Using your author identity (nom de plume) in real life?

[James Bridie]

How far do people bring their author identity into their real life?

For example, at one extreme, the name on the cover or byline is only ever used in that context - everyone from the publisher to people you know and even the public (!) know who the real you is. At another extreme, you might adopt the persona, and become that person. But how far would it go (short of actually assuming a new name and identity, replacing your old one). I am imagining a scenario where you really wish to keep authorial identity separate from normal life (and/or from other author identities), for whatever reason (eg. privacy)

For example do you adopt fully the persona of 'Corvus Wildacre', even writing to your publisher under that name, and insist on correspondence in that name? But then, where does it stop? What about your bank account? Tax?

Or maybe you let a small group of people know you are the elusive 'Carryl Baytree' but at some event someone spots you and says "Hi Jane" and the game is up? (Jane Baytree would have been less likely to be found out, unless someone searches for Baytree as a surname and finds it's maybe not a plausible surname...)

Or your sci-fi author persona (Carryl) needs to be kept completely separate from your romantic fiction persona (Corvus), but your publisher invites you both to an event? etc. Or your erotic fiction author persona, who you never thought would ever be invited to a public event, has to 'come out' as a fake identity and gender, etc.

There have been previous threads on nom de plume and branding as publishing strategy but I'm just curious about dealing with things in everyday life. Even without revealng your own personas/secrets, there must be people here with experience of what kind of things people do or encounter?

 

[Brian G Turner]

Any assumed name is used for the cover only, by agreement between you and the publisher - in everything else you use your real name.

 

[awesomesauce]

How far do people bring their author identity into their real life?

This may come as a shock, but my given legal name isn't actually "awesomesauce". (If you're thinking about reader backlash, I think people are pretty hip to the concept of pseudonyms these days. )

 

[Joshua Jones]

I don't think I have ever introduced myself as Joshua Jones. I use it exclusively for my SFF, because I explore some dark subject matters, and also write religious texts, and sometimes people who read my religious work cannot understand why I explore what I do in SFF. Apparently, they haven't read Judges... George R. R. Martin has nothing on that book, and my motivations are roughly the same as the author of Judges.

Now, if my SFF actually takes off, I could see the logic in referring to myself as Joshua Jones at, say, some convention where they may recognize that name but not my given name, but I am not going to act like someone different.

 

[James Bridie]

Any assumed name is used for the cover only, by agreement between you and the publisher - in everything else you use your real name.

Thanks. This may be normal practice but I am curious about where the boundary is drawn in individual cases.

If 'Corvus' goes to meet his publisher (in the above scenario), presumably the publisher calls him by his real name Colin. But If 'Corvus' is at a book signing (even just one single public event) does he sign 'Corvus'? Maybe. But what do people call him? Do the public know his real name? If they don't know his real name then they would prsumably call him by his assumed name, in which case, if he plays along, he is drawn into acting as 'Corvus'. If they do know his name is Colin, do they call him Colin? So then 'Corvus' literally exists only on book covers... and catalogues... and biographical descriptions... if so, does the life of Colin become the back story of Corvus? And - halfway between catalogue and live event - if he turns up on some radio book review show, what then - does the presenter call him Colin, or 'Corvus'?

Or if Jane Twigg is an astrobiologist she might not wish to be associated directly with her science fiction - sure, friends may know she writes it under a pseudonym, but she'd rather her colleagues didn't know. (Say, she feared they would not take her actual science fact so seriously). Mightn't she send her Venusian fantasy manuscript to a publisher under her pseudonym Carryl, and maintain the arrangement thereafter, as far as...? - as far as what, is what I'm getting at... make the first cheque out to, er, Ms Baytree? Dr Twigg?

 

[James Bridie]

This may come as a shock, but my given legal name isn't actually "awesomesauce". (If you're thinking about reader backlash, I think people are pretty hip to the concept of pseudonyms these days. )

Your legal name may not be awesomesauce (should we just call you awesome?) but I am curious as to how far a pseudonym would ever be lived. Maybe 'awesomesauce' doesn't live outside the internet, or even this forum, but if awesomesauce was published under the pseudonym Ali Wenceslaus, would Ali ever appear in the flesh as that person?

