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Author Pen Names

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What IS a pen name?

According to Wikipedia, a pen name is a pseudonym adopted by an author. In other words, it's a fake or pretend name an author uses for the work he or she publishes.

There are many good reasons authors may choose to do this, and many of literature's greatest works have been published under pen names.

Read on below to learn more about the use of pen names throughout history and how you can get started with your own pen name.

What's in a name?

Why should you use a pen name? What are the pros and cons? And what happens if your pen name is taken?
The pros and cons of using a pen name
Many authors feel that using a pen name is better than using their own. What are the pros and cons of doing this?
Should I Use a Pen Name?
Pseudonyms, commonly known as pen names, are fictitious names that people use in place of their legal name. For writers, using a pen name is a personal decision. Each writer who uses a pen name has his or her reasons for doing so, and those reasons are as varied as the people who use them.
The Use Of Pseudonyms And Pen Names
Have you ever wondered why a writer chooses a pseudonym or pen name? Is it possible they believe that they are more important than other writers are? Do they demonstrate their views of superiority by simply choosing to rename themselves?
A writer by any other name
Pen-names liberate authors but when their cover is blown, as it inevitably is, the outcome is not always desirable, writes Jane Sullivan.

Tips for choosing a pen name

Choosing a pen name can be exciting and overwhelming. You get to invent an entirely new name for yourself! However, there are some tips from a marketing standpoint that you'll want to take into consideration.
  • Easy to remember
    If your name is TOO unique, people won't remember it. Make it easy to remember. Short, simple, and if possible, easy to associate with a physical item. For example, the last name Block. People can associate this with a building block, or block of wood. This will help them create a visual connection and remember your name.
  • Easy to spell and pronounce
    If readers can't spell or pronounce your name, they can't find it online or in directories. And if they can't find your books they can't buy them!
  • Appropriate for the genre
    As long as we're picking names, choose a pen name like you'd choose a character name. Your big bad crime novels shouldn't be written by a whispy, girly pen name, and vice versa.

Famous Pen Names

Many popular books have been published throughout history by authors using pen names.
Lewis Carroll aka Charles Lutwidge Dodgson
Author of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, Reverend Dodgson was an English author, and also a mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman, and photographer. His pseudonym was formed from the anglicised (English) version of his real name. Lewis was the anglicised form of Ludovicus, which is Latin for Lutwidge, and Carroll was the anglicised version of Carolus, which is Latin for Charles.
Richard Bachman aka Stephen King
That's right! Even Stephen King had a pen name. Unsure his earlier or non-horror works would be popular with his real name on them, King invented Bachman. But after Bachman was discovered, King killed him off, er, issued a press release about Bachman's "death" supposedly from "cancer of the pseudonym."
George Eliot aka Mary Ann Evans
At the time novels written by men went over better than those written by women, so Evans assumed a man's name to relate better with her readers.
O. Henry aka William Sydney Porter
It was Porter's clever use of twist endings in his stories that made the term "O. Henry endings" popular.
Ann Landers aka Esther Pauline Friedman
Sister to "Dear Abby" who wrote witty and pointed syndicated advice columns.
George Orwell aka Eric Arthur Blair
Orwell was most famous for two of his works, Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Dr. Seuss aka Theodore Seuss Geisel
Geisel's mother's maiden name, Seuss, is technically pronounced to rhyme with "rejoice."
Mark Twain aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens
A famous literary figure who's pen name is a nautical term.
Abigail Van Buren aka Dear Abby aka Pauline Esther Friedman Phillips
Sister of "Ann Landers" and advice columnist whose daughter took over the pen name when Pauline died.
Voltaire aka François-Marie Arouet
The name "Voltaire," which he adopted in 1718 not only as a pen name but also in daily use, is an anagram of the latinized spelling of his surname "Arovet" and the first letters of the sobriquet "le jeune" ("the younger"): AROVET Le Ieune. (Eh, it's all too complicated for me.)
Ayn Rand aka Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum
Who can blame her?

More Famous Female Authors with Pen Names

When should you create a pen name?

Besides for vanity reasons, there are good marketing reasons for choosing a pen name.
  • Your name is too common or popular
    If your name is Jennifer Lopez, you might be better off picking a pen name. Ditto if your name is Bob Smith.
  • Your name is the wrong "gender"
    Some literature sells better if written by a woman - romance for example. Business books sell better if written by a man. Gender neutral names can be switched to one side or the other. Joey as a woman's name can become more feminine, and Tracy as a man's name can become more masculine. (Stereotypically and socially speaking, of course.)
  • No one takes your name seriously
    If your given name is Elvis or Honey, or Justin Time or Justin Case (real people I know), you've heard all the jokes there are to hear. In a formal setting, a more professional sounding name is appropriate.
  • Your real name is obnoxious
    Just as you need to be able to easily spell a pen name, the same should be true of your real name. If your 13-year-old audience can't spell Kriechowski, it's time for a change.
  • You want to tone down the gender of your name
    Perhaps you very obviously have a mans name, but want to create more neutrality for the genre of your fiction. In that case you can adopt a name such as Terry, Chris, or Cameron, which could be either gender.
  • You don't want your mother knowing how knowledgeable you are about steamy sex scenes
    Enough said.
  • You're breaking into a new genre
    I write non-fiction under the name Kimberly Dawn Wells, so to separate myself from my fiction works, I publish those under different versions of my real name as well as pen names. This allows readers to differentiate between the different categories of books I write and publish.
  • You're well known in another career or social setting.
    A doctor might not want his clients to know he's an avid sci-fi fan; a stylist might not want to hear about her book all day every day from clients. Pen names offer separation between your careers and allow you to build separate and appropriate identities for each.

What's your Pen Name?

Do you have a pen name? Share it with us! (If you don't want anyone to know, log out of your account. You don't need to be a registered user to leave a message here.)

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  • Reply
    ProductOfAWanderingMind Oct 2, 2011 @ 6:32 pm | delete
    I have several, but for the purpose of erotic fiction, which I have started writing fairly recently, I write simply as 'T.F.'. Something I find interesting about using a pen name is that it can feel like assuming an alter ego at times, you can step into this 'character' that you're creating and write (or do whatever other activity it might be) with a different kind of attitude and confidence. In this way it can be strangely empowering, both because of the sense of 'safety' it affords, but also because of that strange, child like joy of becoming someone else for a while, playing another role.
    Sorry I ramble somewhat, so I shall finish here. But I will say, what a great lens, very interesting; informative; and even inspiring.
    Regards,
    -TF
  • Reply
    R.W.T. Sep 1, 2011 @ 11:11 am | delete
    I really love all you've said about pen names because I've been worried about using one. I'm a fourteen-year-old author wanna-be. I come from a small town in Mississippi of all places... I'm not going to post my chosen pen name because I don't trust those who are still trying to find their own, but thank you just the same. I wish you luck with your writing!
  • Reply
    deathnote fan Aug 22, 2011 @ 8:40 pm | delete
    Selena Daintree the first name is what i want to name my child when i grow up and the second reminds me of a fantasy type of three the holds a majestic fruit...
  • Reply
    LissaKlar Aug 14, 2011 @ 9:47 pm | delete
    I don't really have one I guess. Very interesting lens. Blessed
  • Reply
    wayhere Aug 12, 2011 @ 5:46 pm | delete
    my pen name is wayhere :)
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