Why Do Authors Use Pen Names? Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

Email This Page

  AddThis Social Bookmark Button

AALBC.com's Thumper's Corner Discussion Board » Thumper's Corner - Archive 2004 » Why Do Authors Use Pen Names? « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Whistlingwoman
Regular Poster
Username: Whistlingwoman

Post Number: 34
Registered: 01-2004

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 04:33 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I just read about a couple mystery writers who use pen names (several) to write different series, and I know other authors do this as well.

Any ideas why this is done?

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden

Post Number: 436
Registered: 03-2004

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 04:57 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Some use them for the traditional reasons that they are trying to keep their writing lives and their regular lives separate--

Others are urged to do it so they won't saturate the market, or because they are writing in a different style or with a different type of character and they don't want to confuse the public.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Whistlingwoman
Regular Poster
Username: Whistlingwoman

Post Number: 35
Registered: 01-2004

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 - 05:10 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Chris,

Very good points. Thank you.

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Philly_bbw
Newbie Poster
Username: Philly_bbw

Post Number: 6
Registered: 09-2004

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 03:00 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

A lot of authors use a pen name as a means of getting another book out when the first book deal goes wrong and are trapped in the contract. sad but true...
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Rashena
Veteran Poster
Username: Rashena

Post Number: 55
Registered: 08-2004

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 04:17 am:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Wow, I never knew that! But what happens when the other publisher finds out? Say Yolanda Joe is trapped in a contract but writes a mystery under the name Adella Garland (though I am just using her as an example) - can she be sued?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Philly_bbw
Newbie Poster
Username: Philly_bbw

Post Number: 10
Registered: 09-2004

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Tuesday, September 28, 2004 - 06:02 pm:   Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

NO, because depending on the contract you can not put out another book under the same name if you didn't give them first dibs on it. If you signed a 1 book deal(meaning the book they are publishing at the moment)the contract will say that they get to review the next book for 30 days before you can send it to another publisher. After that you would have to get a better deal than what they are offering you, and you have to give them a chance to counter offer before you can sign with someone else. This could take forever. So rather than go through all of that a lot of us chose to write under another name so that we can still put books out with out going through the hassel. The publisher said, for example, that Yolanda Joe can not publish another book under her name under those terms unless she goes through the proceders. The publisher didn't say that she couldn't write under a different name, and legalley they can't so it works out.

Topics | Last Day | Last Week | Tree View | Search | Help/Instructions | Program Credits Administration

Advertise | Chat | Books | Fun Stuff | About AALBC.com | Authors | Getting on the AALBC | Reviews | Writer's Resources | Events | Send us Feedback | Privacy Policy | Sign up for our Email Newsletter | Buy Any Book (advanced book search)

Copyright © 1997-2008 AALBC.com - http://aalbc.com