pen names – Susan Spann, Adventure, Mystery, and Mountains

Pros and Cons of Pen Names in Self Publishing (And Otherwise)

Admin Uncategorized June 22, 2016author-publishers, legal protection, pen names, pseudonyms, publishing, self-publishing

Use of pseudonyms can sometimes create additional issues for authors, so it’s important to be aware of the legal ramifications of pseudonym use

When “Should” Writers Use a Pen Name?*

Admin Uncategorized February 24, 2016#Publishing Law, legal consequences of pen names, pen names, pseudonyms, when to use pen names

* Note: This is a re-post of a post that originally appeared in December 2014. I’m out of town at the Left Coast Crime Convention this week (seahorse fans, never fear…my husband stays home to fish-sit), but the question “Should I use a pen name?” seems evergreen, so I’m running this post again. To clarify from the outset: I don’t think there’s a single answer to the question “should I use a pen name?” Use of a pseudonym involves multiple legal, business, and personal issues, and is a question each author needs to answer on his or her own (if appropriate, with the assistance

Different Genres…Different Names?

Admin Uncategorized March 25, 2015#Publishing Law, pen names, pseudonyms, using different names for different genres

Today’s post answers a question I hear a lot: What are the business and legal concerns authors face when using different pseudonyms (or a pseudonym) for writing in different genres? We’ve already looked at the legal issues involved in using a pseudonym (What’s in a [Pen] Name) so today we’ll focus on use of different names (real or fictitious) for works in different genres. As an initial matter, authors can legally use different names (either real or fictitious) for different published works, as long as the use is neither fraudulent nor intended to get around a legal or contractual obligation. In plainer language: you can’t get around limitations

What’s in a (Pen) Name?

Admin Uncategorized January 7, 2015pen names, pseudonyms, publishing, when to use a pseudonym

Today’s post picks up where our Christmas Eve series left off: with a discussion of pen names, and when it makes sense to use them. The Christmas Eve post discussed the legal ramifications of pen names. Today, we’re focusing on the business-related issues. Why would an author want to use a pen name? Let’s look at some of the most common reasons, and the business arguments for (and against) a pseudonym: 1. Avoiding “Day Job Conflict.” Many authors have day jobs other than writing. In some cases, the author would rather not deal with conflict or overlap between the “day job” and the