 

[James Bridie]

I don't think I have ever introduced myself as Joshua Jones. I use it exclusively for my SFF, because I explore some dark subject matters, and also write religious texts, and sometimes people who read my religious work cannot understand why I explore what I do in SFF. Apparently, they haven't read Judges... George R. R. Martin has nothing on that book, and my motivations are roughly the same as the author of Judges.

Now, if my SFF actually takes off, I could see the logic in referring to myself as Joshua Jones at, say, some convention where they may recognize that name but not my given name, but I am not going to act like someone different.

OK I understand that you could imagine some time in future appearing as the author Joshua Jones, and that you would be just your normal self.

But I am wondering if authors in that situation would be open about it being a pseudonym (especially anyone with a distinctive in the name - presumably partly why the name chosen could be to be distinctive - e.g geographical, religious identity etc.). In other words, would the author be comfortable about your identity thereby being revealed?

So for example in the case of an author who either writes dark stuff, and/or has another role in life separate from the SFF, would it not erode the point in having a pseudonym (as cover), if their real identity is openly known, or put another way, the rest of the author's life is part of the public package, in everything except the name?

 

[Joshua Jones]

OK I understand that you could imagine some time in future appearing as the author Joshua Jones, but you would be just your normal self. But I am wondering if authors in that situation would be open about it being a pseudonym (especially anyone with a distinctive in the name - presumably partly why the name chosen could be to be distinctive). In other words, be comfortable about your identity thereby being revealed?

So for example in the case of an author who either writes dark stuff, and/or has another role in life separate from the SFF, would it not erode the point in having a pseudonym (as cover), if their real identity is openly known, or put another way, the rest of the author's life is part of the public package in everything except the name?

I mean, I am pretty open about it. The only reason I don't expect referencing my given name is that it would be irrelevant at best, and possibly confusing to the attendees of the convention who, perhaps, had a handful too many drinks. I have no problem with someone making the connection between the name I use to write Biblical commentary/devotionals and the one I use to write SFF, except that I don't particularly want to explain how I am not condoning the actions of my characters by virtue of depicting them with every interaction. So, I neither hide it or advertise it.

For me, it is less about a secret identity as it is my preference for conversations to be about my work, rather than how I justify in my mind being highly religious and depicting horrific crimes against individuals and humanity in general. It's the same basic reason I don't typically talk about my enjoyment and study of science and my enjoyment and study of theology in the same circles. If I am talking about the possibility of tuning a shockwave to a resonance frequency, the question "Wait, I thought you were religious? Why are you interested in science?" is not what I am after, especially after the 200th repetition. Likewise, when I am expositing Galatians, I would rather the focus be on the text than my inquiries into quantum theory and if I am an old earther or young earther.

I see no contradiction in my mind, but for some reason, people expect everyone else to be one dimensional. So, I keep those parts of my life separate, so I can enjoy conversation across the board.

Separate, but not secret. I mean, I am not Batman or something.

 

[Joshua Jones]

Point of clarification; I don't mind such questions in moderation. I do mind giving a talk on Aseity and the only questions are about how I think it is OK for my characters to use profanity or commit acts of torture on one another. Or to talk about a science topic and all I get is Problem of Evil questions and the interface between science and faith. I love both questions in their proper context, but I love other questions as well.

 

[-K2-]

This is an interesting topic for me in that I'm in a parallel yet different situation. For reasons I'll not go into (although if you encountered me elsewhere on the web you'd know why), I have absolutely zero intention of personally interacting with anyone. I don't care if it is publishers, fans of my work (like all three), people I meet on the web and so on. Though I'm not agoraphobic by any means, I'm not exactly fit for public consumption My world by design is very small and reclusive.

In any case, not intending to sidetrack the discussion, I was curious about ways to get around that. Like perhaps having one of my friends be listed as a co-author, or perhaps having it all route through a corporate entity and if push comes to shove, let a representative handle interactions. In the end, it might boil down to simply not listing myself at all. I don't want fame or notoriety (not that I'm of that caliber yet you get the point). BUT, I do want to be read not really caring who gets credit.

