#Pen names

[literaticat]

As far as pen names go, would it be better for a pen name to reflect my ethnic origins the way my real name does or should I use something that sounds generically Anglo-Saxon? I feel like the latter would be more accessible but the first feels more honest??

You are free to do what makes you most comfortable and happy, of course -- but there is no need to whitewash your own cultural identity or heritage just to please random strangers.

If you were a rando white person who wanted to take on an "ethnic sounding" name in order to mislead people into assuming you were from a culture not your own -- that'd be cultural appropriation, and gross to say the least.

The reverse isn't true. There is a long, long history of people with complicated or so-called "weird"*** names changing them to something ostensibly "prettier" or easier for strangers to pronounce or remember, more "mainstream", etc etc. That goes for both entertainers and authors as well as regular folks going through Ellis Island or whatever. Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski became Joseph Conrad, English-language literary novelist. Archibald Leach became Cary Grant, Hollywood star. So-and-so Broniewski became So-and-so Brown.

That's NOT appropriation, that's more like assimilation.

And fair enough -- listen, obviously there's still racism and xenophobia in this country - can you imagine coming to the US or UK in the 1910's or 20's and wanting to, say, open a store or write for a newspaper or be in a movie or whatever with a lengthy and/or unusual and/or difficult to pronounce foreign-language name? Sadly, you probably would not have gotten past the front desk.

The thing is, this is not the 1920s -- while I'm not saying America is perfect now by any stretch, at least I DO think mainstream Whitemericans are much more used to and appreciative of Interesting Names these days than they used to be.

Meanwhile, it's not just Whitemericans who buy books. People of all cultures and creeds read books. Representation matters! Maybe kids with your cultural background haven't seen many awesome authors from wherever-you're-from with your less-usual kind of name. Maybe your success will make them feel seen. That's cool!

The Whitemericans who you presumably want to appeal to -- those who are nice and buy books -- won't care. (On the other hand, the type of a-holes who would discriminate against or make fun of somebody's name are probably not big readers anyway, so to heck with them!)

All of which is to say: You have every right to use a pen-name that is meaningful to you and reflects your own heritage/culture if you want to do that, and there's no particular reason not to. Especially if you are writing books that are set in or around that culture! Like -- you have legit claim to that identity -- you aren't pulling a Yellowface here.

BUT, if you WANT to pick an "Anglo-Saxon" kind of a name for whatever reason -- (Maybe your books have nothing to do with your cultural identity at all and you just want something that sounds "Romance Novel"-ish, or maybe you have a lengthy name and want one that is easier to sign, or maybe you want to hide your cultural identity because you have family in the Old Country who might get in trouble for your work -- I don't know!) -- that's fine, too.

Just know that, while it's VERY VERY common to have a pen-name, it's usually for general "privacy" or "I don't really like my given name" reasons, and authors often choose a name that is pretty close to their actual name, but a nickname or a family name or something like that, or something that is meaningful but "sounds better" to them.

I think, these days, choosing a VERY different generic Anglo-Saxon name for purely "culture-hiding" reasons would be somewhat a less common choice, and it's quite unlikely any publisher would EXPECT or DEMAND that you hide your culture in that way.

*** I put "scare quotes" around certain words here, like "ethnic sounding" and "weird" and "prettier" and "mainstream" -- because I don't think any names actually ARE any of those things per se, but some people might say they are.

[at-thezenith]

on pen names: i think they are a very valuable tool, particularly to separate one's own private life with their professional life, or to enable everyone to look at an author's work with fresh eyes. they can be helpful when you're writing in a different genre for the first time, or if you've significantly departed from your earlier work.

what they AREN'T for is deceiving people into giving second chances that aren't deserved, or evading accountability by hiding behind an ***ambiguous*** name.

i feel sad for the authors i've seen on twt the last few days that feel they've had to prove themselves and reveal their legal identity because of two (that i have seen so far) deeply strange cases

tldr: pen names are good! brownface and bullying is not!

