Writing a book under a pen name

How and when should writers use a pen name or pseudonym. Deciding not to use one is not a decision that is easy to take back. Aug, 2015 in this video stefan answers a question he commonly gets such as if one can publish a kindle book under a pen name. After all, if my work got lost in searches, or if it was confused with someone elses articles or books, that posed a problem. I also have a few neutral reasons that are a bit sticky, like obscuring your gender. Mar 29, 2019 the pen name you choose may depend to some extent on your reasons for choosing it. Dont be shortsighted or closedminded about the possibilities, though. It also helps to avoid muddying up your also boughts on amazon with the wrong books because of author name overlap. If you have a huge platform under your name and people will buy whatever you write, then dont worry about a pen name. The other thing youll want to do once you pick your pen name is to buy your website domain for that pen name example.

Women authors used to write under male names, some authors didnt want to be known as authors, and some wanted to write outside of their established genre. Jun 15, 2018 therefore, an author publishing under a pen name must make sure the links to achieve anonymity are strong. How would one go about writing a book under a pen name. You can use your trademark on all of your work legally. Form an anonymous llc its best to form an anonymous llc and name such company with the pen name you wish to use, using an actual law firm or properly licensed attorney to form the anonymous llc for you. Feb 08, 2018 why do some writers choose to write under a pen name. Wouldnt you be a bit ticked off if you bought stephen kings next book expecting blood, guts and hairraising intensity, only to find out its a weepy romance novel. Yet, if adopting a pen name can offer a writer creative freedom, there are drawbacks. Writing under a pen name can be a great tool for authors who need to keep their creative and professional identities separate. Many writers use pen namesbut theres a right way and a wrong way to publish your book, stories, poems, or essays under a pseudonym. When you see a familiar author s name on a book cover, you probably feel confident that you know what youre getting.

Joanna talked about her decision to write under two names last year when she chatted with the write practice team. Jul 01, 2014 yet, if adopting a pen name can offer a writer creative freedom, there are drawbacks. Like brand names, they are designed to be catchy, memorable and suited to the genre. Use a pen name to switch genres or professions joanna penn is a bestselling nonfiction writer. Another reason an author might use a pen name is if their real name is the same as an established author writing in the same genre. Sep, 2018 as i wrote above, its harder for me to interact with people under a pen name. Do you need to write under a pseudonym because people at work might. Most writers have a specific style and a genre that they return to over and over again. Because payment can get messy if youre writing under a pen name, be sure you know the etiquette for using a pen name in a query or cover letter. But what if a wellknown author wants to write something completely different without alerting. Pen names have also been used by established authors who want to write in another genre and want to use the pen name to target an entirely different audience.

Whats it called when a writer writes under another name. Seven legal myths about pen names sidebar saturdays. For instance, john sandford created his pen name, because he already had a novel from another series published under his real name. I know that one name for it is a pen name but there is another one that is a special word for it. This is especially true if writing fiction wouldnt garner respect from peers or authorities in your profession. Best you can do is publish a new edition under a pen name. Trademark your pen name if you want to identify a body of work such as a book series or screenplays. The term pen name is more closely linked to an authors pseudonym, because it more directly links the authors name to the name they write and publish under get it, pen name. Unlike most new authors, these famous writers didnt write under a pen name because. If you write a book under the pen name taylor swift or derek jeter, you may be accused of trying to. Choosing a different name creates a layer of deception between writer and reader in an era in which social. If you are publishing with kindle direct publishing kdp, using a pen name on amazon is very easy.

In some cases the first books in the series were written by one writer, but subsequent books were written by ghost writers. What if i want to freelance under a pen name while under contract with my real name. Kickstart your writing career with this pen name generator that boasts over 1 million fake names. Actors and artists often use fictitious names, and writers sometimes choose to create under a different persona as well. The realisation that if i ever managed to write a novel it would have to be under another name came 12 years ago when i was sitting in the. Established authors will do it to cross genres and keep from aggravating their fan bases. What are the pros and cons of writing under a pen name. For articles, short stories, and poetry, you can simply put your real name in the upper left corner of your manuscript or on the cover page, and list your pen name as your byline beneath the title. Ive done a deep dive on this lately, and found that, since i published the book in print as well, and it has an isbn, it is impossible to change the author name. Why i write under a pen name the writing cooperative. Their decision to write and become an author under a pen name. Go to the website for the united states patent and trademark office and use the trademark electronic search system tess to check that the words or name you want to trademark are available. You might choose to do the same write under a name thats yours.

