Using a pen name to write a book

To see which apps to start with, go to the section try these apps with your pen. Depending on your reasons for using a pen name whether you are concealing your identity altogether, or simply developing a few different writerly personas you may have to strike a few things off the promotion to do list, such as live events. Mar 29, 2019 how to register and legally use a pen name. Having a pen name does hurt or help in terms of getting a publisher to take you seriously. Authors are unfortunately, not immune to this, and choosing a pen name when writing erotica is actually an opportunity to start marketing before the book is even written. Otherwise critics tend to regard a pen name as an affectation and anachronistic. But regardless of why one chooses to use a pseudonym, creating a pen name can play an important part in your book s marketing. Why i write under a pen name the writing cooperative. In this easy guide for new writers and aspiring authors, i break book writing down stepbystep.

I like to publish books under pen names if i didnt personally write the book. Most book publishing agreements require authors to give the publisher a first look at their next book and not to publish anything competitive. Id just written a childrens story called lucy the diamond fairy under another pseudonym and so the name came from there. The study showed that students who take notes by writing them using pen and paper had a better understanding of the subject than those who type. Why do some writers choose to write under a pen name.

After reading this article in inklings, carolee boyles points out that another good reason for using a pen name is when writing for competiting publications in the same field. Pen names have also been used by established authors who want to write in another genre and want to use the pen name to target an entirely different audience. Even if they love the book, they wont share it or comment on it, because its just a book, and they cant forge a relationship with a book. They are among the many writers who use pseudonyms or pen names in their books.

Because payment can get messy if youre writing under a pen name, be sure you know the etiquette for using a pen name in a query or cover letter. If the player renames a book and quill in an anvil before signing it, it retains the name from the anvil instead of taking the name from signing. Mar 29, 2019 using a pen name can also complicate selling subsidiary and reprint rights to your work, your heirs inheritance of your rights and foremost, the processing of your advance and royalty payments. Openoffice is free open source software that you can use to write and format your book.

If the player renames a book and quill in an anvil before writing in it, they cannot write anything in the book. Grow your audience and author platform first 100 to click get their first 2 months of skillshare premium for free. Its important to remember that the decision is, at its core, a business one. Pros and cons of using a pen name writing a book chatebooks. How to write a book with voicetotext software pen and. This kindlebook that is pen name how to create yours by jennifer blanchard lists some of the multiple reasons why a person might want to use a pen name in some of their writngs, ideas for creating a pen name, looking out for signs on what pen name to go with, and more. Jun 12, 2010 maybe using the pen name will give your book a more exotic effect to people who run their eyes over the bookjacket. Authors write under pseudonyms, or pen names, for a variety of reasons. I know that an author can use a pen name pseudonym instead of a true name when publishing the traditional way. Note that this is done from within your kdp account you are the publisher and will receive the royalties for sales of your book regardless of the author name. At this stage you are linking the pen name to the book.

Another reason an author might use a pen name is if their real name is the same as an established author writing in the same genre. Advantagesdisadvantages of a pen name creative writing. For example, lets say you want to write a serious adult drama, but also have a passion for writing a childrens picture book. To overcome this sales stigma, an author might bury his name or pen name and give birth to a new pseudonym, hoping for a second chance with publishers and readers.

And authors can always selfpublish books between big releases. Suppose you have landed a book contract that limits the number of outside projects you can work on. Youre in great company now heres how to market your books by frances caballo gives examples of when and why authors have used pen names and explains how writers using pen names can build a brand. There are many programs aside from microsoft word that can be used to format a novel and they range from affordable to quite expensive. It could be for marketing purposes or it could just be for their own comfort. Go to the website for the united states patent and trademark office and use the trademark electronic search system tess to check that the words or name. That means less exposure for both of those pen names in amazon searches. If you want to write under a pen name, its usually best to let the publisher know your real name, but ask to have the pen name. Your surface is designed to ignore your hand and other inputs while you write.

