Help Please! Advice on Using a Pen Name

[Still Waters]

I would like to know people’s thoughts about using a pen name. Does anyone here use one? What are the practices one must adhere to when using a pen name?

I have always intended to use a pen name. One long-standing reason for this is that I have never wanted anyone from "the family" to discover anything I’ve written. I’m intending to write a memoir. I also know I have to take measures to address liability issues.

The second, and, at this point, much more important reason that I need to use a pen name, is that I live in a country which sees fit to publish online extremely detailed information about every citizen—street address, phone number, name, birthday, full name and age of every person living in your household, year and make of all vehicles, part of your social security number, income range in your neighborhood, how many dogs or horses, etc., you have and so on. Literally anyone in the world can look this information up and find all of this out about the people here. I only have the ability to keep my phone number private. There are “special” people who get protected from this invasion of privacy. They are criminals and… rich, famous people I guess.

Some years ago, I was studying art at a certain small school farther south and midway through the first semester, a guy joined our class. He was very creepy and stalky. We had student residences and thankfully he did not live in mine, but he used to stand outside my residence and look in at me. He would especially do so when he knocked on the door and I wouldn’t answer. I had to leave the school, partially to get away from him.

Fast-forward a year—I’m in my new current home in a very remote area, low population density, in a completely different state—I run into the very same guy in the town. He followed me up here. He moved into an apartment a short walk away from mine. He is one of the “protected” people. Even the crimes he has committed have been erased from the public website where court proceedings are accessible to everyone.

He’s gone now, because he was a criminal and got kicked out of his apartment. But I no longer want anyone to find me, so I need my pen name to be an alter identity.

I guess if I am going to start a blog on here, I should use my pen name for it. I’m not sure what it is yet, and I was thinking I would use two initials and a last name, like J. K. Rowling, so it might be a little strange to have a blog with a name consisting of 2 initials and a last name… any thoughts? I really don't want to use a first name.

37 more posts until I can start a blog...

 

[RK Wallis]

I haven't used a pen name and memoirs aren't breakout sellers unless you're Prince Harry (and I've written a memoir had an agent try and sell it to a publisher. Had it die on submission. Self published it. I've recently taken it down for personal reasons) so you'll never need to worry about tax (not that an accountant couldn't handle a pen name), so go for it. Pick to your heart's content

 

[E G Logan]

I think the key thing about adopting a pseudonym (pen name)is to check as far as you can that the name you choose does not already belong to anyone else who is going to complain about your use of it.
As in, not another writer or media person for a start. Not anyone with an online profile...

 

[James Charles]

I think the key thing about adopting a pseudonym (pen name)is to check as far as you can that the name you choose does not already belong to anyone else who is going to complain about your use of it.
As in, not another writer or media person for a start. Not anyone with an online profile...

You mean I can't use Stephen King?

 

[BrianY]

I don't use a pen name. If I chose to do so, it would have either three initials like "HDF Kitto" or an initial followed by a middle and last name like "L Ron Hubbard." I've also considered unlikely ethnic combinations like "Ben Fong Torres." Two initials and a last name don't really cut it. Some people suggest names with numbers like "Jennifer 8 Lee." I'm not so sure. (although I'm a big fan of hers.)

 

[Still Waters]

Two initials and a last name don't really cut it.

What is the logic behind this? It doesn't make any sense. The one option I'm considering is the only one that is unacceptable... how? J. K. Rowling, H. G. Wells.... right off the top of my head, albeit not pen names, seemed to be acceptable... And please do not reply that it's because I'm a nobody, so I can't do what the other two did. That is not an argument and it's almost as illogical as the initial claim.

 

[Claire G]

I think two initials and a last name is fine. I'm sure Brian wouldn't dream of saying you're a nobody.

 

[BrianY]

My first answer was more of a broad statement of my opinion than a specific suggestion. There was also an attempt at humor that clearly missed its mark. I always thought that H.G. Wells was his real name in any case.

Still Waters; there is logic behind this though; the names I poked fun at stand out. Three initials has a whole Ivy League/Oxbridge vibe and initial, middle and last names seems to be the American equivalent.

Now I'm wondering if there are people with four initials ...

... and I'm really sorry to see somebody hurt because of my comments. Please accept this apology.

 

[Hannah F]

If you want to use a pseudonym, go for it. If you want two initials plus last name or any other combination, go for it. As above, make sure it doesn't belong to another famous author. (That isn't a crime but will make your debut harder to find.) Just a word of caution though: if your memoir is successful, you won't be able to hide forever behind a pen name.

 

[E G Logan]

Now I'm wondering if there are people with four initials ...

I can tell you there are. The department I ran once long ago had responsibility when we moved building for replacing our staff's business cards – and in the Corporate Finance department there were several people with four initials. (And a lot of other bits and pieces, too.)
Also, check European royalty and even minor royalty.

I can't see it as any kind of selling point for an author, though.

 

[mickleinapickle]

I can envisage a dystopian(ish) future whereby there are no books anymore. All new novels are not printed, but electronically downloaded to Kindle.

In that future, will we all publish under our online handles? No need for real-world or pen names anymore.

Trying to imagine a Google adverb which might go something like this...

'Download this season's blockbuster novel by mickleinapickle!'

Errrrr... perhaps not.

 

[Still Waters]

My first answer was more of a broad statement of my opinion than a specific suggestion. There was also an attempt at humor that clearly missed its mark. I always thought that H.G. Wells was his real name in any case.

