The Decline Of Pseudonyms

salon.com:

At its most basic level, a pseudonym is a prank. Yet the motives that lead writers to assume an alias are infinitely complex, sometimes mysterious even to them.

Read the whole story: salon.com

Comments

[Fmal DeHyde]

08:39 AM on 06/14/2011

I would NEVER use a pseudonym!

[Sean Richardson]

05:56 AM on 06/14/2011

This article begins with the absurd premise that pseudonyms are all "pranks". Without further explanation (even citing the bizarre personal definition of "pranks" being used, because it sure ain't the proper one), it then gets even stranger, starting with unproven facts and using them to try to prove unprovable assertions. It uses "pseudonym" repeatedly, but is really limited to just "pen names", which is not so bad until you get to the statement that the Internet has led to *less* pseudonyms, which is laugh-out-loud funny if you're using the full and proper definition (that's why I say it should be "pen names"). Finally, the only way you can reach the conclusion that pseudonym use declined in the 20th century is by willfully ignoring virtually every franchise book ever published, as the tendency is to have multiple writers publish books in one series under one unified name, whether it be the series' originator or just completely made up.

[SF TKF]

04:05 PM on 06/13/2011

There are plenty of reasons to take a pen name, most notably, your name is already “taken” in the genre you wish to write in, your name is odd, hard to spell, too long for legibility on a cover, you’re switching genres and don’t want to confuse readers, or maybe you just never really liked it!