Why I write using a pen name (pseudonym): pros and cons.
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
What is a pseudonym, and what are some of the pros and cons I have experienced during my writing journey as a poet writing under a pen name?
After 4,5 years of sharing my poetry online, I thought it was time to address the elephant in the room. My pen name. Although using a pen name (or a nom de plume) is not that uncommon in the poetry and writing community, I wanted to share my reasons and experiences so far. What are the pros of sharing my words under an pseudonym, and have I experienced cons along the journey as well? Let us find out.
What is a pseudonym?
A pseudonym or an alias is a fictitious name that a person uses for a particular reason. A pen name or nom de plume is used by poets and writers who all have their own reasons to bring their writing into the world under a different name. Here are some of mine.
My origin story
I remember that late September evening in 2021. My 35th birthday was only a few days before, and I was still feeling brave. The life-changing kind of brave. I did not realise the impact sharing my writing would have on me at that time, but yes, it did become life-changing. I had only been sharing a few poems with friends, and they (grateful that they did) tried to convince me to put my writing into the world. I was unfamiliar with social media and, honestly, had no clue what I was doing when I created my poetry account on Instagram. But of one thing I was certain, I was going to write under a pen name, and here is why I did.
“Names are powerful things. They act as an identity marker and a kind of map, locating you in time and geography. More than that, they can be a compass.” - Nicola Yoon, The sun is also a star.
Pros of writing under a pen name.
Privacy
A pen name offered me the privacy of sharing my poetry without people close to me reading my work. I mean coworkers, neighbors, friends from high school, cousins, and uncles. Although some still found me (and yes, it did feel awkward), you get the point by who I mean. This privacy away from them was important for me because I often write and share poetry about mental health and trauma. My poetry was my way of giving pain and grief a voice, and I did not want to be held back while screaming. My pen name offered me a way to say what I needed to say without fear that those close to me would judge me.
Freedom
My pen name gave me the freedom to write about different themes. Be it depression, grief, love, or healing from trauma. I knew I needed to write out what needed to be said, instead of ignoring them. My pen name gave me the wings to fly out and explore all poetry had to offer me.
Safety
Yes, this is an extension of what Privacy offers. Having a separation between my life and my online presence offers me a sense of safety. Not only from creeps on the internet, but also for myself. Because in the past, I overshared and trusted too quickly. That trust got broken, more than once. So, my pen name offers me the safety of keeping a distance. Sharing what I want to share, while still showing up as my authentic self.
Comfort
Another extension of privacy and safety is a sense of comfort. A comfortable distance not only from the poet and the reader, but equally from the poet and the poetry. Seeing my name under some of my poems would make the emotions feel overwhelming. And that is perhaps a vulnerability I am not quite ready for. I can write from the emotion (which I mostly do) and then step away from it, seeing my pen name written underneath it. As if not claiming the trauma but wanting it to have a voice. I am still healing from C-PTSD and all the mess of trauma that goes with it. My pen name offers me a bridge to being my true self, but from a safe distance. And I know, one day, I might no longer need that bridge.
Meaning
Of course, my pen name has a meaning. I did not choose a random name. CoraLynn is both a wordplay on my real name and a combination of two nicknames friends gave me: Cora and Lynn. Although I had to tweak that last one a bit, because in Dutch, Lynn is actually “Linneke”. But that did not translate well. The nickname “Linneke” was given to me by a friend who is no longer with me. She passed away three years ago. She was a creative spirit as well, and my name reminds me of carrying her with me on my own creative journey.
Now, these all sound like reasonable pros to write under a pen name, but yes, there are also cons I have experienced on my writing journey.
“It's not a real name," she says.
"Not one that he's carried with him always. It's one he wears like his hat. So he can take it off if he wants.”
- Erin Morgenstern, The night circus.
Cons of writing under a pen name.
Distance
While a pen name offers that bridge between you and your work, it also offers mountains between it. Very steep mountains. That safe distance can become a double-edged blade rather quickly. Because the praise or the support does not always reach the other side of the bridge, either. It makes it difficult to actually believe in yourself as a writer when there is a different name written underneath your poem.
Imposter syndrome
It does not help that awful imposter syndrome to stay away, either. When we have that gap between the poet and the poetry, it leaves a lot of space for imposter syndrome to settle in between. “I am not a real poet because I don’t even use my real name.” It easily slips into our minds and our beliefs. So be sure to choose a name that still feels personal to you; it leaves less space for imposter syndrome to dwell.
Submitting and publishing
I never thought about this one on that September night. I honestly had zero thoughts of publishing a poetry collection or submitting to magazines. Using a pen name is not always seen as an issue when self-publishing, but it becomes rather complex when legal documents, payments, references, or anything binding come into play. Not something that can’t be resolved, but then there is the issue of only having an audience around your pen name. No one will actually know that poet or writer when suddenly my real name shows up in a magazine or a book.
Standing out in the crowd
It is difficult to stand out using only one name. I know many have done so in the past, but with so many talented poets sharing their poetry online, it becomes difficult to put your pen name underneath a poem when someone else has a similar name to yours. It brings confusion. I never thought about adding a last name; it just became Poetry, as in I’m CoraLynn and I write poetry. So I added a creative twist and wrote it out as the two nicknames pressed against each other. CoraLynn. Adding a capital letter in the middle. It might seem trivial, but it actually works. So be creative when choosing your pen name.
Been taken seriously as a poet
Yes, it is not always said aloud, but somewhere in the small print, you might come across it: “You are not taking your writing seriously because you are hiding behind a pen name, instead of owning your words as an author.” Like in all communities, there will be toxic haters, but in the end, it’s the words that matter. And I feel mine have spoken loud enough to hundreds of people to know that yes, I do take my poetry seriously. I live and breathe words. I feel an indescribable happiness when I write. What is a poet? A person who studies and creates poetry. That is who I am.
Here are just a handful of poets who wrote under a pseudonym.
The Brontë Sisters
George Elliott
Pablo Neruda
Mark Twain
Maya Angelou
And even now, many famous poets and authors still prefer to write under a pen name. And each has their reasons to do so, and now you know mine as well. Sharing this post feels vulnerable. Like peeking behind the poet and seeing me, Caroline, standing behind her. We are one, still, I would rather pretend that we are two. At least for now.
Thank you all for being here and supporting my writing journey. If you enjoyed reading this post, consider subscribing to my free newsletter for more poetry, writing tips, musings, insights, and writing inspiration.
All my love,
CoraLynn / A Gentle Quill
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