Therefore, an author publishing under a pen name must make sure the links to achieve anonymity are strong. I was grateful at the time for all the feedback from. Its best to form an anonymous llc and name such company with the pen name you wish to use, using an actual law firm or properly licensed attorney to form the anonymous llc for you. Tips for using a pen name when selfpublishing top reasons authors use a pseudonym. Jan, 2018 imprisoned for political offenses under louis xv, francois marie arouet changed his name to voltaire in order to make a fresh start as a writer. Before finalizing your choice, confer with your agent and editor, as well as your spouse. There are three main legal issues you should consider when using a pseudonym.
The answer is yes, you can publish a kindle book under a pen name. It was a fantastic experience to go unrecognised under a pseudonym and i only wish it could have gone on a little longer than it did. The first author field is for entering the primary author of the book. Rowling joanne rowling has published all of her books under a pseudonym. The key legal issue is to ensure that this is acknowledged clearly in your publishing contract that is, your publisher is aware of. Dodgson used the pseudonym lewis carroll because he thought it beneath the dignity of a clergyman and a mathematician to write a book like alice in wonderland. Ali and nino published in the german language in 1937 by e. Stephen king has written a childrens book and its deeply unsettling. Writers have adopted pseudonyms or pen names to disguise themselves for a number of reasons. How to handle multiple pen names on your author website. Its a name that a writer assumes professionally, instead of publishing under their legal name.
Karen white caroline ryan i only did one title under that pseudonym. Im sure mark twain didnt sign books as samuel clemens. On the flip side, though, taking a pen name for the wrong reasons could hurt you if you dont think carefully and strategically about why youre publishing under a different name. For todays authors, if you are writing under a pen name, its very easy to change your author name and create a new author brand. A pseudonym is a name adopted by a person for a particular purpose, which differs from his or her true name. How to promote your book while using a pseudonym educating. Jul 19, 20 how to promote your book while using a pseudonym i just finished reading an article related to the recent revelations about the author of the cuckoos calling, and was amused by jody picouts comment. Elizabeth peters barbara mertz another popular pseudonym of this author is barbara michaels. Tal in vienna under the pseudonym kurban said, now known to be written by core author yusif vazir chamanzaminli.
For example, robert silverberg and randall garrett collaborated under the name robert randall. I know this question could be considered a list question, or subjective, but i think that it is a valid question and can be quite helpful for a lot of authors. Promoting your books when youve written under a pseudonym. She wouldnt have been able to go out and promote the book. Part i lists pseudonyms in alphabetic order, giving the authors real name. Using different author names or a pseudonym as a writer the. To be precise, mary shelley published anonymously, originally.
If you write in two very different genresfor example, nonfiction finance and romance novelsusing one or more pen names can help you create very clear author identities for your verticals. Dec 17, 2019 adding or editing author names on a book record. Jul 16, 2008 pseudonyms and their corresponding authors. Actors and artists often use fictitious names, and writers sometimes choose to create under a different persona as well. I know that an author can use a pen name pseudonym instead of a true name when publishing the traditional way. In a plot twist worthy of a novel, it turns out that j. For articles, short stories, and poetry, you can simply put your real name in the upper left corner of your manuscript or on the cover page, and list your pen name.
Since you can register the text under your penname, the only question is proving that penname is you. Which meansyou guessed ityou will likely have multiple isbns for what you think of as a single book. At pseudonym publishing, we value tradition when it comes to words, be it a manuscript, thesis or research paper. Often, writing under a pseudonym is as easy as putting the phrase writing as on your manuscript. Their reasoning is that, if i used a pseudonym, no one would really know who i am. But be aware that if a is held under a fictitious name, business dealings involving the ed property may raise questions about its ownership.
Should you write your book under your own name, or should you use a. Stephen king wrote a childrens book under a pseudonym that. Fahrenheit 451 and the martian chronicles, among others, rightfully earned bradbury a prominent place in the history of science fiction and a pulitzer citation, but the american author also published short stories under several pseudonyms, often because two of his stories were scheduled for the same issue of a magazine, as reported by his biographer. You can arrange for the publisher to print your book using a pseudonym of your choice and then simply having them send your cut of any royalties to account bearing your true. Why do romance authors write under multiple pseudonyms. How to publish anonymously under a pen name law 4 small. The pros and cons of using a pen name kn literary arts. There is a photograph of carmela on the back flap of the book cover. But with the pen name, i know exactly what im getting before i buy a book. Ultimate popsugar reading challenge 2017 challenge. Should you use a pen name for your selfpublished book or novel. A pen name allows you to write and publish your book anonymously.
How and when should writers use a pen name or pseudonym. And authors can always selfpublish books between big releases. Reading the article made me think about my own challenges in writing memoir, and got me thinking more about writing memoir under a fake name. When you sign up they will require you to put your legal name and information for payment purposes. How to publish a book under a pen name that wont be traced back. Nov 28, 20 trade publishers are notoriously wary of using the same author name across different genres, or of using a name that they feel is inappropriate for a particular book hence the morphing of joanne rowling into the more masculine j k rowling, even though she doesnt have a middle name. Many writers use pen namesbut theres a right way and a wrong way to publish your book, stories, poems, or essays under a pseudonym. Rowling released a book called the cuckoos calling under the name robert galbraith. Many of the greats started out publishing under a pseudonym, like mary shelley frankenstein. Nov 17, 20 its depressingly easy to understand why women of past centuries, or any century, would like the georges, sand and eliot write under a male name. Oct 27, 2016 if the fare on tv isnt cutting it in the spooky halloween department, then i have great news.
