Secret Pseudonyms

The reasons for pseudonyms are varied. Some like the anonymity, others like the security a pseudonym gives, especially if writing about something controversial. But what makes a pseudonym? Back in the day, when female writers were frowned upon, they used male names. But why would you use a Pseudonym and what would you choose? I know one author who used their ‘Porn name’, you know, when you take your first pets name and your mother’s maiden name. I would be called He-man Bolton. Yeah, I know.

But let’s look at some of the more professional Pseudonyms.

Dean Koontz      -              Aaron Wolfe
Anne Bronte      -              Acton Bell
Emily Bronte      -              Ellis Bell
Ruth Rendell      -              Barbara Vine
Stephen King     -              Richard Bachman

 As you can see, two of the Brontes used the same surname and the same initial of the first name. So you can see they still wanted to be associated with each other. I know there are rules within the actors union where you cannot have the same name as someone else within the union, hence why so many actors have stage names. But then again, some of them changed their names not because they had to, but because it sounded better. E.g.

Norma Jeane Mortenson             -              Marilyn Monroe

But sometimes, she didn’t want to be recognised at all, so used a secret pseudonym, Zelda Zonk, among others. So when do the pseudonyms stop? Would we invent a super secret pseudonym when the secret one is found out? We have to them to protect ourselves, we use them to clarify to the audience what genre or writing style to expect, we use them for any number of reasons, but one thought has occurred to me. Do we create a separate character that the author can be?

 

I know it sounds strange, but if we assume another name to write a book, can we assume another persona for that same reason? Can our alter-ego write things that we would never dare? But now we delve into the realm of the psychosis and I am definitely not qualified to go there.

 

 

Tell me what your thoughts are. Read, follow, comment and enjoy. M x