The Nom de Plume and Its Issues

For some writers, there's the problem of whether or not to use a pen name. This decision should not be taken lightly given the possible ramifications on the person's writing career. While there are some good reasons for establishing and maintaining a nm de plume, writers need to seriously debate if they will use one or not, and then whether or not to drop it at some point.

This Is Why Superheroes Have Secret Identities

Two of the major reasons people want a pseudonym is to protect themselves and family. Some people find themselves drawn to write controversial subjects; the problem is that these subjects, and especially their writers are not always popular and some may seek to to harm or kill the authors of said books or their families. Others write their memoirs but fear (justifiably) backlash from some of those mentioned in the books, and this backlash could take the form of physical harm or attempts to kill the author. By using a pseudonym, they hope to protect themselves and their loved ones from harm.

[Sometimes these authors seek to provide an additional layer of protection by changing the names of various characters. This doesn't always work as well as hoped, especially if anyone can piece together the true identities of the characters. In fact, changing names may make a court case against the author harder as the plaintiffs need to prove a link between themselves and the characters, but once the link has been shown the plaintiff is then able to proceed with the defamation case as normal. If the person doesn't want to take the author to court but instead deals with the problem more directly, the burden of proof, so to speak, is much lower.

So while you can change the names, be aware that it may not work as well as you hope.]

Pseudonyms can also be used to protect careers. While this applies especially to erotica writers, this isn't exactly unknown among other genres, especially science fiction and fantasy; the author just feels that her writing could negatively influence his "real" career. That is, if she's trying to maintain a career as a teacher or some other respectable job where any form of moral turpitude is a major strike, forcing them to risk their jobs or at least promotion should their writing endeavors become public knowledge, then resorting to a pseudonym is probably a good idea. In this regard, the pseudonym allows them to pursue their chosen career while being able to fulfill their creative needs. While there is the fear of being found out, that may or may not add its own special thrill to the situation.

Making Life That Much Easier

Other authors have to deal with unmarketable names, like switching genres or are worried about branding issues. Some people are just given unwieldy names at birth, either ones that are way too long or are hard to pronounce; this can create a problem when so much media is video- or audio-based. This is unfortunately a solid concern: Too many video reviewers are more worried about getting a name wrong and offending the author than interested in reviewing their works; the problem with having a unique name is that it may be unique for a good reason.

Branding is the reason for the other two. Some writers love switching genres but find that a lot of fans don't switch with them; not everyone loves both cozy mysteries and hardcore SF. This leads to a lot of negative reviews that are basically, " I wish she'd stick to one genre." You also have fans of one of the genres who see books from the same author in different genres and so avoid the author because she isn't consistent; they feel that picking a book is a crapshoot between getting a book they'll like and one they don't. Having a different name for each major genre you write can thus be a good thing: You eliminate a lot of those kinds of reviews and draw in more fans from the different genres.

Then there is the problem of having too many authors with the same name. If readers are expecting one author but get the other, then that can lead to negative reviews. Also, if one of the authors gets involved in a scandal or controversy it can spread to the other due to confusion caused by the similar names. Thus, making sure that you have a different name than the other one, even if you're in vastly different genres, can be a good thing.

But Is It Worth It?

If you really want the pseudonym to work, then you need to put some work into it. First, if you have a publicist, agent, or publisher, make sure that they know about the situation; it should be part of the contract. Second, make sure that you've filled out the appropriate "doing business as" paperwork; this allows you to do things like accept payment in the name of your alter-ego (yes, there is more to it than that but that's the big one). Lastly, be aware that each identity you're working under requires its own marketing campaign; if you're writing as both yourself and another name, then that's two separate marketing campaigns.

[This is arguably why when you start debating the domain name of your site you should go with a company name. rather than your own name. Going with your own name limits you to just books with your name on them, while a company name allows you to use the same site to market several different names. BUT, if you have enough money to do so, grab the domains of each of your names and point them to your main site (this not only helps keep your branding on point but also prevents dilution of your brand by eliminating competing sites of the same name attached to your site.]

Being Different People Can Be Fun

A pen name can make it far easier for an author on many levels but can make things more interesting for others. This is a decision that should be made with the utmost care, both the decision itself and the name. There has to be some thought put into the decision as well as the possibility that people will find out the truth well before the author is ready for it, especially as there can be some very good reasons for going with the pseudonym. However, as long as you keep everyone in the loop that needs to be in the loop, well, in the loop the pseudonym can make life easier for all involved. In short, if it's useful for you, then protect it or you'll lose it.