Pen name

A pen name or nom de plume is a name made up by an author if their name is incompatible with the book's title or may be confused with another author's name.

## Contents

* 1 The good aspects of a pen name
* 2 The bad aspects of a pen name
* 3 Authors who have used pen names
* 4 See also

## The good aspects of a pen name[edit]

* The author's real name may not fit with the book's title.

Example: 'Blood of My People' Anita Riana rather than, 'Blood of My People' by Shurlee Kennan.

The influence and author's name has on the title of the book is very important.

* If the author wishes to remain anonymous, a pen name is a good way to do that.

* By using a pen name, an author can continue a normal life without having the hindrance of being famous.

## The bad aspects of a pen name[edit]

* For an author, their choice of a pen name can hurt their acceptance for publishing. A beginning author already has little leverage with publishers and should not use a pretentious or gimmicky pen name.

* If the author's book, which they are publishing with a pen name, becomes popular, they will have to continue writing under that name. Their real names are often rejected when sent to publishing companies.

* Many authors use pen names so that if one book is not liked, then they will simply switch to a different pen name so that they are not rejected based on their name. The author may be brought to court for this.

## Authors who have used pen names[edit]

Real name  |  Pseudonym

|

Samuel Langhorne Clemens |  Mark Twain
Eric Arthur Blair |  George Orwell
Esther Pauline Friedman  |  Ann Landers
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson |  Lewis Carroll
Mary Ann Evans  |  George Eliot

## See also[edit]

* Nom de plume
* Pen
* Publishing