Using a pen name?

Isaac Asimov, professor of biochemistry at Boston University, was equally well-known as a science fiction author.

Stephen King, not sure his early works would be popular with his real name attached, used Richard Bachman. Bachman's true idenity wass discovered and King issued a press release about Bachman dying from "cancer of the pseudonym."

If you became as famous and popular as J.K. Rowling, any museum would thrive with you as their curator,

I'd say not to worry, but use your initials if you think it might be future problem.

It was my understanding that Stephen King used a pen name because his publisher only wanted one book a year and he wrote books faster than that.

There are many reasons to use a pen name.

Some people will prefer to keep their 'writer persona' and their 'day job persona' separate and some will not. I do, not necessarily because I think it'd do me harm - I just prefer to keep them separate because the one really has nothing to do with the other. Some people use a pen name simply because their own name is hard to spell or general privacy issues. In many cases it's no secret what their real name is; they just don't use it.

Personally, I don't think being a writer of historical fiction is going to ruin anybody's chances of making it in the academic world, but yes, it will influence how people think of you. They will likely read your books and look for glaring errors (people are small-minded like that, especially in the academic world).
If that will bother you, then you might find the pressure stifling your writing (if you were to feel like all your colleagues were peeking over your shoulder when you wrote). In that case, you'd probably be better off using different names and keeping your writing secret. If you don't think it'll bother you, then go for it. I don't think it'd ruin your chances of an academic career by any means.

If you're interested, Mary Bly who is a tenured associate professor of English Literature at Fordham University also writes romance under the name Eloisa James (very successfully). I know she kept her 'dual careers' under wraps until she got her tenure, just in case. But that was a few years ago, plus I think perhaps the mix of English lit and romance might be slightly more volatile. You could look into what she has said about her experiences (I know she's been asked the question many times).

I know books like The Other Boleyn Girl are popular, but is Philipa Gregory... well known in the Tudor-community (amongst actual historians).

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Yes.

I think going with a pen name for the reasons you mention is a good idea, at least at this point in your career.

Case in point: a few months ago, I was talking to an academic historian about a tenured, award-winning professor of history and the subject of her novel came up. Hooo-boy! Let's just say, if he was on a hiring committee looking at her, I wouldn't be too optimistic. (Okay, given the current state of the academic job market, I still wouldn't be optimistic, but that's neither here nor there.)

There seems to be a notion that you if you divide your time between non-fiction and fiction, you won't have enough time for both (not to mention all the educational and administrative - as opposed to research - aspects of being in academia). Considering the way academic schedules work, especially the fact that you're supposed to be researching and writing non-fiction in your every spare moment, you can perhaps see why some academics disapprove of a fellow academic's attention divided between two different types of writing.

Hi Belle,
Definitely not pointless to submit works to agents under your name (your agent needs to know your name anyway, especially if you want to get paid for your work). The people you should be able to trust to keep your penname should be your agent and your editor.

Generally...

I don't approve of pen names except if you write two very different types of book, and your publisher wants you to keep the two separate as the readers of one book wouldn't like the other.

BUT in your case, because of your work, I would. When you are safely ensconced in your job then you can let slip the news of your novel writing.

At the end of the day, it won't matter how well you research your book, there will be someone who will think that the research is soddy, if only because they have misconceived conceptions of the facts.

All very good advice and I, too, think you make a good case for having a pen name.

cooeedownunder said:

At the end of the day, it won't matter how well you research your book, there will be someone who will think that the research is soddy, if only because they have misconceived conceptions of the facts.

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Very true. Just think of the misconceptions still held today regarding Richard III and Cleopatra VII, for example.

I would add that history as we know it is not fixed. Every day some new piece comes to light and changes—and challenges—previously accepted 'facts'. The best any of us can do is to perform our due diligence based on information available today.

Belle_91 said:

Thanks? When does one decide if they are going to use a pen name? I've already submitted agents under my real name.

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Use your real name when corresponding with agents, editors and publishers. Once your novel is purchased you wll be asked if you want to use your own name or a pen name on the published copy and all related marketing material. The book can be published under your pen name but your royalties will be paid to you under your real name.

I think this is one of those cases where your age works in your favour. Use the pseudonym, and if anyone tracks your 'real' identity and complains about the facts (there's always somebody) you can point out that you were young, and that the research you did is what inspired you to become a historian, as you realised how much there was to learn.

Averon, it actually depends on what the subject matter is.
My name is very distinctly Anglo-Saxon, but being half-Chinese, I love to write about Asian culture. I would actually love to have a pseudonym which is too difficult to identify as a specific culture, but I don't know where to start When I make up a name, it never seems right.