[sweetfirebird]

Yesterday and today, as the controversy goes on, I have been just sort of sitting here with a bunch of thoughts about it but not saying anything because like, I don't feel well, my thoughts are not organized, and it's not about me so who cares. But mainly my thoughts are along the lines of: this keeps happening, and there is something in the 'system' that allows it to and even rewards it, and maybe people need to think about that. This kind of shit with Freydis Moon or what their name is now happens in fannish circles and it happens here, and it is something bullies and weirdos and the wannabe famous do in this environment because again, something about the environment not just allows them to but encourages it. Helps it thrive (for a while). And there is probably something something identity politics in there. And something something about the inner workings of the groups at the top of this particular food chain (whether people in those groups admit they are at the top or not). And something something also the vulnerabilities of an industry where many people have to write secretly or under different names for security reasons or because romance is one step above sex work as far as many outside the genre are concerned (and we know how those people feel about sex work and sex workers). All of which is to say, this is an individual problem (this person lying, abusing people, being a bully etc) but also a systemic one. And people can get mad at that person but this has happened before, and it will very probably happen again, and there is really nothing (atm) to stop or prevent it.

And also, as a sidenote to all the other weird discourse now happening--pen names are fine. Pen names are not "deception." Pen names are pen names, with a long history of use from all writers throughout time, and much like many stage names, are used for personal reasons, often having to do with security. But even if security is not involved and it's just a matter of separate genres or a writer just wanting a little privacy, or even just the writer's choice for no reason at all, writers get to use pen names. And yeah there is some identity politics in there as well when certain authors are lying about who they are to get like, own voices points or whatever but the names themselves are fucking fine to use.

[riverlark]

Having settled on a pen name I think I am going to have to rename this blog so my personal and writing blog match (and what I will start doing is posting the writing on the writing blog then reblogging it over here), bear with me guys I know name changes are terribly confusing…

[bam-stroker]

Pen Names

Alright crypt cuties, I think I'm gonna have to bite the bullet on this one and have 2 pen names. Because the robot fuckery has me in a chokehold and the writing for that stuff is so super different then my fantasy stuff. I'm gonna just keep everything under this one blog to promo but when I start publishing you'll see another pen name floating around that's mine. It'll probably be something along the lines of Zap Bang

Maybe if things go well I might make a side blog for that pen as well, but I'm treating this as home base tbh. I'll probably end up making a newsletter too that folks can join so it's easier for folks to get news about stuff. Maybe multiple newsletters so one could be for the sci fi and the other for fantasy stuff so folks can engage with the stories they want *shrug*

[tamarahtalkstv]

If I Make A Doujinshi Should I Use My Real Name Or A Pen Name?

[my-words-are-light]

Just gonna diverge 'ere but I wish superhero stories heard of that. Would be nice for folks to call each other by code names that they make up for sounding cool.

Shirley: Oh hey, Nata— Hero: SHUSH! What did we discuss? Shirley: Oh for the love of... Are you seriously going to make me call you Wattlock? Hero: Yes. Shirley: Why? I've known you since you were four. Hero: Because the last thing I want is anyone or anything—like, say, a recorder—overhearing us and some subreddit hunting down my address from my reflection on a glass window AND my name. Let's just keep our boundaries.

Yes, it's realistic.

[bloseroseone]

Famous Authors Who Used Pen Names (and Why They Did It)

Authors have used pen names to gain notoriety, engender mystery, or just to keep their personal identities apart from their writing throughout the history of literature. Pen names, also referred to as pseudonyms, can have an intriguing effect on a writer’s career by enabling them to experiment with various genres, conceal their true identity, or defy social expectations. Here, we’ll examine the backstories of some of the most well-known pen names in literature and the motivations behind these writers’ decisions to adopt a false identity.

What Is a Pen Name?

