In one of the author groups that I have joined on Facebook, someone was talking about her brand and her name, debating on whether to start publishing under a pen name.
I did not consider writing "The Girl with the Empty Suitcase" under a pen name at all, but I thought you may want to know why, and what I have learned from some research on the topic, after following the thread of the conversation.
Let's start with the reasons someone WOULD use a pen name, according to the authors I read about:
1. You are writing in different genres. This was the case for the woman asking in the original thread. She had been writing clean romances, and developed some success. She also was interested in publishing her mystery and crime writing. She had started, and received backlash from her devoted romance readers. What to do, what to do?
2. You have the same name (or a variation) as someone famous. This is probably particularly true if the famous person is an author or celebrity, especially in your field. Maybe if your name is "Steven King", you might want to publish under something else.
3. You write in a genre that has expectations. Are you writing a gritty crime noir? An over-the-top romance? Genre-writing has specific expectations about its authors. That doesn't mean you can't break out of the mould. But you may want to be aware of those expectations.
4. You want to keep your writing and non-writing life separate. This seems to be the biggest reason for using a pen name. If, for example, I was writing more questionable material, say, a horror novel with blood and guts and gore, I might not want to publish under my name, for fear my students will read it (especially if I taught younger grades!). Or maybe someone who expresses specific beliefs about a divisive subject (looking at you, politics and religion) writes a fictional character concerned with the opposing view.
Okay, and now for the reasons that you may NOT want to use a pseudonym.
1. The amount of work that goes into maintaining a separate identity is astronomical. You want to do author signings? Release parties? You have to show up under your assumed name. This doesn't help out for keeping your writing and non-writing life separate in most cases. Oh yeah, and for that scenario where you are writing under your name AND a separate identity? Twice the work.
2. You have no identity. Zero. Seriously. You are starting from scratch. I don't just mean as an author; you have to fabricate a whole identity for a person who just does not exist. This may have been easier to do once-upon-a-time, but now, with Internet searches and online profiles, publishing something when you don't really exist is like whispering in a hurricane.
3. Why are you trying to hide your writing? Look, you are entitled to your opinions and works and secrecy. But, if you are wanting to use a pseudonym because of the subject matter or content or whatever, then consider why that is. If you are going to write about your family, for example, a pseudonym won't protect you legally. Readers appreciate honesty and authenticity, especially in new writers, and especially in nonfiction. This is something to consider.
4. If you write under a pen name, you will not ever get to see your book with your name on it. I don't know if I can explain this one as well, but for months, maybe even years, you pour yourself into a book, and then, when you have it all perfect and edited and formatted and designed, when you've put hours and days into social media and marketing, the book is released and, and you hold it in your hands, and your name is nowhere on it.
That last one is actually the biggest reason that I am writing under my own name. The whole reason I am publishing my book is so I can point to it and say, "This is my book."
So I want my name on that.
Ultimately, though, it is a personal decision for each author. As for the woman who was asking the question in the group, I believe she decided to use a pen name AND her regular name, under which she previously published. So her covers would say "By _________, writing as _________."
For myself, I want mine to say "The Girl with the Empty Suitcase", by Krysta MacDonald.
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