How Authors Use Pen Names

Originally Posted May 19, 2020 by Joe K.

Last Updated February 08, 2023

Why do Authors Use Pen Names?

Are you wondering, why do authors use pen names? A lot of people are curious about this. Why not simply use your given name? Pen names are a way for authors to identify themselves when they want to keep their personal lives and professional lives separate.

There are multiple reasons for choosing a pen name. We’ll explore some of the options, along with details of what you might not have thought of.

Some of the more common questions are:

Should I use a pen name?
What is another word for pen name?
Should I use a specific gender name based on who I am or what I’m writing?
How do pen names work when I publish on places like Author Central?

Let’s take a closer look at each of these, so you can decide if using your given name, a variation of it, or a pen name makes the most sense. Remember, each of these is specific to you. There’s no right or wrong answer.

Should I Use a Pen Name for my Book?

There are many reasons people choose to use a pen name. Whether you’re looking for a layer of privacy, like the idea of having a special name for your writing, or write in multiple genres, pen names can give you a sense of identity in the book world.

Privacy: Consider a pen name if you’d like a bit more anonymity. Don’t want your mother-in-law to know you wrote a book? Are you divorced? Don’t want your ex-husband to know your author information? Maybe, you’re an elementary school teacher, but write spicy romance on the side. Don’t want to be judged for your fictional stories? Are you in a highly respected profession and think your colleagues will look down on you for writing epic fantasy books or graphic novels? Whatever the reason, privacy is important to some and choosing a pen name helps resolve that issue.
Multiple Genres: Whether we like it or not, our job is to market our books as much as it is to write them. When you publish your book, gaining visibility can be a challenge. If you write books in multiple genres, you may not want them to cross. While there is some crossover, it may hurt your marketing efforts if the two categories don’t mix well. What will people who read sweet, clean romance think if half of your book catalogue is spicy romance? While it may not have an impact on everybody, keeping these areas separate can be beneficial. Do you write science fiction with adult themes? Maybe you also write books for children. You probably don’t want the two to cross, or for there to be confusion. Keeping separate author names in this circumstance makes good sense.
Gender: You’re a man in a woman’s world, or a woman in a man’s world. Gender today is more fluid, but there are still people who buy romance books by women and science fiction books by men. And there are readers who won’t buy a type of book written by one gender or the other. Outdated? Yes. But the reality is, marketing plays a role in how your book sells. Things are more relaxed in today’s society, but often times people choose a pen name with initials or a gender specific tone to help position their title for stronger sales. For example: Louisa May Alcott started by using the male pen name: A. M. Barnard, and Charlotte Bronte first wrote as Currer Bell.

What is Another Word for Pen Name?

Pen name is a commonly used phrase, but there are other words people use in place of it. Have you heard of a pseudonym? A nom de plume? These are both ways of saying the same thing. The author has chosen to use a different name than their given name for their author identity. Why might somebody choose a pen name over their personal name, other than the reasons given above? Maybe you share a name with somebody famous. If your given name is James Taylor, you may want to consider adding an initial, so people don’t confuse you with somebody famous, or that famous person having issue with you selling something with their name. There are work arounds, and because he’s in music, it’s a different scenario. But what if your name is Tom Clancy? Exactly. So, in this circumstance you might consider using a different name: Thomas Clancy, Tom K. Clancy, TK Clancy, or something completely different.

You want a name that is easy to remember, isn’t being used by another author if possible, and is easy to spell. Maybe your name is John Klempeskitzell. It’s going to be hard to remember, spell, or look up when somebody is in search of your book.

You could shorten it to John Klemp, choose something similar or come up with another name all together. That’s not saying that you can’t use Klempeskitzell as your pen name. It’s your choice, but keep in mind that while we’re authors, we also want readers to find our books. Make it as easy as possible for them. Choose a name that is memorable, easy to spell, and if possible, available as a domain and on social media. Your online presence will become part of your marketing.

Writing Under a Pen Name

Here are some things to consider:

Is your pen name easy to remember, spell, and say?
Is the .com domain available? This is the most commonly searched domain ending.
If it’s not available, consider adding books or author to the title of the domain.
Are there versions of your social media name available? You want consistency for branding. Don’t use a different name on every site.
If you choose initials, such as A.J. Author, for best search viability, drop the periods. AJ Author is consistent across the board for all sites. Remember, make searchability as easy as possible.
Will you use this name across every book you write, creating a consistent brand, or are you looking to write in multiple genres? In this case, consider variations of names: AJ Author, A Author, Alan Author.

KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) or Author Central? I’m Confused!

If you choose to self-publish on Amazon, you’ll eventually come across Author Central. This is where you’ll set up your pen name profile. People often wonder how to publish when they have a pen name.

There are two separate areas. One is your main Amazon publishing account on KDP or Kindle Direct Publishing. The other area you’ll set up after this portion is filled in, is at a different web address and is called Author Central.

When you complete a book and are ready to publish it, you’ll first sign into your KDP account. That account was created with your real name, payment, and tax information. Customers don’t see this. As you upload your manuscript, there is a box where you’ll be asked to enter your author name. If you’re using a pen name, you’d simply enter the name in that slot. When the book is published, whatever name was written in that author name slot is what will be shown to customers.

Author Central Pen Name

Now that you know the KDP section of your account is where you upload a book, and where you add your pen name, what does Author Central have to do with anything? Author Central is another segment of your publishing. You do not have to set up an Author Central account, but it’s highly recommended. To publish a book, you must set up your KDP account. That is how you get paid and upload a book.

Okay, so how does Author Central work into all of this?

Author Central is your author hub. This is where you’ll be able to write a bio about yourself, and tie your books together. It’s a special page that Amazon readers can go to, so they can learn more about you and see what other books you may have written. It’s your “author page” as it’s referred to on Amazon.

To create an Author Central page, you’ll need to open an account. Don’t worry, it will tie to your KDP account once you get set up. After you’ve filled in all the information to create your account, it gives you the option to locate the book you published. You type the name of the book and your pen name in a slot, and then click on “this is me” letting them know it’s your book. If everything matches properly, it will allocate this book to your author page.

This is important when you have pen names. Each book under the same pen name will be tied together, and you’ll have a single location where readers can see everything you’ve done under that name. It will list your series, your biography, your books, and offer a picture or other details you’ve mentioned. It’s your hub to also put information for your fans to see, such as a link to your blog or social media feed. It’s a nice section that helps sell your books.

If you have more than one pen name, don’t fret. Author Central allows you to have up to three pen names on one account. Have a fourth name? No worries, you can simply open another account to add your new pen names. This is not against their terms of service. You can have as many pen names as you want or need, though keeping track of them and their websites and social profiles might be a challenge if you’re prolific.

Note: You can have one KDP account. You can have multiple Author Central accounts.

Publishing Under a Pen Name

If you choose to publish under a pen name, remember consistency is key. Publishing as a pen name has been a part of our lives for hundreds of years. In fact, in the 1700’s, Benjamin Franklin used many pen names (source – PBS.org). You’re not hiding. It’s completely acceptable to choose a name to write under, whether you want to call it a pen name, pseudonym, or nom de plume, pick something you love. It will be with you a while.