Using a Pseudonym to Publish

[Matt12191982]

I've had six books published, and thinking about using an assumed name for a few reasons. For one, I can be more free, less self-conscious (erotica, for example), but also, if someone were to ask me on the street, I wouldn't be revealing my real name.

Any advice? Thanks.

 

[NotWise]

I haven't published other than on Lit. I think everyone here uses a pseudonym. If they didn't, then they probably wouldn't admit it.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Chloe?
Tex?

 

[KeithD]

I publish in the mainstream, through publishers, in both true name and multiple pen names. My erotica is published in pen name and accounted through cutouts I've managed to establish wherein my erotica publishers don't know my true name. There are filters between the publishers and a true name account, with the bank accepting pen name deposits into the true name account. Sorry, can't tell you how it works more than that. Just that I've been doing it for more than a decade. I have an editorial services business, which includes my true name royalties, and I declare it all (including profits from the pen name erotica) through that for tax purposes (and pay taxes on all of it.) So, nothing illegal from than angle.

 

[TxRad]

Tex?

Nope. TxRad is my pen name here at Lit. It links back to a pseudo name that I use with this account. It also links back to my erotica that I sell through 42 different places in four states, hard copy and DVD. I use a DBA that only my bank and the state comptrollers office has access to.

For my mainstream work, I have four pen names. None of which link back here or to my pseudo name here. My publisher and editor both have my real name and my earnings come through them to my bank.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm not quite sure what the question is.

I am all in favor of pseudonyms.

My real name is not actually Simon Doom. So there.

 

[NotWise]

My real name is not actually Simon Doom. So there.

I'm positive that my readers would be shocked to learn that NotWise isn't my real name.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I publish in the mainstream, through publishers, in both true name and multiple pen names. My erotica is published in pen name and accounted through cutouts I've managed to establish wherein my erotica publishers don't know my true name. There are filters between the publishers and a true name account, with the bank accepting pen name deposits into the true name account. Sorry, can't tell you how it works more than that. Just that I've been doing it for more than a decade. I have an editorial services business, which includes my true name royalties, and I declare it all (including profits from the pen name erotica) through that for tax purposes (and pay taxes on all of it.) So, nothing illegal from than angle.

If I ever published erotica for money (it might happen) I probably would use a pen name but I might give the publisher my real name. Are there any pitfalls in doing it that way? I have no job or business connections involved in related areas. In fact, at 63, I don't have any job right now.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'm positive that my readers would be shocked to learn that NotWise isn't my real name.

Like wise, Electric Blue... Just checking, nope, not on my birth certificate

 

[Hypoxia]

Like wise, Electric Blue... Just checking, nope, not on my birth certificate

See how far you get trying to track down Hypoxia Smurf, late of Smurfs Village BBS. My other pen names are mine.

 

[KeithD]

If I ever published erotica for money (it might happen) I probably would use a pen name but I might give the publisher my real name. Are there any pitfalls in doing it that way? I have no job or business connections involved in related areas. In fact, at 63, I don't have any job right now.

You normally would have to give your publisher your real name, yes, for accounting purposes. I had a mainstream author (and book editor) persona that would be hurt by anyone knowing I went into writing erotica for the marketplace too (and the nature/subject matter of what I write in erotica), so I had to do what I could to go deep. I came from the intelligence world and knew of ways to do that. I don't think others generally will be able to go that route. It took a while to get the process set up. For that reason, I just gave my initial erotica books away to a publisher (Excessica, which rose from authors here on Literotica, and didn't take any royalities. Excessica still has some 25 titles of mine that Excessica is taking any profit there is from.)

 

[ChloeTzang]

Chloe?

Chloe is real but Tzang is pseudonym. I publish under Chloe Tzang as well - although I’d follow advice and use a different pseudonym if I published anything non-erotica. I keep the real me and the Tzang me separate. As far as financials, I use PayPal to receive payments and route those thru my husband’s company for tax - so totally legitimate. Publisher does not know my real name and company name is meaningless.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Biscuit Hammer would be an awesome real name. Works for porn, too.

Maybe when I am publishing for money, my pseudonym will be Biscuit Hammer en français, 'Biscay Marteau'.

Sounds like a hockey player.

Edit: And I don't care if you ran Biscay Marteau through Google Translate, it does NOT translate to 'Cookie Mallet' in English.

Although that'd be perfect for a little who published erotica...

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Well... I have a couple. First the name I use here is not my real name.'

I also publish erotica under another name... Xavier Carter

I also publish non-erotic stories under another name... Connor G. Madison

Click on the links in my sig. XC has his own website, but it might be going the way of the dodo. Connor's site has gone the way of the dodo, but the link points his to smashwords profile.

 

[Voboy]

When I published, I did it under a pen name. But then, my publisher’s name wasn’t real either.

Was no big deal. The checks cleared.

 

[Son_of_Battles]

My name is Sonny Battlés, and I write smut. Not really, but that would be cool. I got a couple names I use. Free stuff on here goes with Son_of_Battles, Erotic stuff I'm putting up on Amazon gets the Danica Scott name, and my mainstream novel gets another name all together.

Do I really care if anyone knows that I write smut? Nope. My parents both know, and my mom even beta reads some of my stuff. Anyone that asks what I do, I tell them I write porn, the kind with words and no pictures. I can see the potential problems if I want to publish mainstream, and someone sees a perceived cloud over my name because I write erotica as well. That's the only reason I even use a pen name.

 

[Requiax]

I publish novels under the name A D Rowen, for two reasons.

Firstly, I just didn’t ever want to use my real name. Not just for erotica. My real name is not that great and I never felt like I wanted to see it on a book cover.

Secondly, I felt that as a male author I’d be more likely to sell erotic books with a pen name that didn’t reveal my gender. I didn’t want to actually pretend to be female (as some writers do) but I didn’t want someone who likes to read about sexy ladies having their suspension of disbelief ruined by the intruding sense that a man wrote it. I wanted authorship to be as anonymous as possible.

 

[Paul_Chance]

I've had six books published, and thinking about using an assumed name for a few reasons. For one, I can be more free, less self-conscious (erotica, for example), but also, if someone were to ask me on the street, I wouldn't be revealing my real name.

Any advice? Thanks.

If you want to keep your non-erotic stuff separate from your erotic stuff, or you just want a cooler name to write under, then by all means go the pen-name route. My advice would be simple - get a lawyer and accountant to set everything up for you. It's a legitimate business expense when it's structured correctly.

Unless you achieve significant fame under one name or the other, then I wouldn't worry about being "outed" as an author of erotica - and even then I wouldn't worry about it, as it would probably just drive up the sales of both your names.

The use of pen names (even market tested pen-names) is common in the publishing industry - it's all about the Benjamin's.

 

[AfterDusk]

I publish novels under the name A D Rowen, for two reasons.

Firstly, I just didn’t ever want to use my real name. Not just for erotica. My real name is not that great and I never felt like I wanted to see it on a book cover.

Secondly, I felt that as a male author I’d be more likely to sell erotic books with a pen name that didn’t reveal my gender. I didn’t want to actually pretend to be female (as some writers do) but I didn’t want someone who likes to read about sexy ladies having their suspension of disbelief ruined by the intruding sense that a man wrote it. I wanted authorship to be as anonymous as possible.

That's very interesting as I think historically women have chosen a pen name to appear to be men.

 

[KeithD]

That's very interesting as I think historically women have chosen a pen name to appear to be men.

That was during a highly paternalistic period. Now, it's more a topical issue. I write in a couple of genres where women readers have made pretty clear that they want the author to be a woman. I don't think this is necessary, but I use female pen names for those genres, and that seems to work fine.