kelly. Kelly, you also made me think of another reason I'm using a pen name to write fiction for Kindle, which is that I still have a full-time job and don't want the company's brand (it's a biggie) associated with my name in any way. But I think that could be true if you have your own company, as well.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 03:24:16 +0000

Hey Experts, thanks for this post. I’ve never used a pen name, but after reading all of this through and thinking about it, I believe I need to.

I want to publish some Kindle books about a non-business topic, but I do not want to muddy the water for my main brand.

Thanks for all of the great info!

By: David Leonhardt (Amabaie)

David Leonhardt (Amabaie) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 14:39:50 +0000

Not quite a pen name, in that I do not use it when writing, but I go by Amabaie in social media. I have the misfortune of having the exact same name as a very popular New York Times columnist and a somewhat popular entertainer. And social media sites tend to like single-word names. So I chose Amabaie and in most places I stick to it, since it is rare enough that the name is usually available when I join a site; it is the unofficial name that used to be used for the community where I grew up.

By: Carl

Carl — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 03:41:13 +0000

I have read through all the comments on using pen names and everyone makes a great point in their comments. I especially like the idea of using a pen name to create a saleable business for my heirs – what a fantastic idea.

But one question lurks in my mind and that is: If you use a pen name do you use your own picture when creating profiles and what about videos do you avoid showing yourself on camera? What is the best strategy with these methods – pictures and videos?

By: Genesis

Genesis — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 02:56:10 +0000

I do use pen names. Some are not really names (like Gourmet Mama) and others are separate “people.” The reason for this is that I’m extremely varied in my writing and prefer not to mix folks up. I use a variation of my real name for my YA fiction, my initials for my WAHM books and a completely different name for other nonfiction.

By: Bill Nickerson

Bill Nickerson — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:14:31 +0000

I’ve not used pen names in any of my published writing, yet. But I’ve thought about it. Sometimes I think it is hard to have my name on everything I do and it doesn’t focus me in any particular niche. But then again, I’m not focused, so maybe that shows the real me.

I have written some childrens’ stories and I use a pen name for them. None have been published yet although I plan to publish them in Kindle in the new year. The only reason I chose a pen name for them is that I felt it would be more exciting and fun for kids than my boring, stuffy old name.

One area where I think pen names might be a good idea is for writers who write for both children/teens and for adults. An example that comes to mind is Rick Riordan. He writes fantastic stuff for both age groups, but I don’t want my young teen daughter, who loves both the Olympus and Kane Chronicles series, reading the Tres Navarre series. At least not for a few more years.

By: Cor

Cor — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 23:49:00 +0000

The name posted here is a derivative of my real name. Actually my first name is rather unique and is used as a subject for all emails I send….basically I have branded this with my subscribers and my emails never get lost in the muddle of all the crazy subject headings that show up in people’s email accounts and they are opened.

Having said that, I am moving more towards creating and have decided to go with a brandable pen name. My reasoning for this is….

Time moves onward and so does age…if I brand my name what future is there for my heirs? Once I am gone, yes some of the products will still be marketable for a while…BUT…if the brand is done under a pen name then either my heirs can carry on under the assumed pen name with no question of the change of authors….OR….the heirs can sell the complete product line and the pen name to someone else to carry on. If I just branded my own name then on my demise all the work and business would eventually evaporate.

Just my take on pen names.