What are the advantages of using a pseudonym (also known as a pen name or nom de plume)? It allows writers some sense of anonymity, though I wonder how much of that is possible in this era where everything is blatantly revealed. Some may view the use of a pseudonym as a way of hiding behind their work. Shouldn’t we stand up and be proud of what we’ve written? Perhaps. But there are many other things to consider. It can, to some degree, separate your writing life from your professional life. If you’re a criminal lawyer who, on the side, writes and publishes mystery novels, perhaps you don’t want the world to make the connection. There may well be some concern about conflicts of interest. If you’re a student studying the culinary arts under a famous chef, writing a cookbook might suggest a conflict of interest and even, possibly, an issue of copyright. A pseudonym might offer some protection against potential lawsuits.

Another consideration might be, quite simply, your real name. Some names are so common that it would be difficult to use if it’s already a big name in the publishing world. Take, for example, James Patterson. Did you know that in the United States alone, there are over 4,000 people with this name? It’s already a best-selling author’s name, so there’d be no point, indeed no benefit, for anyone other than “THE” James Patterson to use it as their author’s name, even if it is legitimately their name. Or, perhaps your real name is Jane Eyre, not necessarily a good choice for a twenty-first-century author name. Or, perhaps you have a plain, ordinary name like John Doe – not exactly best-selling author material, as readers are usually attracted to the memorable, unique names of fame, like J.K. Rowling or Stephen King.

Other considerations may affect your decision to use a pseudonym. Some authors don’t wish to have their gender revealed. This was certainly the case up to the nineteenth century when authors such as the Brontë sisters couldn’t publish their poems and stories under their real names because they were female. Instead, they chose the male names, Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell to disguise their gender.

There are those in the writing and publishing industry who use pseudonyms, not to protect themselves or those they associate with, but to increase their chances of success. The names listed above are key examples of how using a different pseudonym, depending on the genre you’re writing, can increase your sales. There’s no rhyme or reason why this works, but it does in many cases.

However, there’s no guarantee that the publisher will honor your anonymity request for using a pseudonym. I tried to use a pseudonym for one of my works, followed the correct procedure, and filled in the publisher’s form with the required information, only to be doubly surprised to see my work in print with my name, not my pseudonym, in bold print and plain view. Another time, the publisher used both my name and the pseudonym. Big-name authors, like Victoria Holt and Jean Plaidy, are the same. Eleanor Alice Burford, J.D. Robb, and Nora Roberts are also the same. They might use pseudonyms, but everyone knows who they are. So, is there a bonus to using pseudonyms? Probably not. It boils down to personal choice.