Using a pen name?

Has anyone here published using a pen name? Do you wish you had? Wish you hadn't? Are there copyright or payment issues that come up? I'm considering adopting one.

Yes, I have, and I'm perfectly happy that I did-- except that I've thought of a slightly different one since then, that I like better...

Your work is protected under your real name, "writing as" your pen name. The secret can be kept for amazing lengths of time! The checks have to be made out to you, however, so your publisher has to be in on the secret. Unless you want to create a complete second life and pay two sets of taxes...

Um, yeah. No regrets.

I should have chosen something more original than "Stephen King"..... geez I was so drunk when I did that.

I publish under a pen name -- in "real life" I'm terminally respectable (actually in most of these forum posts also -- I guess I just can't shake it -- damn!).

Yep, All of my work has been published under a pen name. With all of the nutcases out there I would not do it any other way.

Salvor-Hardon said:

I should have chosen something more original than "Stephen King"..... geez I was so drunk when I did that.

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It's my fault. You got shit-faced after I told you "Ellery Queen" was taken.

Rumple Foreskin

I'm not ashamed of what I write.

Interesting.

I have two E books coming out in the beginning of 2008 and the publisher asked me what I wanted to use as a pen name. I thought about some names that played off my real name and asked friends and relatives for their advice. I came up with a half dozen names and narrowed it down to two names before deciding to use my real name.

The thing is, I've worked hard learning how to write and I'm still learning. I've been seriously writing for 20 years and even returned to school to earn my degree in English. I went 5 years nights full-time through the summers earning a bachelor's degree in English with Literature and Writing minors. I graduated magna cum laude with a 3.6 average. Northeastern University only required their English majors to take 5 writing courses. I took 32.

I'm not ashamed of what I write. Matter of fact, I'm proud that I write erotica or pornography or smut, depending on who you tell. And I'm not afraid of any whackos knowing who I am. I'm a tough city kid from a rough background. I don't scare easily.

With that said, I decided to use my real name on my books and on everything and anything that I write for publication. It would be cool to see my name on a book and I'd be proud to show it to my friends and family.

To me, it's not the subject matter. It's the writing process and it's the story.

I don't know, maybe I would feel differently if I was younger 20 something or 30 something but at 50 something, I've lived too much of life to care what others think. I just love to write and want to finally take a bow for all my hard work and creative effort.

BOSTON, I hear you!

If I were my own woman and completely unattached, I would be the same. But when I started writing, my kids were still pretty young-- and child services tends to take kids first and ask questions later, especially back in the nineties...

Well, I'm not ashamed either, however I do like my job and I'd like to keep it. As soon as my contributor's copies arrived, I showed my mom my penname on the back cover and pointed out my story in the blurb.

Several other members of my family also know what I write. On the other hand, aside from the job concern, my name is unique enough that I'd be easy to find in real life if I used it. God knows I've gotten enough creepy mail from posting stories here. I sure don't need any weirdoes knocking on my door.

I've got me a pen name as my real last name just isn't pretty or erotic *chuckles* and I like it. I've had no problems using it and I can't think why I'd do it any other way to be honest.

Salvor-Hardon said:

I should have chosen something more original than "Stephen King"..... geez I was so drunk when I did that.

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Pfft <spew>

Smart arse.

x
V

For me a pen name will be a must until my son turns 18 or my ex sob dies...I rather like my pen name...
My real name is just blah

I've never published anything, but I have a pen name all picked out already.

My reason for this are two - one, I'm a teacher, and two, my real name is unique (at least in the States) to the point where it would be easy to find me knowing only my name and little else. There was an incident several years ago where I was stalked, and I don't want to risk this happening ever again.

If you had my real name you would use a pen name as well And I like my pen name, it was chosen for the meaning of the names. The first name is japanese and the second welsh (has a japanese meaning but was chosen for the welsh.)

Stella_Omega said:

BOSTON, I hear you!

If I were my own woman and completely unattached, I would be the same. But when I started writing, my kids were still pretty young-- and child services tends to take kids first and ask questions later, especially back in the nineties...

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My kids are the primary reason for my pen name.

Image is the other 10% of it. My legal name ain't sexy. That Brio bitch, though, she's hot.

impressive said:

My kids are the primary reason for my pen name.

Image is the other 10% of it. My legal name ain't sexy. That Brio bitch, though, she's hot.

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Isn't she, though?

impressive said:

My kids are the primary reason for my pen name.

Image is the other 10% of it. My legal name ain't sexy. That Brio bitch, though, she's hot.

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*slow secret smile*

My pen name isn't even pretty or hot...but hell, it works. I've never regretted it.

I just don't think I'd be taken seriously writing as Danielle Kitten

impressive said:

My kids are the primary reason for my pen name.

Image is the other 10% of it. My legal name ain't sexy. That Brio bitch, though, she's hot.

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Indeed.

If I ever did publish I'd use a pen name too. I'm a teacher so I need to be real careful about what I put my name on.

Stella_Omega said:

Unless you want to create a complete second life and pay two sets of taxes...

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I'll bet I'm not the only one who entertains fantasies about doing something like this -

There's already a novelist with my given name - a romance novelist, at that - so a pen name wasn't really a choice.

Besides, Sherry is me, and always has been.

BOSTONFICTIONWRITER said:

...... It would be cool to see my name on a book and I'd be proud to show it to my friends and family....

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Yes, the idea of this gives me a thrill, but with some fear too--like someone who's soul got stolen when someone photographed her. Isn't that weird?

It isn't the content for me either, it would just be a divorce from those in my family who are already published, I think.