Still Waters; there is logic behind this though; the names I poked fun at stand out. Three initials has a whole Ivy League/Oxbridge vibe and initial, middle and last names seems to be the American equivalent.

Now I'm wondering if there are people with four initials ...

... and I'm really sorry to see somebody hurt because of my comments. Please accept this apology.

Thank you. And thanks for clarifying that. I appreciate it.

Now it’s my turn. I'm sorry, I have been diagnosed with autism; I read (past tense) everything you wrote literally. There are certain types of humor that I'm not able to recognize as humor (others I can identify as humor, but don't find them funny--especially certain jokes at other peoples’ expense). In writing, as opposed to in person, or even with the benefit of hearing a person's tone of voice, it's much more difficult to discern between joking and not. The kind of humor I will always understand is Muppet humor, Steven Wright, Peter Sellers type humor: so silly, it's obvious, but I love it .

And regarding my writing and this whole process I was compelled into 2 years ago--I am processing and writing from and, ultimately about decades of psychological abuse, and my self-confidence is hanging by a fraying thread, so I'm much more sensitive and "on-guard" than “normal” people. I am here for advice and feedback, yes, but if it's not couched minimally in neutral emotion and solid reasoning that is explained to me, I get flashbacks of my family trying to snuff out my spirit (which they did) and I have to protect myself from that, because, regrettably, I’m still susceptible to that at this stage of my evolution.

As if that weren't enough, ever since I began this writing project (I've never written a book before), I have split in two, where one me is like "I have to write this, it's my life purpose, it's why I'm here" and the other half is like "Pffft, nobody wants to read or listen to anything you have to say." So I'm always teetering on that edge, despite that I have to write this stuff. And as things stand right now, I don’t really believe these books are ever going to get written, considering the way they have begun to unfold to me. I really shouldn’t be thinking about anything like publishing or pen names, but I needed to think about the pen name, just to coax myself to begin to research and write it at all.

No worries. Communication, when used properly and in good will, leads to an expansion of (mutual) understanding, which engenders compassion, so all is forgotten and there's a blank slate moving forward. It's rare that I encounter anyone who is willing to use communication in this way, so that's what I appreciate.

Real communication sows the seeds of peace--and peace is the theme and goal, in the broadest sense, of my writing project.

 

[Still Waters]

I can envisage a dystopian(ish) future whereby there are no books anymore. All new novels are not printed, but electronically downloaded to Kindle.

In that future, will we all publish under our online handles? No need for real-world or pen names anymore.

Trying to imagine a Google adverb which might go something like this...

'Download this season's blockbuster novel by mickleinapickle!'

Errrrr... perhaps not.

Would that mean I'd have to get a smart phone?

 

[mickleinapickle]

Would that mean I'd have to get a smart phone?

I think that demon IT will get us all in the end.

 

[Still Waters]

If you want to use a pseudonym, go for it. If you want two initials plus last name or any other combination, go for it. As above, make sure it doesn't belong to another famous author. (That isn't a crime but will make your debut harder to find.) Just a word of caution though: if your memoir is successful, you won't be able to hide forever behind a pen name.

Thank you for this clear answer. In the unlikely event that my memoir is successful (but I have other books in the works besides just that one), I am also planning on changing my name legally when the time is right, not to my pen name, but away from the name of my family.

 

[Still Waters]

I think that demon IT will get us all in the end.

Not if I can help it lol. We'll see. I've managed this long on laptops...

 

[Still Waters]

Two initials and a last name don't really cut it. Some people suggest names with numbers like "Jennifer 8 Lee." I'm not so sure. (although I'm a big fan of hers.)

As I re-read your original post, though, I guess I can identify the joke as being the ethnic combination, but that doesn't really explain why you wrote that two initials and a last name doesn't cut it. Was that somehow part of the joke? Or why did you write that?

 

[E G Logan]

changing my name legally when the time is right, not to my pen name, but away from the name of my family.

Check out Lee Child (Jack Reacher author). He went for a pen name that would serve as a marketing tool, but he changed his name legally to that pen name.

 

[Hannah F]

Robin Hobb chose that name to write under when the choice for buying books was the good ol' book store. 'H' would be in the eyeline of most of her adult prospective readership. (For me it would be more like K or L.)

 

[Roz Morris]

I'm sorry to hear about the circumstances that have made you think about this. No wonder you feel so exposed.

While pseudonymns might make you hard to trace in certain ways, it's difficult to hide yourself altogether. These days, authors have to be the face of their books on social media. It's just about the only way to publicise them and find readers. What would you do about that? Would you use your picture, for instance? Would you concoct a stand-in? These are questions to think about.

Before anyone mentions Elena Ferrante, she (if it is indeed a she) began publishing - and building a reputation - in a different era.

 

[E G Logan]

Before anyone mentions Elena Ferrante,

And she has in fact been identified, in Italy at least. By means of her payments from the publisher, which were in her real name, to her real bank account.

That's another aspect to think about.

 

[E G Logan]

Robin Hobb chose that name to write under

See Lee Child's explanation of his 'name' choice. He claims the average browser in an A-Z organised book shop can't get beyond 'D' without losing interest. Hence he went for 'C' to be safe. Short, punchy, stick in the memory names. And only two.

 

[Sedayne]

I've thought about a pen name, but might ultimately keep my own.
When asking for comps, agents' websites say things like 'where would your book fit alongside others on the shelf?'
Well I might not be able to compare my writing to Ian McEwan, but at least I can sit alongside him alphabetically if I use my real surname.