Im wellknown in a very small industry, and the trade magazines in this industry are very competitive. Hi, i think the first thing to ask yourself is why you want to write under a pen name at all. Wouldnt you be a bit ticked off if you bought stephen kings next book. When uploading your book to kdp or listing it for sale on amazon, enter your pen name as the author name. When writing under a pen name, should one put the pen name, real name or both in the. A pen name may be used to make the authors name more. Lets dive into how to come up with cool pen names that will work for your books. Nonfiction self published book authors may be wondering whether a pen name is appropriate for their self published book. Unlike most new authors, these famous writers didnt write under a pen name. Should you use different pen names if you write in different genres. Avoid any name already used by a writer, since that is likely to confuse readers. Your pen name will be with you forever, so be sure its meaningful and makes sense for your career. Always be sure to do your research before selecting a pseudonym. Jun 19, 2008 kasha, whether or not you use a pen name, you should always interact with publishing industry professionals like literary agents and editors using your real name.

Pseudonyms the pros and cons of using a pseudonym or pen name. I also explain how you can write your book faster this year. Writers relief has been working with authors who have pen names since 1994. Seuss has published books under the pen name theo lesieg. Before deciding to use a pen name, consult a lawyer for assistance in avoiding these issues. Writers may pick a name thats more feminine or masculine to fit their genre. If the intent is to deceive, to disguise the fact that the writer is producing three books. The only thing that can help with that is good writing. Erotic authors and writing under a pen name liz purcell. A pen name may be shared by different writers in order to suggest continuity of authorship. Aug 15, 2019 so when i began writing in earnest i remembered my jokepen name creation and applied it. I just wish to keep my body of work solely attached to my pen name.

It represented my legal name at the time i was first published, and enabled. How to change your author name to a pen name when selfpublishing. If you publish two books a year and have two pen names, that means one book a year under each pen name. The added bonus is this book is a great tool for building character names using.

Everyone also has a crummy inner voice telling them its never going to happen. How to use openoffice to write a book pen and the pad. Actors and artists often use fictitious names, and writers sometimes choose to create under a different persona as well. You should have a solid reason for using a pen name to selfpublish your book. Youll also get a clever tool that speeds up writing a great book. What are the pros and cons of writing under a pen name. You can choose to write your notes within the margin or not. There are several reasons a writer might choose to use a pen name. To ease that burden somewhat, some writers prefer to use speech recognition software to. Sometimes if a person becomes famous perhaps they prefer to keep their everday life private and simply use the pen name when writing books and doing a book tour.

Writers reasons for using pen names range from rules of their jobs, to wanting to protect their families, to their publishers simply wanting names that sounded better. Helen sedwick, a writer for the book designer, cleared up all of my questions in her article should you be using a pen name. Recording your first draft on paper gives you greater graphic freedom. Established authors will do it to cross genres and keep from aggravating their fan bases. Mar 23, 2017 writing and formatting a book correctly can be a tedious and often frustrating task. Working with amazon author pen names publishing with kindle.

What are the pros and cons of using a pen name for writing. Pros of using a pen name you can keep your writing life and your real life separate. This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. I also have a few neutral reasons that are a bit sticky, like obscuring your. If your name is lacey darling and youre writing a spy thriller, having a cooler name. This episode will help shut down those distracting. Same name an author may use a pen name when their real name. Use your surface pen in any app that supports inking. All you need to do is add your new name as the authors name in the contributors section when you are preparing the book for publication. This is a wonderful guide giving the reader several worksheets on creating their pen name. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries. Choosing whether to write novels under a pseudonym is a highly personal, and often emotional, matter. My problem is, id love to know when to use my pen name outside of the book cover. Writing a book can sometimes be a long and tedious task.

