Pen Name Facts: Think Safety

A pen name is a pseudonym used by authors to conceal their identity while writing. Many reasons exist for an author to choose a pen name, starting with the fact that in this century our global motto reads: Think Safety. Online writers with their location displayed need to consider a pseudonym so that their private information is not available on Google.

Why choose a pen name?

During the 19^th century, females were discouraged from entering the writing profession. Many publishers would not look at work from a female. Smart women of this era started hiding behind a male identity to be published. Today, some prejudices still exist over male and female writings. Many females still enjoy writing under a non-female pen name.

Using a pseudonym is a smart thing to do if you plan to be writing about controversial topics such as crimes, politics, religion, or celebrity gossip where a heated debate can trigger searches for personal information. There are services online that will sell tracking information from public records for a small fee. Always: Think Safety.

Another reason to choose a pseudonym is that they act like a filing system. By using a pen name, serious articles can be separated from informal writing, and it is possible to develop identity recognition in each writing style. Pseudonyms can be used just like carefully crafted titles to portray the right emotions to your reading audience.

Never tell lies to your publisher. Publishers need real information for payment and tax reasons; most publishers will understand your use of a pen name. Pseudonyms are found through various systems: out-of-thin-air, a name with personal meaning, or through an online identification generator. Baby books are also excellent resources to use.

My favorite method of picking a pseudonym includes research; masculine first and last name should be ethnically related in appearance. The spelling must be short to conserve character space and hold eye-appeal to be remembered when they are seen in print. Choosing identities that look very simple is also a big plus in many writing circles.

For your best writings, pick an identity that has the pseudonym being listed at the beginning of the alphabet: Ann Aaron or whatever your creativity finds to send the literature to the top of the heap. Each new identity considered should be researched to insure that it is not already being used, or you may risk being sued.

Who am I behind my by-line? M.A. Maxx of course! But my friends just call me Ma'.