When an author publishes their work, they use a pen name, also known as a pseudonym, instead of their real identity. Pen names are used for a variety of reasons, including privacy concerns and literary experimentation. For some, a pseudonym allows them to reach a wider audience or mask their identity in order to avoid discrimination or judgment.

Reasons Authors Use Pen Names

1. Privacy and Anonymity

Many authors use pen names to safeguard their privacy and anonymity, particularly when writing about delicate or controversial subjects. A pseudonym allows writers to express themselves creatively without fear of public scrutiny or repercussions on their personal life. Privacy is especially vital for authors who work in restricted areas or discuss sensitive political subjects. They can use a pen name to publicly share their work while keeping their identity confidential, providing for better personal protection and creative expression.....Continue reading

[rjnello]

How You Know Me

The other day, author Delphine Woods (of whom I am a fan) in her Instagram stories, asked us followers to help her make a decision about her pen name. She is looking to move away from her current rather “dark” and Victorian-era novels she has written for years. She was wondering about a new name to write something “lighter” in the modern “rom-com” sense: [From author Delphine Woods’s Instagram,…

[cara-delaney-author]

I've been struggling with finding a new pen name for like a year now.

A few minutes ago I finally got around to googling a bird I saw, and I might have a name now. It's short, snappy, most importantly not being used by any authors yet 😂

Stupid cool bird, couldn't you show up sooner >:-/

(The bird was probably a Eurasian goshawk engaging in a display flight. Haven't seen one of those in a while, nice to spot one again.)

[gildedbearediting]

World Poetry Day

Another day, another thing to celebrate. March 21 is World Poetry Day, and with that in mind, I’d like to take a look at poets and poetry. While I could talk at length about William Shakespeare or William Butler Yates, I’d rather search through other voices. Voices like Matsuo Bashō, Edwin Arlington Robinson, Elizabeth Bishop, Sara Teasdale, and Gabriela Mistral. Matuso Bashō was one of the…

[literaticat]

Hi Jennifer, can you offer any advice/suggestions around managing marketing/ publicity as a picture book author who wants to write under a pen name and not do face-to-face interviews/ visits? Potentially happy to do some faceless social media, blogs, or podcasts but not interested in being publicly known due to privacy/ anxiety/ protecting my family. How would you recommend approaching this with agents/ publishers? Thanks

I don't want to minimize your concerns, so first let me say, if your fear is based around something truly scary (like you have an abusive ex who you are scared will come out of the woodwork or something like that?) -- or a privacy issue you worry will have blowback onto your real life (like your books are about being LGBTQ and you don't feel like you can come out because of your religion or day job or something like that?) -- Well, you just need to be honest with your agent and publishing team about what is going on, what you CAN do and what you CAN'T do, and let them help protect you and your privacy. Be candid with your agent from the time you sign with them, and they can handle having conversations with the publisher when the time comes that there is actually a book to promote.

WE CAN HELP YOU IF WE KNOW THERE'S A PROBLEM. We can't help you without the information! The good news is, your agent and publisher are not MONSTERS, and they don't want you to do anything that would put you in danger make you have a heart attack or anything like that!

Further good news: many opportunities you'd have to talk to people are NOT open to the general public. School visits and conferences and things like that are in controlled environments and would not really even be publicly advertised. So if you say ahead of time, look, I don't feel I can do public / open events because of this yikes situation, but I would feel OK, say, doing podcasts / blogs / talking to librarians / booksellers at a private luncheon during a conference, doing school visits on Zoom, or what have you -- they can totally work with that. Figure out what your comfort level is, and what you are willing and able to do, and ask for help if you need it.

That being said: If your problem is not quite as dire as all that, but is more about just general anxiety, well. I'm not saying "get over it" (OK, I am kind of saying that but hopefully nicer!) -- I just do think that perhaps, without an actual cause for concern, this is fear-based, as in, you are anxious, and your anxiety-brain is coming up with scenarios and rationalizing your fear rather than handling it. And if that's the case, there are ways around that. Perhaps it will help you a bit to realize that MANY authors have these feelings, and they are deal-with-able.