Rest your hand on the screen, like you would on a piece of paper, then start writing. This is a list of pen names used by notable authors of written work. Many writers choose to use a pen name for many reasons, including to protect their identity when writing a memoir or to write in different genres. Trademark your pen name if you want to identify a body of work such as a book series or screenplays. Dec 11, 2018 if you write in a particularly controversial or sensitive genre, like erotica, you may also want to consider a pen name depending on how you feel about people knowing what you write. All you need to do is add your new name as the authors name in the contributors section when you are preparing the book. A pair of sunglasses is on top of books by famous authors on a beach. How to choose a pen name kindlepreneur book marketing for.

Kickstart your writing career with this pen name generator that boasts over 1 million fake names. Many writers use pen names but theres a right way and a wrong way to publish your book, stories, poems, or essays under a pseudonym. May 28, 2015 using author pen names on facebook and getting locked out. Seven legal myths about pen names sidebar saturdays. The purpose of pen names dorrance publishing company.

If you are publishing with kindle direct publishing kdp, using a pen name on amazon is very easy. Today, we are going to delve into some of the various reasons an author might want to use this publishing tactic. We manage the submission process for writers of books. Joe klein, author of primary colors, used a pen name to avoid publicity and being publicly linked with the book. Why i use a pen name and how i created one the writing. Another reason an author might use a pen name is if their real name is the same as an established author writing. You are writing a series of books or a column that is meant to last longer than.

How to use them effectively and avoid problems pea, bruce on. If something is written in it before it is renamed, then it functions normally. Im not saying that there may not be good reasons, stephen king used richard bachman to see if people were reading his books for his name or whether they were actually good in their own right, but generally speaking i think they are unnecessary. Jul 19, 2019 you belong to another identity, another person. Thus the bessie bunter series of english boardingschool stories, initially written by the prolific charles hamilton under the name hilda richards, was taken on by other authors who continued to use the same penname. Joanna talked about her decision to write under two names last year when she chatted with the write practice team. 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. Rowling has written and published books under the pen name robert galbraith.

They want to use a pseudonym to remain anonymous and to write in various genres without confusing their readers. Though using a pen name may make it harder for plaintiffs to find you, or prove that you pen person are you real person, if theyre persistent theyll get you. How to create a copyright page in 5 minutes with template. However, there are many other reasons to consider when deciding if you should use a pen name. Oct 25, 2017 using a pen name when writing a book is neither good nor bad. The author presented some items that i had never really considered book signings make sure you can write that pen name. Some authors give themselves a pen name for the purpose of anonymity. Over the years ive been asked my opinion about authors using pen names. Why do authors use pseudonyms surprising authors behind famous pen names key criteria to come up with the. For each pen name you create, you need to build a new audience. A pen name allows you to write and publish your book anonymously. For all the writers in the world that have achieved phenomenal success under their pseudonyms, the number of authors that have blundered and misused the anonymity pen names afford them is even greater.

This is done by signing contracts with the publisheragent using the real name corresponding to the pen name. When i release my nonfiction books, the name will be willow shire or. How would this work if the author plans to publish him or herself. Janet reid talks about using a pen name specifically to conceal your identity, while scott mccormick goes a bit broader with pen names and how and why to use. So there is no need to let using a pen name stop you from marketing your books. Sep 26, 2014 but i got to thinking recently and wondered.

Boy do i have a story to tell and fortunately, the solution that finally worked to get my facebook access back after they locked my access to both my profile and page due to my not using my real name. Andrews, because that pen name actually is trademarked by the publisher of v. You can use your trademark on all of your work legally. When you start writing, its common to ask, should i use a pen name.

Using a pen name can also complicate selling subsidiary and reprint rights to your work, your heirs inheritance of your rights and foremost, the processing of your advance and royalty payments. And the list goes on and on amongst many other famous pen names and authors. It is simply a tool that is only as effective as the author exercising it. I dont see where there would be a problem in using pen names. What if i want to freelance under a pen name while under contract with my real name. Besides a pen name can be used by more than one person to sustain the longevity of a book. Pen name generator choose from over a million pen names. How to write a book in 2020 a stepbystep guide for new.