J.Ok Rowling. Dr. Seuss. Mark Twain. Nora Roberts.
These authors aren’t who you suppose they’re.
Effectively, on paper a minimum of. These authors, and plenty of extra, select to write down beneath a pseudonym, additionally known as a pen identify, that means the names printed on their books usually are not the names they had been born with.
Some folks may suppose it’s unusual to place a unique identify on their books, however there’s a wealthy literary historical past of writers publishing beneath a reputation pseudonym. Whereas motivations might have modified all through historical past, there are lots of causes an writer at the moment may select to publish their work beneath a pen identify even after they’ve develop into well-established within the trade beneath a unique identify.
Let’s check out among the causes a author may select to write down beneath a pen identify so you’ll be able to determine if it’s best for you.
Causes Why You Might Select to Use a Pseydonym
1. Use a Pseudonym to Discover Totally different Genres
Branching out and exploring different genres is a good purpose to write down beneath a pseudonym.
Authors who begin out or make it massive in a single style may need to experiment in one other. However the advertising and marketing methods and audiences are sometimes completely different from one style to a different.
Romance readers may be drawn to brilliant, cheerful shade palettes, whereas horror readers know to search for darkish shades and sinister taglines. To maintain issues easy and separate, a author who started in romance may select to make use of a pen identify in the event that they need to strive writing horror.
When J.Ok Rowling wished to interrupt away from the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts and discover a brand new style, she wrote beneath the identify Robert Galbraith.
J.D. Robb is a bestselling crime and thriller author…who additionally occurs to be bestselling writer Nora Roberts. Although Nora Roberts was already a pen identify, she started writing beneath J.D. Robb to interrupt into the suspense style and went on to write down dozens of books in a futuristic police procedural sequence.
Past advertising and marketing, a author who’s well-established in a single style may need a tough time convincing their followers they are going to be capable to create compelling tales in a brand new style…so, they may need to create a pen identify to interrupt away from the repute they’ve already established.
2. Use a Pseudonym for Gender Neutrality
Authors might use pseudonyms to write down beneath a gender-neutral or reverse gender identify to keep away from bias or discrimination primarily based on their actual gender…as a result of sadly, it nonetheless exists (significantly in sure genres). A pseudonym may help boundary pushing authors attain a wider viewers or problem gender stereotypes.
That is the rationale Joanne Kathleen Rowling selected to publish as J.Ok. Rowling, which is technically a pen identify. Her writer urged she use her initials to keep away from any bias that will have been proven towards her as a lady writing within the primarily male-driven fantasy style.
This system goes each methods and Wade Rouse, USA TODAY, Publishers Weekly and internationally bestselling writer of 13 books, writes his books beneath the identify Viola Shipman. He makes use of the identify and his tales to honor the ladies, and the voices, that raised him.
Within the 2010s, 97% of bestsellers within the Spy/Politics style had been males. Should you’re a lady who needs to interrupt into this style and fearful you won’t be taken significantly in such a male-dominated style, you may think about using a pen identify.
Should you don’t need your readers to know your gender, establish beneath a unique gender than your delivery identify, or simply don’t need to be a stereotype inside a style attributable to your gender, you may think about using a pen identify.
3. Use a Pseudonym for Privateness and Anonymity
Utilizing a pseudonym permits authors to take care of their privateness and defend their private id. This may be particularly essential for people who need to separate their writing profession from their private life, change careers, or who want to focus on delicate or controversial subjects with out worry of private repercussions.
Should you’ve established your self in a single profession, particularly one which practices one other sort of writing or is pretty public, a pen identify may help you retain each careers separate and obtain a stage of professionalism in each. As an illustration, when you’re a reporter with a well-established profession and also you need to break into fiction writing, you may think about using a pseudonym to your fiction work.
If you wish to write a memoir and also you’re fearful about revealing info or details about your loved ones, you may want to defend their identities and your individual by writing beneath a pen identify.
4 Extra Causes to Use a Pseudonym
You may additionally select to write down beneath a pen identify of pseudonym if:
Your identify is widespread or already utilized by one other writer
Your identify is just too just like an already well-known writer
Your identify is troublesome to pronounce or spell
Your identify doesn’t suit your style (Sarah Loveless may be a terrific romance author identify however in all probability not a terrific match for a horror author. On this case, Sarah may select to write down beneath a pen identify)
Learn how to Select a Pseudonym/Pen Title
There isn’t any proper or flawed approach to decide on a pen identify but it surely’s a good suggestion to decide on one meaning one thing to you, that you simply like, and also you received’t thoughts seeing and being known as when you’re profitable!
Within the case of Wade Rouse, A.Ok.A. Viola Shipman, he selected his grandmother’s identify as his pen identify as a result of her heirlooms and household tales encourage his fiction.
Whereas the proper identify ought to really feel proper to you, listed below are some ideas to remember when selecting your pseudonym.
Verify for availability (web sites, social channels, and so forth)
Select one that matches your style (take a look at different writer names)
Make certain it’s simple to spell and say
Make certain it received’t be confused with one other identify
Take into account how previous (or younger!) the identify makes you sound
Use a pen identify generator (yow will discover these on-line simply by Googling)
Ought to You Use a Pseudonym?
Whereas these are all explanation why you may select to make use of a pen identify, the true query is; do you have to? Within the early 1900s, it was pretty simple to disguise your id by writing beneath a pseudonym…at the moment, it’s lots tougher. Even when writers select to write down beneath a pen identify, it’s pretty simple to search out their true id.
So, when you’re selecting to make use of a pen identify, you need to think about how strict you’re going to be about holding your actual id a secret.
Should you’re selecting a pen identify attributable to branding and advertising and marketing, then it’s not an enormous deal in case your double life is revealed. Should you’re attempting to remain nameless, you’re going to should be much more cautious.
Selecting to write down beneath your actual identify or use a pseudonym is an enormous determination and shouldn’t be taken calmly. The selection will comply with you to your whole profession and is a tough option to undo when you begin publishing. Take into account your causes, your viewers, and the kind of profession you’d wish to have after which…get writing!