At some stage during the writing process, you might wonder whether or not you should use a pseudonym when you publish. In general fiction, pseudonyms are not as common now as they used to be, simply because it is acceptable to write fiction, even if it contains R-rated material. The erotic genre, though, still sees the use of pseudonyms so that the author can lead their life without their name triggering embarrassment or criticism for themselves, their family, and readers who might meet the author accidentally.

Is a pseudonym a good idea?

Using a pseudonym is a personal choice and could be useful in a number of ways. Firstly it may allow you some privacy should your fiction be very popular. Consider Daniel Handler. Daniel is able to go out in public, and even use a credit card with his name on it without much interest. Even his face is relatively unfamiliar to most people. But he’s better known as “Lemony Snicket”.

Speaking of credit cards, a pseudonym can also offer you some fraud protection because the name you’re autographing bears no resemblance to the signature you use on your credit card and important documents.

Like Lemony Snicket, a pseudonym could be more memorable than your real name, or easier to say or write. If you have a long name, think about how you intend to autograph it and whether you want to shorten it to save yourself writer’s cramp.

A name that has an unusual pronunciation, though, can be a talking point if you’re writing for adults – journalists will probably include a pronunciation guideline and readers might recognise the name as one they’d read about when walking into a book store. It would be different for children, as you probably want to make the name easy for them to remember and bug their parents about.

Journalist Nikki Gemmel became far better known for being “Anonymous”, the author of The Bride Stripped Bare. She didn’t remain anonymous very long after the media started digging, but it’s uncertain whether she hoped to be outed for publicity purposes, or for her association to stay hidden.

Using a pseudonym for different genres

It is more common for established writers to use a pseudonym when they want to write in a genre or style that is different to what their readers are used to. Many will allow their established name to be used as well (eg, Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine), but the new name is meant to alert the reader to the difference in style.

Margaret Ogden wrote contemporary fantasy under the pseudonym Megan Lindholm for many years and had moderate success. She then began writing a sword and sorcery fantasy series and decided to publish under the name Robin Hobb because of the vastly different style. She has since had her highest level of success as Robin Hobb, although she still occasionally writes as Lindholm.

Developing a platform

Your agent and publisher may try to talk you out of using a pseudonym as a new writer if you have an established platform that they want to leverage. For example, you may have a public speaking career, have successfully published non-fiction, or been the survivor of a disaster, and if you are known under your real name you might be better off sticking with it.

Legal concerns

Your agent and publisher will probably do a check on your proposed pseudonym, but you should run your own checks. You may have concerns if your pseudonym is another author’s name, or a character’s name, and you may not want to accidentally use the same name as a real life murderer.

Your publisher will always know your real name and your association with your pseudonym – after all, they have to pay your royalties to the real you. If you’re self-publishing, though, it’s probably best to create your account in your own name, and, if you’re concerned about anyone querying your authorship of your book, make an appointment to chat with a intellectual property lawyer before you publish.

Anonymity isn’t guaranteed – ask Nikki Gemmel. If having your real name associated with your book would be a liability or a danger, speak to an intellectual property lawyer and consider registering your pseudonym as a business, so that contracts and royalty payments can be made to the company rather than referencing your name more than is necessary.

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Read up on more of the legal stuff surrounding the publishing process in Kirsch's Handbook of Publishing Law : For Authors, Publishers, Editors and Agents by Jonathan Kirsch

Interested in the pseudonyms people have used over the years? You may enjoy the Dictionary of Pseudonyms : 11,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins by Adrian Room