How about pseudonyms?

SarahPapesh · Post by **SarahPapesh** » 10 Oct 2013, 11:46

I can see why J.K. Rowling would want to try to write under a pseudonym, but I also think that even if it were an author with little to no success - maybe first published work - that the anonymity might make them feel better if they were to achieve success. Also, suppose a pseudonym is a way of concealing identity in the case of writing some nasty situations that may include family or friends?

feyindie60 · Post by **feyindie60** » 11 Oct 2013, 21:02

As a reader it means very little to me what an author does to his/her name. If it is a particularly good book I will look for more by that author, but other than that.....? I don't research books for a living or need to find the backgrounds on an author as a general rule.

marissa_in · Post by **marissa_in** » 14 Oct 2013, 13:14

Don't really like it

dea0045 · Post by **dea0045** » 18 Oct 2013, 11:09

I don't mind them and I understand the use for them... But I hate it when authors have multiple for every writing genre. I don't think that's really necessary.

Paliden · Post by **Paliden** » 21 Oct 2013, 09:10

Some people do it for privacy reasons.

Richard Falken · Post by **Richard Falken** » 29 Oct 2013, 15:05

Sometimes you have to write under a pen name for commercial reasons. There are really vulgar, awful names out there. What I mean is that some names just bring the image of a random stall mucker, and that is not what you want your readers to think about when they think about your name. That is why you call yourself A.K.Schwarzkopf instead of Jack Smith when writing. Because it looks more cool.

In addition, if your country is looked down for its cultural level, you don't want your name to reveal you are from a place with a bad reputation in literature circles.

Then there is people who does not want to use their real name for fear of repercussions. Maybe the mob is after them, the government is after them (yeah, I know the difference can be slim, haha), or something on that line.

gali · Post by **gali** » 29 Oct 2013, 23:58

It doesn't bother me, but I would prefer the author to use his real name.

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 15 Nov 2013, 05:26

Well, this may come as a great shock to you but DATo (pronounced DAY-toe) is not my real name. SO, I suppose what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I'd be a hypocrite if I denounced authors who use pseudonyms when I use one myself publicly. They can call themselves whatever they like as long as their work is good ... sort of like: I don't care where they seat me at the dinner table as long as I get to eat.

Maud Fitch · Post by **Maud Fitch** » 17 Nov 2013, 04:22

I'd have to go with DATo and Paliden on this one: avatars and privacy.

What's the difference between protecting your privacy with an avatar and an author using a pseudonym? It's quite common for mixed genre writers to use different names and quite common for bloggers and posters to use different avatars. The name of the game is anonymity - being judged on your words alone.

jcheiser · Post by **jcheiser** » 04 Dec 2013, 22:56

It doesn't bother me at all. I would love to have my work published someday, and if/when I get to that point, I plan to use a pseudonym. Everyone who uses a pseudonym does so for a reason, and I don't think it's anything harmful or deceitful.

FNAWrite · Post by **FNAWrite** » 05 Dec 2013, 16:39

Doesn't bother me at all. Often, how would one know? When I first read him, I thought Ed Mcbain was Ed Mcbain.

I was amused by Stephen King having a separate jacket bio blurb for richard Bachman.

"buy the book if they know it's by her, but NOT when they thought it wasn't, then they can't possibly claim to be discriminating readers'

I think this shows the very opposite. They are discriminating readers. 'I know this author, i like their work, I will read another book by them. A book by someone I am unaware of will come in second.'

To be discriminating in one's tastes does not mean that one will always try something new.

Laine32 · Post by **Laine32** » 25 Dec 2013, 16:02

nah, especially if the content is racy...I can understand if they don't want their family's, community, or day job in on the fact that they write some naughtiness in their spare time.

ajones2216 · Post by **ajones2216** » 30 Dec 2013, 00:36

This does not bother me at all, in fact, many of my favorite books are written by authors who have not used their actual name. I think the market is way into focusing on if a writer is a man or a woman, using this to judge if a book will be good. Such as, can woman really write good mystery, my answer, YES, J.D. Robb anyone?!

jaguilar · Post by **jaguilar** » 08 Jan 2014, 16:31

I'm hoping to publish someday and I've actually contemplated a pseudonym for my fiction and also using my real name for my children's series (think my kids would get a kick out of seeing Mama's name on the cover of a book in their library someday), but I'm not sure how I will go about choosing a pseudonym or if I will have to do lots of extra legal stuff for having 2 publishing names? any knowledge about that anyone?