So I'm watching what you all come up with. Good topic!

K2

 

[tinkerdan]

Author name--whatever you want within reason.

Taxes and registration of copyrights and payments require a real name and identity.

Often on the inside of books I find the authors real name in the Copyright Registration.

On the other hand you could incorporate some way or another (one of which often but not always require you use a portion of your name and or a portion of partners names[certain states in the US]) and handle the legal stuff that way.

 

[Stable]

(should we just call you awesome?)

I don't know him that well. I might have to use Mr. Sauce.

 

[Brian G Turner]

This may be normal practice but I am curious about where the boundary is drawn in individual cases.

There are no differences - you are a legal entity for private business, while your pseudonym is just a mask for public use as you see fit.

 

[The Bluestocking]

My two cents:

However you decide to approach the matter, be consistent. Otherwise, it might result in some confusion.

This happened to Steven Erikson who decided to put his real name (Steve Lundin) in the nameplate during his Google Hangout with my little charity. This confused half the fans who tuned in while the other half got busy explaining to the confused half that Steve Lundin is Steven Erikson himself. That was quite amusing to one and all but also a reminder that authors should be consistent as to what they'd publicly wish to be known as during interviews and suchlike.

It also depends on the reason an author uses a pen name. Some people, like Romance author Eloisa James, use a pen name to avoid "crossing streams" between their separate careers as it were (James is a respected English professor at Yale, if I'm not mistaken, and the pen name is used partly to avoid career-damaging snobbery from her colleagues and students).

I'm on the "no crossed career streams" team - I've recently decided on a pen name and should my work be published, I will use that name for interviews etc about my books in order to keep it separate from my activist/advocacy work (which uses my real name). It's easier and less confusing that way.

 

[The Bluestocking]

Separate, but not secret. I mean, I am not Batman or something.

It would really be something if Bruce Wayne was lurking on Chrons talking about his SFF novels

 

[Susan Boulton]

My author name is my real name. Didn't see the point of using any other. When I am on a panel at conventions, what you hear and see is the, "real me". I attended UK conventions for a long time before I was published, and knew a lot of fellow authors, and SF and F fans, so it would have been pretty stupid to turn up at a signing, or book launch, pretending to be someone else

 

[Stephen Palmer]

I've had some pretty grim experiences in the last 22 years of people taking against me because I'm an author. Mostly, this has been people at work. A couple of years ago I moved to a new day job, and I resolved to tell only those people I really trusted. So that's how it's been since, and it hasn't got out yet that I write novels.
Why the problems? Some people - I'd estimate one in three - are genuinely interested in what I do, and pleased for me. Some aren't bothered one way or the other. But a remarkable number turn against me in subtle ways. I think this is because being an author is the number 1 fantasy of many people - everybody would love to be an author, and, of course, why not? It's a great thing to be. So when aspiring writers or even the non-aspiring find out I'm a successful author with 14 novels to his name, they get envious. And that has caused difficulties for me in the past.
Life, eh? :/

 

[Onyx]

I don't see how an author is going to attend promotional signings and convention panels with a different name than is on the book. So the choice is really whether you have a pen name so no one can ever find the real author, or whether you use a pen name because it is sounds better for selling books than your real one.

But the public understands pseudonyms, from Archibald Leach to John Le Carre.

 

[James Bridie]

Thanks for these replies - lots of food for thought - will return to this later.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

My author name is my real name. Didn't see the point of using any other. When I am on a panel at conventions, what you hear and see is the, "real me". I attended UK conventions for a long time before I was published, and knew a lot of fellow authors, and SF and F fans, so it would have been pretty stupid to turn up at a signing, or book launch, pretending to be someone else

I’m like this except I have an unusual name - and has proved more of a ‘thing’ than I imagined. I’m mid-profile in NI and in papers and what not semi regularly and on forums as ‘me’. I’m not sorry I didn’t choose a pen name but I’m increasingly thinking of hiding my pen name behind my married name in real-life