Peace In The Margins

When an author decides to publish under a pen name there are things they should consider. While pen names seem cool on the outside, there are downsides to using one as well.

First off, I pose the question: why are you considering using a pen name?

There are various reasons someone would want to use a pen name – some are valid, while others are simply trendy.

One of the more popular reasons to use a pen name is “I publish in different genres and want to stand out in that unique publishing world and with my fans.” There may be some fashionable draw to this, but my personal opinion this is not good reasoning.

You are marketing YOU – so be YOU. It’s ok if your name is on a variety of genres – look at C.S. Lewis, the master who wrote children’s fantasy, adult fantasy, apologetics, memoir, and even literary analysis – all as C.S. Lewis. Or even Neil Gaiman – this man can write ANYTHING and in any genre, and he does it all as Neil Gaiman.

Another reason, and I personally believe the only valid reason, for using a pen name is to protect your reputation, your job, and sometimes your life. If you are writing a piece as a whistleblower but are fearful of retribution, then use a pen name. If you are publishing in a genre that would not be received well by your employer, then use a pen name. If your writing is peppered with controversial topics and opinions that could cost you your reputation or more, then use a pen name.

But keep this in mind – you’ll probably be found out…eventually. Steven King came clean about his pseudonym Richard Bachman when discovered. And have you ever heard of A.N. Roquelaure? Well, many may not have, but this is the pen name Anne Rice used when she wrote her Beauty series in the erotic literature genre. (Do these two terms actually go together? I’ll save that for another day.)

Here’s another for you to consider: Robert Galbraith. Have you heard of him? He writes the Cormoran Strike series. Wait, you say. Didn’t J.K. Rowling write that series? Why, yes she did. After the overwhelming fan following of the Harry Potter series, Rowling delved into the world of grown-up storytelling. Her first book Casual Vacancy, flew off the shelves much like toilet paper during the pandemic. Maybe the toilet paper comparison was a bit much, but maybe not, because the reviews were not as favorable as one might expect for the creator of Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

I don’t know that this is the reason she released The Cuckoo’s Calling under the name of Robert Galbraith, but regardless, the reviews were wonderful…although only around 1500 copies sold in the first few months of its release. Then, as it usually goes, he…I mean she was outted. I bet you can guess what happened next. That’s right, record sales and best seller lists.

Why? Because J.K. Rowling was a well-known and popular brand. That’s also why the sales of Casual Vacancy were good, too, regardless of the reviews. It’s all about the brand, and Rowling had created a worldwide brand with Harry Potter.

So, as you are contemplating a pen name, consider this, what brand are you selling? Do you want to see your name in lights? Do you want to get the appropriate credit for your art? If so, then why write as someone else? Are there moments when a nom de plum would be beneficial, of course, but you shouldn’t complicate your world just to follow a fad.

Until next time,

Alicia