Pen Names?

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happinee

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well i'm a young writer and i'm wondering what are pen names are for?
i looked it up in the internet and didn't find very much unformation!

Thank you!,
Happinee
 

Siddow

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There are lots of different reason people use pen names. If you write in more than one genre, using a pen name for each one will keep your readers from expecting a romance and buying a horror novel. Some writers just want the anonymity. Or if your name is Eliasistionson Gorbondamondovi, the publisher may want you to rethink it. Elias Gordon? Ellis Mondovi? E.S. Gorbon?
 

Tallymark

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Like Siddow said, there's lots of reasons--it's different for every writer. Like, me, I plan to use a pen name for my romance novels. Why? Because the other stuff I write is young adult fantasy. So, if I make a name for myself with the latter, do I want kids who've read my fantasy books to look up my name and find heavily sexual vampire smut? Nope. I'll probably use my real name for just about any other genre I write, but I want to separate the kid-friendly from the adults-only, so that my reputation in one genre doesn't affect my reptuation in another.

Everyone will have their own reason. A lot of times, actually, the reason for pen names is purely practical: escaping death on the midlist. If you've already published a book or two, and they did kinda okay but not really all that good, then when you publish your next one, you may want to do it under a different name. Why? Because bookstores use statistics to decide how many of a book to order, and if they see that an author's previous book didn't sell all its copies, then when their next book comes out, they'll order less copies than last time. And the next time, it'll be even less. And less. And of course, the less books are ordered, the less books will sell. A pen name can help you escape the vicious cycle and start over if you really need it.
 
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Anonymity.

Different names for different genres.

Just because.

Take your pick.
 

Judg

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Very long thread on this in Writing Novels. More reasons than you want to know. And the downsides. And the upsides.

Four sentence fragments in a row. Wow! (Six now. No, seven....)
 

LimeyDawg

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I'm torn. I recently became a US Citizen and changed my last name to that of my father (long story...). I'm writing my first book and am still at a loss as to which last name to use. My current name is easy to remember and alliterative. My former is not so, but will allow me a measure of anonymity should it be successful. Good thread.
 
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Why go for anonymity though? Unless a writer is a police informant! ;)

Maybe it's just me. I'd want EVERYONE to know I'd made it. My name on the cover of a book would give me the best feeling ever.
 

LimeyDawg

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I was trying to feign humility. Of course I want my name on a book cover...I want to be adored, loved...read!
 
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I have no humility, no shame...I just want everyone who knew me 'way back when' to eat my goal. :D
 

Roger McMillian

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Pen names

What I'm concerned about is the legal remifications. Assuming I choose a name that is no being used by another writer, what legal steps do i take to use it, etc. When I query or suit to an agent or publisher, do I tell them that I'm Joe Blow writing as Dale Boone? Do i need to tell my bank or fill out a form for 'doing business as ...' and what about the IRS...?
 

Sassenach

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What I'm concerned about is the legal remifications. Assuming I choose a name that is no being used by another writer, what legal steps do i take to use it, etc. When I query or suit to an agent or publisher, do I tell them that I'm Joe Blow writing as Dale Boone? Do i need to tell my bank or fill out a form for 'doing business as ...' and what about the IRS...?

This has been covered exhaustively here. Do a bit of searching and you'll find lots of info.

Obviously, your legal name remains your legal name--in contracts, tax matters, etc.
 

Annie O

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My pen name is Annie Owens and I am currently having a website built using this name. I now find that there is a writer with the name Annie Owen who writes similar books for children (although I also write poetry). I chose the name for sentimental reasons as there is a family history of the name. What should I do?
 

Jamesaritchie

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Name

Why go for anonymity though? Unless a writer is a police informant! ;)

Maybe it's just me. I'd want EVERYONE to know I'd made it. My name on the cover of a book would give me the best feeling ever.

It always seems this way before it happens. Sometimes, however, the reality is not at all the same as the dream.
 
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For me, it would be. It wouldn't be about showing off (well, maybe). It would be about being able to say, "Yeah. I did that."

Every published author I've personally spoken to said they got a good feeling from seeing their name on a book cover too. I know what I want, and I know how what I want would make me feel. Maybe you didn't get that rush, but...meh. Most other people I know did. I listen to them.
 

Vincent

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I sure as hell don't want to be famous, but I'd love to have my name known. A small cultish fanbase who search out my name, surrounded by moderate sized throngs of casual readers who will recognise it on the stands. Ahhhh, sounds good to me.
 
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