Because make no mistake, a certain amount of self-promotion, marketing efforts, etc, are pretty much mandatory. (As in, not only will they be expected, they might even be in your publishing contract.) Being an author is a public-facing job. Part of it involves promoting your work. School visits, bookstore visits, conferences, panels, signings, story-times, meeting kids, talking to teachers and librarians -- it's going to be tough to avoid all this stuff and also have a thriving career as a children's book author. Blog posts and podcasts are a start-- but they aren't going to move the needle a fraction in terms of sales compared to, say, meeting a bunch of booksellers at a conference or doing school visits and getting on state book lists because the librarians love you so much.

So see if you can get to the root of this. Where is the fear coming from?

If you feel like you can't things in public because of anxiety, see about managing your anxiety. (Therapy! Medicine! Meditation! There are things that can help!) If you are just nervous, like "oh, I don't love public speaking" -- MOST people are nervous, and few people DO love public speaking, you just get decent at it if you practice, and your audience can't tell if you feel like puking as long as you don't actually puke.

"I want to protect my family" "I want personal privacy", etc, are perfectly rational concerns to have. Of COURSE they are. But do you think, honestly, that every single author on earth who has a website and does school visits and book signings DOESN'T want to protect their family? That they DON'T care about their personal privacy? Of course they do. So how do they do that and still have a public-facing persona?

First, you already said you are planning to use a pen-name. Second, you also have control over your own image and you can curate your persona to be just what you want it to be. In other words, if you have a website that you create that is exactly how you want it, you choose the picture, you write the bio, you make the press kit, you choose what to talk about on social media, etc -- you can include or exclude whatever you want.

So if you are self-conscious, you can choose the headshot that makes you feel like a bad-ass, or the one where you are in a burrito costume, or whatever. If you don't want to talk about your kids or spouse -- DON'T! You don't need to mention them or name them. You don't need to say the town where you live (though the general region would be helpful). You don't need to say what your day job is or where you went to school.

When people write stories about you and your book, they will use the info and the headshot you've so helpfully provided, rather than digging up some random pics and info off the Internet. When you get invited to talk to some librarians, or do a school visit, it will be promoted using the info YOU have given them. Hopefully knowing that you are in control of your own narrative will give you a measure of comfort!

TL;DR: You don't have to do any promotion that makes you seriously uncomfortable or worse. But you do have to do SOMETHING. Talk to your agent!

[the-phantom-peach]

mmmm something something time rift blah blah yada yada ✨links meet au✨

[lazyscience]

Chuck, when it is a hard day not to fight devilmen by putting on a pair of horns of my own, you’re one of the people I think of. It’s easy to be angry and afraid and lash out when I feel like people aren’t listening. But instead of being mean you make things - surprising things, funny things, emotional things, kind things. The satisfaction from lashing out in anger is tiring, and it leaves me feeling kind of empty and sad waiting for the next devil to attack. but making things, and reading things other people make helps me remember to look for the good, the beautiful, and the kind. It makes the world a happier place to be.

keep writing, multiple Hugo Award nominated Dr. Tingle. AI doesn’t prove love is real, you do.

kindness is just about the coolest quality there is. when it comes to buds ill take kindness over pretty dang much anything

[mmokbooks]

Starting a new PEN Name

I am separating my published SciFi novels and upcoming fantasy books into a different pen name. If you are looking for my SciFi work, the website is still mkosmun.com, but if you have subscribed to this blog, unfortunately when I split the site I didn’t take into account that I couldn’t transfer subscribers and they will stay with the parent site (this one). Silly me, I know. Sorry about that.…

[thepedanticbohemian]

No pen name for me

I use my real fucking name. No shame here. No regrets.

Why?

Because all you haters, abusers, molesters, rapists, abusive husbands, et al in y past. Y'all going to see me and my success coming a mile away. Nowhere to hide. And yeah, that murderer/rapist in my books was modeled on you. Live with that.