Why Do Some Writers Bother with a Pen Name?
You can recreate yourself whenever the need arises!
In 2021, I felt the need to reinvent the writer in me, by trying to go in another direction, while at the same time, continuing to remain on a “writing path”.
At one point, I was juggling multiple pen names and personas online.
Through my self published novels and personal essays online, my life gradually became an open book, but I wasn’t bothered by the exposure of being so candid. In fact, I was counting on it!
Personally, I love the idea of using pen names. Each of the pen names I’m currently associated with, represent special times in my life, with respect to my writing.
Charm Baker has published and is most known for my non-fiction stories and content - some about writing. Charm is also credited for being my first experiences with novel writing (resulting in 2 NaNoWriMo successes).
Beka R. March is the pen name I used, when I dared venture into fantasy writing again, after a failed attempt with my first self published novel about mermaids.
And finally, there’s Justiss Goode - the writer and pen name I want to focus on in this story. That’s who’s writing and sharing this story, and all the Medium content I’ve published for the past four years.
As you read and learn more about me, be sure to consider the relevant points that relate to you and your decision on whether or not to use a pen name, and if you do use one, are you reaping the benefits like you should.
When it comes to your decision as a writer, whether or not to use a pen name, there are lots of issues to consider. Some of the more obvious questions will come to mind right away, like:
Should I create a unique name or just a fake name?
Am I allowed to use a common name as my pseudonym, even though it might belong to someone else?
Should I use a male or female pen name, or should I make it gender neutral?
These are questions I can’t answer for someone else. Truthfully, I didn’t think about them when I created my own pen names, however now I know that I should have.
Thankfully, I still managed to choose wisely, but why leave things to chance?
Other reasons to consider the use of a pen name are not always so obvious.
But besides the questions posed above, there are other issues that might facilitate the need for using a pen name in your writing. For instance, writers on Medium and other platforms may tend to write about controversial issues. It makes you wonder whether or not it’s a good idea to do that, unless you’re writing under an alias.
Discussing certain topics on a regular basis, could definitely lead a writer to consider writing under a different name than their own or from the username they’re most known for.
I don’t know how many writers actually agree with this viewpoint, but I’m sure there are lots of writers who see it this way. Are you one of them?
Personally, regardless of my reasons for having decided to use pen names, I happen to like using them, and I’m glad I made the choice. 😄 JUSTISS GOODE
I’ve been writing online for years (but I really got serious in 2007). During that time, my Charm Baker persona was responsible for everything I wrote. There was no particular thought given to using the name, other than it was a shortened version of my actual name.
Of course, my other pen names were more about showing a little creativity.
Writers might find it more liberating to use a pen name when submitting stories and personal essays on a writing site, or publishing them on their personal blogs.
In reality, there could be tons of reasons why writers choose to use a pen name, and some of those reasons may have nothing to do with a desire to be creative.
Using a pen name can be a way to help shield your true identities, in the event you say something that your “real self” is not allowed to address, due to a myriad of reasons, including controversy or political correctness.
Of course, the most practical reason for creating a pen name is because we like to write on multiple topics that might have a way of clashing (such as writing erotic short stories, while being a writer of children’s books or parenting articles, etc).
The wrong thing to do when making a decision about pen names, is to start out as a new writer and decide to use a pen name simply because you’ve heard that’s the thing to do.
It’s your choice, and it’s not a necessity, just because it’s your goal to be a professional writer.
For those new writers and aspiring authors who are fretting over this issue, I say don’t worry about it.
Unless there is a really good reason for you to have to write under some other name; if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. Your success or failure is not dependent on this.
Worry more about the kind of writer you want to be, and how you can prevent failing at that, based on your writing skills.
In many ways, it took me spending four years writing on the Medium website to realize this all important fact.
It’s not that I don’t like and feel proud of the kind of writer I am, because I do. It’s simply the fact that so much of my current portfolio contains literally hundreds of published stories about Medium.
You can learn more about the latest “meta” policy, and also discover endless tips, hacks, and “how to” stories, related to writing and publishing on Medium.
I became the “meta whisperer”
Even though it happened organically and purely accidental, it resulted in me becoming an expert writer for a niche that is currently being put down, devalued, and practically shunned on Medium.
I now recognize that this situation I currently find myself in, is a direct result of NOT having a clear enough focus about the kind of writer it was my intention to be on Medium.
I went there to immerse myself in fiction and eventually become a great short story fiction writer.
Yes - I came up with an awesome pen name, however, I failed to keep my primary objective in mind. Sad to say, lots of writers tend to make the same mistake as me.
Are you one of them?
Final Word
The decision on whether or not you should bother to start using a pen name is one you’ll have to make for yourself, but hopefully, this material has helped you appreciate what is really more important, regardless of what you decide to do.
I took on my Justiss Goode pen name, the day I determined that I would continue working hard at my dreams of being a great short story writer, and possibly even becoming a successful novelist.
All these years later, I’m still a WORK IN PROGRESS 😄
But I have my name as a reminder to me that I am “just as good” as any of the other successful writers I see, hear about, and desire to be just like. If I continue with my determination to succeed, eventually I’ll get there.
This Just Goode Writing newsletter is one of the many resources I’m using to help me stay on track and focused on my goals.
A new policy on Medium has forced me to go back and revisit previously published stories and a large amount of my content. Instead of allowing this to hinder my progress, I’m taking advantage of the chance to update, enhance, and improve on my content.
And you’re the lucky audience I’ll continue to share it with.
Thanks until next time…