Should I Use a Pen Name?

Pseudonyms, commonly known as pen names, are fictitious names that people use in place of their legal name. For writers, using a pen name is a personal decision. Each writer who uses a pen name has his or her reasons for doing so, and those reasons are as varied as the people who use them.

Love Thy Name

Some writers dislike their given name, whether it's the surname, first name or both, so they change it to what they like. Perhaps the writer feels that his legal name is somewhat unappealing or just not exciting enough. Or maybe the writer feels that she is a different person when she writes, so she names her persona and uses it as a pen name. Whatever the situation, writers, like actors, often have a 'public' name different than their given name.

Hide and Seek

In our world of writing, some very private writers exist. These writers want to stay in the shadows for a short while or forever. Perhaps the writer is shy and hates to be in the spotlight, or wants to keep his private life, well, private. Maybe the writer feels embarrassed for writing a certain book and wants to keep things quiet. If a writer wants to hide his identity, what better way to do it than to change his name? The author of the famous Harry Potter series used the pen name, J.K. Rowling. Her given name is Joanne Rowling. The "K" is for Kathleen, a deceased grandparent. It is said that the pen name J.K. Rowling was used so as not to lose male readers who probably wouldn't have read her books had they known she was female. A few other famous examples of authors using a nom de plume include Dr. Seuss (given name Theodore Geisel), Lewis Carroll (given name Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) and Toni Morrison (given name Chloe Anthony Wofford).

Pressure Medicine

In a British interview, J.K. Rowling hinted that after completing the Harry Potter series, she may use a different pen name to write other books in the future. Many writers decide to do this to lower the pressure. If you have already authored a book, your fans may expect something similar and just as magnificent as your previous work. Also, when a writer switches genres from one book to the next, there's a true risk that your readers will dislike your new work. To relieve the stress, a pen name might be just what the doctor ordered.

And the Moral is…

You never need an excuse or reason to have a pen name. If you feel like using one, go ahead. It is not unusual for writers to have pseudonyms, and no one ever said it was a terrible thing to do. If your fans love your book, they won't care if your name is Bugs Bunny, as long as you keep writing.