A pseudonym may be used by social activists or politicians for political purposes or by others for religious purposes. I am nonus citizen selfpublishing my first book on amazon. A pen name may be used to make the authors name more distinctive, to disguise the authors gender, to distance the author from their other works, to protect the author from retribution for their writings, to combine more than one author into a single author, or for any of a number of reasons related to the marketing or aesthetic. If youd like to learn our strategies for writing a bestselling book, then i suggest downloading our free checklist, which is the exact 46point guide weve used to sell one million copies of our books. The point is, if you have a favorite alltime author, chances are there are some of their works that you may be unfamiliar with. You can actually publish a kindle book under whatever name you want. Several people have asked me why i dont just write my memoir using a pseudonym. Phil gigante mentioned in an interview that he has done work under another name but i havent come across it. Some authors publish under a predetermined, contrived name because they value their privacy. Jul 01, 2014 my first adult book was a bit racy so we needed to keep the genres separate. Its important to remember that the decision is, at its core, a business one. Part ii lists the authors real names, with brief biographical details, giving pseudonym s and selected titles of works published under each pseudonym. List of works published under a pseudonym wikipedia. Robb mysteries and read every single one, but remain picky about nora robertsauthored books.
Mar 29, 2019 wikihow is a wiki, similar to wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are cowritten by multiple authors. Do you need to write under a pseudonym because people at work might find out. Sep 22, 2014 a pen name can serve you well, it can be a great tool to give you more control over your professional options in the publishing world. Can i selfpublish ebooks on amazon under a pseudonym. Often, collaborative authors will invent a pseudonym to convey the impression that a book was written by a single author. May, 2016 some authors write under a different pseudonym for one or more of the above reasons, or even a different reason all together. How wellknown are you 2 unless your pseudonym is the opposite sex from you, just sign with your pseudonym. As a writer, there are lots of reasons to write under a pen name. There are other fields for legal name and bank account name.
It is perfectly legal to publish your work under a pseudonym if you are a writer. Indie authors sometimes selfpublish under a pen name or pseudonym in. Your real name will not show up on any of your books, your pen name wont show up on any f. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. There are a few reasons why some writers or artists pick pen names. This is done by signing contracts with the publisheragent using the real name corresponding to the pen name.
Some use multiple different names for multiple different reasons. A pair of sunglasses is on top of books by famous authors on a. You can interact online under your pseudonym, and in fact, i have several author friends whose real name i know, but i still call them by their pseudonym. The benefits of publishing anonymously or taking a pen name.
Still, there will be a difference between only using a pseudonym perhaps not feasible, at least to maintain anonymity and publishing only a fraction of ones works e. Richard bachman stephen king he has also written under the names eleanor druse, steve king, and john swithen. So if youre a practicing attorney and dont want your clients or partners to know you write steamy romance novels on the side, youll want to use a pen name. Doris lessing and the perils of the pseudonymous novel the. Jul 23, 20 some time later, it was revealed that jane somers was, in fact, doris lessing. Our team of qualified editors, proofreaders and ghostwriters will provide the highest standard of work with the upmost respect to you and your project.
And according to law, whatever youre calling yourself, you automatically own the to your own book. But id already done jtsma with my real name so the pseudonym thing seemed silly. In your kindle direct publishing account, when you publish a new book, itll ask you to choose the contributors for the book. Using different author names or a pseudonym as a writer. Today considered among the greatest novelists of our time, literary sisters. Seven legal myths about pen names sidebar saturdays. When the first harry potter was gearing up for release, rowlings publishers feared boys wouldnt read a book written by an icky girl, so they subbed in a few genderambiguous initials the author has no middle name but says the. Rowling is the real author of the cuckoos calling, which she published on april 30 under the pseudonym robert galbraith. Famous female authors who used male pseudonyms to challenge. Consult an attorney for legal advice on this matter.
Authors too numerous to count write under multiple names across various genres for people. If youre selfpublishing a book, you can definitely. When you publish under a pseudonym, you just use a different author name in the specific field on the publishing platforms. Works distributed under a pseudonym enjoy a term of protection that is the. I am sure you would agree that hers is a face from botticelli, a unique beauty, something deliriously ethnic in her face, and cerebral in her sweet, cynical smile. Rowling is the real author of the cuckoos calling, which she published on april 30 under the pseudonym in a plot twist worthy of a novel, it turns out that j. Dec 11, 2018 you can absolutely use a pen name on amazon. Dictionary of literary pseudonyms in the english language. Mar 29, 2006 the marketing folk were pleased, reckoning that a name beginning with h could only be good, since it planted the book in the middle of the shelf, where the shoppers eye would easily find it.
If you write a book under the pen name taylor swift or derek jeter, you may be. Aug 19, 2017 blaze by richard bachman alices adventures in wonderland and through the lookingglass by lewis carroll we were liars by e. The turner diaries, written in 1978 by william luther pierce former leader of the white nationalist organization national alliance under the pseudonym andrew macdonald. Choosing whether to write novels under a pseudonym is a highly personal, and often emotional, matter. Most publishing platforms make it easy for you to change your author name or to add a new author name to your publishing. Id just written a childrens story called lucy the diamond fairy under another pseudonym and so the name came from.
Promoting your books when youve written under a pseudonym pen name. Most publishing platforms make it easy for you to change your author name or to add a new author name to your publishing account. She had written the book under a pseudonym, partly because she wanted it to be appraised purely on merit. I am about to self publish my first novel using a pen name. How to publish anonymously and get paid under a pen name. Please note that i do have a publishing history under my real name as. So if you are using a pen name when selfpublishing. Authors cannot register s for creative work under a pen name. Be sure to properly spell and capitalize the name or the book will not link to the correct author profile and become harder to find in the goodreads database.
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