You have a book that you want to publish, but do you have an author name? You have the option of publishing your books under your name or a pen name. There’s nothing wrong with choosing either option. If you’re considering a pen name, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Select A Name

Pick a name that isn’t hard to spell. This will make it easier on your fans to find you. You can have fun picking it out by meaning, sound, or genre indicative. Just select something you like and then ask a few trusted people what they think of it.

2. Research The Name

When you have a name, search it online to make sure no other author is using it. No need to confuse your fans.

3. Search A Website Domain

Once you pick a name, you need to search the domain and make sure you can get it. The best website address you can have for search-ability is: authorname.com. You can also look into social media platforms to see what is available for marketing with them.

4. Set Up Business Finances

If you plan to do business as that pen name and receive payments through it, you will need to create a legal way to collect that money. You can submit a Fictitious Business Name (FBN) Statement or set up the pen name as a business, such as an LLC. You only need to do one of these though. Look into FBN and LLC, and choose which is best for you.

5. Register A Copyright

This step is optional. In the United States, copyrights exist starting the moment a work is created. That means that registering a copyright is voluntary. The main reason to have one, besides to ease your mind if you’re a worrier, is if you want to press charges for infringement. I’ve heard more established authors say that there are other ways to prove your ownership of the work if plagiarism is ever a problem, but most don’t have an issue with it. However, if you want to pay the money for the copyright to be on public record, there is no reason you can’t.

When registering the copyright for your book, you can do it under your pen name or both your pen name and real name. If you choose just your pen name, the copyright only lasts 95 years from the date of publication. If you register it under both your pen name and your real name, the copyright will last your life plus 70 more years.

The Drawback

The main issue with pen names is deciding what name to go by in person. At conferences, in writing groups, or even just with your agent, it can be confusing to have two names. I’d suggest going by your pen name in the writing world to avoid confusion. Plus, if you don’t shout your pen name loud and proud, who’s going to know about your books? Since I haven’t worked with an agent or editor much yet, I’d ask them what they prefer when the time comes. If they don’t want to remember to use your real name in meetings but your pen name in public, then they may use your pen name at all times. Just be open and flexible, and it will work itself out.

Final Thoughts

Pen names are not difficult, but, hopefully, this quick rundown helps if you plan to use one. They can be exciting to create so have fun with it, and see where it goes. Not everyone wants to use a pen name, but, if you want to publish in more than one genre, you may need one. It doesn’t hurt to have a pen name picked out just in case.

Thanks for reading!

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