Do you use a pen name?

No pseudonyms here. Everyone who ever offended or belittled me must squirm with envy when they see my name on the bestseller lists!

I agree. If I am too ashamed to put my name to it, then I won't write it.

It's not always about shame. I'm planning on slightly modifying my name, for several reasons.

I have interactions where I prefer the other person not to know I write porn -- I consider that pragmatism, not shame.

I write in multiple genres, so I will probably use a pseudonym for each just to minimize confusion.

Uni-Ball ONYX micro

I wasn't going to use my real name, as the first time I tried to google it, it came up with a load of youtube videos for a drag queen. Plus, well, I was shy ( yeah that sounds like me doesn't it. Ha. But true)

So, *brainwave* I'll use my initials and my surname. Cool. Especially the Z. I googled it - nada.

Then when I finally sell the book, editor does a google and come sup with....well how shall I put this? A supposedly rather 'infamous' errr... errr...spiritualist. Sort of. Who speaks to 30,000 year old warriors. No really.

So, having checked that my normal name no longer flags as a drag queen, I've gone back to that.

When I'm published (not if) I plan to use a pseudonym. More of a tribute to my parents. I'll use both their middles names.

Yep.

Many people seem to think that just because you hide behind a pen name means you're ashamed of what you write. Not so. I don't really wish for anybody to know that I write; not because I'm ashamed but because I'm really actually quite shy about it. I can count on one hand the people who know that I write, and I'm sad to say many have been very unsupportive (without even having read anything I've written or even hearing what it's about).

So, I largely keep it to myself.

Oooops, sorry didn't mean to imply that those using pseudonyms are ashamed of what they are writing. I'm sure there are as many reasons for using a pen name as there are people doing it... but that it the only reason I would have for using one... (Better stop digging)
Sorry folks!

I use my username, not my real name, when posting all my writing online, but that's only because I don't want weirdos coming after me. (It's happened. Online only, but that's bad enough for me.) The people in my real life don't even know about some of the material I write and I'd prefer to keep it that way.

But all my writing carries the same username and if I were to be published, I'd go with just one name, my real one. My style and voice are always the same and I couldn't hide anything no matter how hard I try. So even if I had a pseudonym it'd be obvious, and I wouldn't see the point of having a known pseudonym, so...! Oh, plus, I just like my real name and would prefer seeing that on the book's cover as opposed to a pen name.

I did use a pseudonym when I started posting my adult writing online, though. I was very anxious of what people would think if good sweet prudish decent PG-13 Tehuti were found out to write such stuff! There was a bit of surprise when I outed myself but for the most part not many people noticed. Maybe this is one good point of not being terribly popular.

I write in 3 different genres and have two very distinct voices. So, yeah, I use a pen name for two genres and my real name for one.

BTW, my pen name is my user name here--my initials plus my last name before my family moved from Europe and changed it.

I've been published only under my real name, but I plan to use a pseudonym from here on in thanks to a psycho stalker new-girlfriend-of-ex-boyfriend situation that continues to rear its ugly head. I've changed my usernames on all the forums she's stalked me on (or stopped using them altogether), ended my old, personal blog after she figured out the password for the photos area and regularly looked at photos of me with the ex, and now provide any newly-written material under my pseudonym.

Being aware of just one weirdo has freaked me out enough, so I'd like to keep my private life private under my name, and any public life less personal and accessible. Simple as. I'm not bothered about the one-upmanship of showing people in my past that I'm a successful author (if I ever make it!), although I do see how that would be satisfying at the same time. :O)

I use my real name for my picture books through MG projects, but will use a pen name for my "big WIP" that has recently morphed from a YA to more of an adult genre. The voices are too different - I have a great imagination but have a smidge of a difficult time seeing cute little dragon stories written by the same author as adult fantasy/horror novels

If i ever get published i would probably use a pen name. It would probably be my nick name and initials.

XX

Deccydiva said:

Oooops, sorry didn't mean to imply that those using pseudonyms are ashamed of what they are writing.

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It's not just you That's something I've commonly heard people say. Thought I'd address it.

Also, I want to qualify that one statement I made about "most" being unsupportive. That's not true. Of the five real-life people I've told, only two have been unsupportive.

Nom du blog? Yes. Nom du plume? No.

I'm not attached to having my real name on my work. The pen name is fine with me. It helps remind me that my writing is about the story, not about me. I find writing under a pen name quite freeing, actually, and the feeling of accomplishment from getting a story published didn't go away with the new name. It's my little secret.

I also had a "fan" that used to send me gifts and e-mails every time he saw a new article of mine and wouldn't take a hint when I wouldn't respond to his messages (e-mail blocker didn't work because he simply changed his e-mail address to get around it). I've finally shaken him off my trail, but it took a few years.

Okay, so I have to be honest. Kirby is not my real name. It's the name of my chinchilla pictured to the left. With that being said, I use two different names because I write in two different genres. I use my actual name for my fiction and my maiden name for my job as a broadcast journalist (I hear too often from my fans at the local prisons). I built a name with my maiden name as a journalist (16 years). Besides, what would the governor think that I just interviewed after she turns around and reads my book about faeries, dragons, and leprechauns? I would fear I would no longer be taken seriously as a journalist.

Like thethinker, I have always planned to publish in more than one genre if possible, which would probably require multiple pseudonyms. So I decided to use pseudonyms for all my books -- why should some have my real name on them and some not?

Also, honestly, I find it very helpful psychologically; it is possible for me to hear both the worst criticism and the highest praise without either feeling personal. Knowing that what I see is about "Claudia Gray" reminds me that it's about my work, not about who I am as an individual.

Same here. I'm planning to write in two different genres so I'll use pen names.

NeuroFizz said:

Uni-Ball ONYX micro

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KTC said:

I was going to go with that type of answer, but then I realized we weren't in OP. (-; I call my Bic Bob.

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Wiseguys.

Mine's called "Penny".

I haven't used a pen name in the past, but I plan to from here on out.