pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Questions and Feedback

pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Edgar Courn 06-18-2009, 9:23 PM

Is it wise to use a pseudonym? I would like to use a penn name for my fiction works to make it clear that this is something different from my published nonfiction. Will readers of popular fiction see the use of a pseudonym as disingenuous? How would using a pen name influence publicity, biographies and the like? Thanks for your experiences and insights.

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Craven 06-24-2009, 5:49 PM
I think it's a good idea in your case. Your name is already out there and associated with a specific type of book. If you use the same name in a different genre, you risk alienating your established audience. They won't know what to expect when they see your name. You want to build your audience, not alienate them. You want your name to represent a consistent brand.

When you write in another genre, using a pseudonym allows you to build a second brand and culture a new audience, without alienating your original fans. It's nice to have those kinds of problems.

Good luck -Craven

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Edgar Courn 06-25-2009, 7:44 AM
Thanks for the feedback. What you write makes good sense. It may take a while to get my brain around signing someone esle's name. Of course, that is assuming that my fiction is good enough, and I am persistent enough to make it into print. e.c.

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Lounge Daddy 07-03-2009, 11:11 PM

This is a great question to post. :)

I always wondered how frustrating it would be to publish under a pen name. Would it be one of those "it seemed like a good idea at the time" situations? Dealing with paper work, the publisher, and (God willing) cashing a pay check... would that all become a confusing chore?

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Edgar Courn 07-06-2009, 7:53 AM
LD : Thanks for the post. Your questions are similar to mine. Especially that one about cashing checks. Vanity and perhaps practicallity come down on the side of the argument not to use a penn name. Drawing a clear distinction between me as a non fiction writer, and me as a writer of fiction is the strongest argument pro. Still it didn't seem to create problems fo Isac Asimov to use one name for his serious science writing and some great science fiction. Maybe there is no issue at all. ec

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

minnownj 07-18-2009, 12:03 PM

If you use a pseudonym just make sure you take care of the legal issues attached to it (i.e. income taxes and the IRS).

A good source for info on this topic is somewhere in a back issue of The Writer, I just can't remember when it was published, but I remember reading it. Use the search engine on writermag.com to find the article. If you don't find anything there, try Writers Digest (I subscribe to both, so maybe I read the article there, can't remember).

The IRS is constantly changing the rules for declaring a writer's income, so just make sure you educate yourself before diving into publishing under a pseudonym. Get a good tax attorney or accountant with experience representing writers.

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Edgar Courn 07-18-2009, 8:49 PM

minnownj: Thanks for the post. The article you mention is probably from the March 2008 issue of The Writer that addressed the topic of pseudonyms. It doesn't seem possible to access that article on line, so I will borrow a copy from a friend.

Your advice to pay attention to the financial aspects of using a pseudonym makes good sense. Fortunately I have been through some of that in a couple of business ventures and have good legal and tax advice handy. My concerns were more about the audience reaction.

I have just about talked myself out of using a pseudonym. So far the advantages don't seem to justify the potential problems, but I will continue to explore the question. ec

Re: pseudonym or not to pseudonym

Lounge Daddy 07-20-2009, 11:34 AM
Was there an article on this topic in the March 2008 issue? If so, I'll have to get my hands on a copy.