Pen name generator choose from over a million pen names. Writing under a pen name is like doing an impersonation of someone doing an impersonation. Writing under a fictitious name was a very common practice in the eighteenth century, when writers and journalists used pseudonyms to pen controversial or even illegal articles and letters to the editor. All you need to do is add your new name as the authors name in the contributors section when you are preparing the book for publication. Often, writing under a pseudonym is as easy as putting the phrase writing as on your manuscript.

I didnt sign a noncompete clause or anything, but i want a gap between work and writing. Nov 17, 20 writing under a pen name is like doing an impersonation of someone doing an impersonation. Suppose you have landed a book contract that limits the number of outside projects you can work on. Writers reasons for using pen names range from rules of their jobs, to wanting to protect their families, to their publishers simply wanting names that sounded better. A positive adjective that could be used to describe you a weapon an adjective that could be used to describe the weapon e. If you search my pen name, its likely youll find just me. Mar 29, 2019 writers have adopted pseudonyms or pen names to disguise themselves for a number of reasons. Authors write under pseudonyms, or pen names, for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest decisions youll face as a newly contracted author is whether or not to write under a pseudonym. If you know it would be easier to write under pen names but you cant handle the idea of juggling them all, you might want to consider not writing under pen names. Some female authors used male pen names, in particular in the 19th century, when writing was a maledominated profession. However, there are other good reasons for using a pseudonym than just competing bylines or genres.

Joyce carol oates wanted to publish an experimental, literary novel. A pair of sunglasses is on top of books by famous authors on a beach table. Pen names and bylines are not registered unless youre a member of the writers guild of america, which is a union for screenwriters and only for screenwriters. Writers have adopted pseudonyms or pen names to disguise themselves for a number of reasons. How to publish anonymously under a pen name law 4 small. Choosing a different name creates a layer of deception between writer. What was the name of the first street where you lived. The simplest method would be to give away copies of the book. Like when steven king wrote the girl who loved tom gorden he wrote it under another name to see the reactions he got to a different style of writing. Ive fantasized about using an alias, but my fantasy mostly entails making a lot of money by writing a. Pen names have been a part of literature for as long as literature has been around. This is the collaborative pen name of the scottish sisters emily and dorothea gerard, who wrote novels together in the late 1880s. I want to know what the professional name is for when a writer does this. Pen names and why authors use them writing advice and.

Sep 22, 2014 on the flip side, though, taking a pen name for the wrong reasons could hurt you if you dont think carefully and strategically about why youre publishing under a different name. Very common in the publishing industry pen name also known as a pseudo name, it. In fact, its far more difficult to name yourself than to name a character when youre writing novels. Why do some writers choose to write under a pen name.

Oct 01, 2018 the cousins were also responsible for four novels published under the name barnaby ross, ghostwritten by don tracy, but controlled and edited by the cousins. This is done by signing contracts with the publisheragent using the real name corresponding to the pen name. Select it as the author, and it will show as the primary author. For example, if you write primarily literary fiction but want to write romance or erotic fiction under a different name, your pen name might have a flowery, romantic bent. How to change your author name to a pen name when selfpublishing. Therefore, if you write under a pen name, youll want to provide both your legal name and your pen name on your application for registration.

I used the pen name because i knew i wanted to write better novels under. Aug 15, 2019 if you write in multiple genres with little overlap fiction vs. I know that an author can use a pen name pseudonym instead of a true name when publishing the traditional way. If you want a readership of 100,000, give away 150,000 copies about two thirds will actually finish reading.