4 Reasons to Use a Pen Name for Your Fiction

I use a pen name for writing fiction, as people have for centuries.

You also might want to adopt a ‘nom-de-plume,’ just as Anne Rice, Mark Twain, and C.S. Lewis did.

Below are four good reasons to consider.

You are starting out

If you lack confidence but want to start self-publishing, using a pen name gives you time and space to improve your craft.

My writing has improved with each book, so I am launching a second pen name with increased confidence.

You want to cross genres

Some authors want to write in a different genre than they are known for. It makes sense to create a new name so you don’t confuse your readers.

Anne Rice (a pen name) of Vampire Diaries fame did this when she wrote erotica as A. N. Roquelaure.

You worry about personal backlash

If you write about topics that could harm your personal life, adopting a pen name allows you to bring your work into the world without fear.

Many romance and erotica writers do this, as do authors in other genres.

For instance, people who use their lives for inspiration may worry about backlash. With a pen name, it is easier to explore your journey through fictional scenarios when the other people involved don’t know it is you.

You want to write in a genre dominated by a different gender

Many women who write in thrillers/crime use a pen name because it is a field male authors have historically dominated.

Nora Roberts is one example of a famous romance author who started writing under a pen name with her crime thrillers.

And some men write hetero romance — using female pen names.

Don’t let these things stop you from writing. Ready to publish? Choose a name and go for it!