Over on Book View Cafe's blog, Laura Anne Gilman posted some insights about to why writers use pseudonyms. One of the most common reasons to avoid the spiral of bookstores ordering fewer and fewer copies of each successive book when sales are disappointing. This can happen to any writer and does not necessarily reflect the quality of the book. She points out, "There is nothing shameful about this: It’s a useful tool, and shows that the publisher still has faith in your ability to tell a good story/win readers."
A writer who's prolific might use more than one name, particularly if she is writing in more than one genre or subgenre. You probably can name a handful without thinking. My favorite is Barbara Hambly, who writes historical mysteries featuring Abigail Adams under the name Barbara Hamilton.
There are also personal reasons for using another name, ranging from having a sensitive day job to having the same name as another writer.
Here's my story, which includes a bunch of reasons.
A writer who's prolific might use more than one name, particularly if she is writing in more than one genre or subgenre. You probably can name a handful without thinking. My favorite is Barbara Hambly, who writes historical mysteries featuring Abigail Adams under the name Barbara Hamilton.
There are also personal reasons for using another name, ranging from having a sensitive day job to having the same name as another writer.
Here's my story, which includes a bunch of reasons.
