Pen Names and Email Addresses

Mytherea · Aug 10, 2014

Okay, so I'm not sure if this really belongs here, but the question doesn't seem to fit anywhere else, so I'm taking a chance.

Recently, I decided I was going to use a pen name (for a variety of reasons, but most importantly, it gives me freedom) and everything was going fine until, moments before I was about to submit something, I realized that my email address contains my real name, not the pen name, and it's become more of a personal email address anyway, not a business one. So, I figured I ought to make a new email address for business and keep it only for business.

My question: Do I make the email address in the name of my pen name (so [email protected] or, since my pen name is actually taken already, [email protected]), do I make something more general (ex. [email protected]), or should I incorporate some of my real name and my pen name in the same email address (since my first initials are the same, pen name and real name, I'd be using my first name, middle initial, and the pen name last name)?

What's the professional way to approach this? Am I giving myself a headache for no reason?

Marlys · Aug 10, 2014

I could see having an email account with some variant of your pen name later down the road, if you want fans to be able to contact you without knowing your real name. But for submissions, it's not necessary. Your submission will have both your real name and pen name anyway, so I don't think the recipient will be confused.

If you do set up the account now, I would use some variant of your pen name, not a generic address. That will make it easier to remember.

eqb · Aug 10, 2014

You are giving yourself a headache for no reason.

In general, you give the publisher both your real name and your pen name. They write your real name on the check. They publish the story or book under your pen name. See the many threads already existing on AW for more information.

As for having a business-only email. That's not a bad idea, but you might want that no matter what name you use for your writing. In either case, though, I'd suggest using either your pen name *or* your real name. Not a mix. Not something "more general."

Old Hack · Aug 10, 2014

It's helpful to use a pen name to separate your work in different genres: but don't expect it to give you any protection, and don't assume it's going to remain separate from your true identity. People will make the connection.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 11, 2014

Old Hack said:
It's helpful to use a pen name to separate your work in different genres: but don't expect it to give you any protection, and don't assume it's going to remain separate from your true identity. People will make the connection.

It depends on the steps you take to protect the pseudonym. They can be extremely private, and can be kept that way, if you really want to do so.

Old Hack · Aug 11, 2014

I disagree, James.

If J K Rowling couldn't keep hers secret, with all of the resources available to her, what hope is there for the rest of us?

Also, I've seen too many pseudonyms broken, and with such relative ease, that I don't think they should be relied upon if the author behind them has concerns.

Once! · Aug 11, 2014

I was talking about this to a friend only this very morning. The conclusion we came to was that it would be sensible to have two email addresses. One in your real name to talk to publishers and editors. The other in your pen name to talk to readers. I have a pen name email that I made when I set up my website - [email protected]. Natty, eh?

Don't know if this has any rational basis or if people really do it this way, but it seemed like the most pragmatic approach to us! More experienced writers will no doubt correct me if there's a problem with this approach.

Mytherea · Aug 11, 2014

Thanks everyone! I've decided to make a business account in my own name and use that as the main email for my writing (as, who knows, I might end up using my real name in the future or maybe a different pen name for something else, ect.) and I'll set up a pen name email address if it becomes necessary down the road (I realize now that I'm nowhere near that stage).

Honestly, the pen name isn't an issue of privacy. My first name is unusual and just a pain to spell if you're not familiar with it. It's really easy to miss a letter (like the silent "h" near the beginning or one of the many "n"s scattered throughout) and brings to mind Celtic fairy tales (or, nowadays, a particular pop singer). My last name is common as dirt (10th most popular last name in the United States, according to some census I found) and often is confused as my first name. Anyway, my pen name is just a lot easier to spell and, in a way, allows me the freedom to separate my business persona from my personal one (even if it's only in my head).

Also, final question: While I was doing research on writer email addresses, I came across a number of articles which advocated against using email services like Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, ect. While I get why Hotmail might be seen as inappropriate for a business email, have any of you run into issues with an email address that isn't registered to your own domain name? While I am intending on setting up a Gmail account anyway (most agree that it's the most professional, it's free, and I prefer the layout), I was just curious what your thoughts are on this.

Mr Flibble · Aug 11, 2014

Well at some point you'll probably want to set up a website. Most hosts give you X number of emails to go with it (and getting a domain/host is cheap as chips)

Fwiw I went the way Once suggests -- I contact my publisher/agent using my real name account (that is actually linked to the website I used when publishing under my own name). I communicate with readers/bloggers using the one attached to my Francis website. I do also have a gmail for each name as well (useful if your host goes down for maintenance say...I also use them to subscribe to yahoo lists). I get my email program to pick up all of the emails and gather them in one place, so it's easy to see them all in a single inbox

Deleted member 42 · Aug 11, 2014

Mytherea said:
While I was doing research on writer email addresses, I came across a number of articles which advocated against using email services like Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, ect. While I get why Hotmail might be seen as inappropriate for a business email, have any of you run into issues with an email address that isn't registered to your own domain name? While I am intending on setting up a Gmail account anyway (most agree that it's the most professional, it's free, and I prefer the layout), I was just curious what your thoughts are on this.

As Mr. Flibble points out, eventually you'll have your own domain, probably, (think about reserving it as soon as you know for sure what name will be on the cover of your book) and your Web host will probably provide email support. You can also pay to have Google use your domain name for email.

I would avoid AOL and Hotmail as having a well-earned reputation for spam and malware with respect to their email service.

DancingMaenid · Aug 11, 2014

Old Hack said:
I disagree, James.

If J K Rowling couldn't keep hers secret, with all of the resources available to her, what hope is there for the rest of us?

Also, I've seen too many pseudonyms broken, and with such relative ease, that I don't think they should be relied upon if the author behind them has concerns.

JK Rowling is a very famous author, so there was an incentive for the person who leaked her secret to do so. There's a lot of interest.

I think it's considerably less likely that someone is going to be inclined to out an author whose real identity is unremarkable.

I agree that there are no guarantees, but I feel like the risk is fairly small as long as you're careful to maintain separation. Sometimes you have to take calculated risks. There are many erotica writers who would rather not have their erotica attached to their real names, and unless they're likely to be subjected to scrutiny or have a huge amount to lose, I think a pseudonym is a fairly reliable safeguard.

Old Hack · Aug 11, 2014

So long as writers realise that using a pseudonym is not a very secure way to protect their real identities, or to separate their various writing careers, then that's fine. Go ahead: use all the pseudonyms you want.

Just don't rely on using a pseudonym to give you any protection from discovery, legal or otherwise.

All it takes is one reasonably interested person, one unfortunate coincidence, one observant reader, and bam! your real name is linked to your pseudonym and the privacy or separation you'd hoped for is gone.

So many pseudonyms have been broken that it's important all writers who consider using one also consider how they'll feel and what will happen if their pseudonym is linked with their real identity--and what they'll do when it happens.

Buffysquirrel · Aug 12, 2014

My pen name has its own email address, but as it's on my domain it's not all that hard to link us.

Pen Names and Email Addresses

Mytherea

Marlys

Resist. Love. Go outside.

eqb

I write novels

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Jamesaritchie

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Once!

Still confused by shoelaces

Mytherea

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Deleted member 42

DancingMaenid

New kid...seven years ago!

Old Hack

Such a nasty woman

Buffysquirrel