Creating a Pseudonym
Several people have asked me “Why a pseudonym?”, so I thought perhaps more readers and authors might want to know the answer, as well. Within the Christian community, I’ve had folks who said, “Isn’t that like lying?”
The
answer to the first question is perhaps easier than to the second. So I’ll
start with the second.
In
the Bible, we see many instances of folks being given new names. Abram became
Abraham and Sarai became Sarah because God changed who they were. Jacob became
Israel, which loosely translated means “one who struggles with God” because of
his night-long battle with the angel of the Lord. Joseph of the Old Testament
was given a new name by the Pharaoh because of his new position, and in Isaiah
62:4 we read: Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The
Desolate Land.” Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight”
and “The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in
you and will claim you as his bride.
In
Biblical times, names had a meaning, so it only makes sense that if God changes
who we are in Him, it’s not lying.
How
does that apply to my pen name? Well, that brings us to the answer to the first
question.
I
(Leeann) was created to fulfill a specific purpose, including:
- Donna
writes historical and contemporary, and she didn’t want readers confused
when they picked up one of her books as to which genre to expect.
- Schlachter
is pretty far down the alphabet, and most people who look for books in
stores or libraries tend to start at A and work their way to Z. Betts is
much closer to the beginning of the alphabet.
- Donna
wanted to experiment with voice and story-telling style, and felt that
might be better accomplished through a pen name.
- Donna
wanted to honor her mother and mother-in-law, so here’s how she did it:
Lee is her husband Patrick’s middle name; Ann is her mother-in-law’s name;
and Betts was her mother’s nickname in nursing school.
You
will have your own reasons for creating a pseudonym. The most common reasons
I’ve read about are: the desire for anonymity, the multi-genre issue, the new creation
in Christ issue (if you wrote erotica, for example, in your ‘before’ life); and
a desire to be somebody you just aren’t.
Please
leave a comment about your thoughts on pseudonyms. As a reader, do you feel
cheated if you find out your favorite author is really a pen name?
About Hidden Assets:
Carly Turnquist, forensic accountant, responds to a call from her friend, Anne, who is in the middle of a nasty divorce, and travels to Wyoming to help find assets Anne thinks her husband has stolen. But the mystery begins before Carly even arrives when she sees a man thrown off a train. Except there’s no body. Husband Mike uncovers an illegal scam in a computer program he has been asked to upgrade, and then Anne is arrested for her ex’s murder. Can Carly figure out what’s going on, and why a strange couple is digging in Anne’s basement? Or will she disappear along with the artwork, coins, and money?
About the Author:
Leeann
Betts writes contemporary suspense, while her real-life persona, Donna
Schlachter, pens historical suspense. She has released five titles in her cozy
mystery series, By the Numbers, with Hidden
Assets releasing the end of June. In addition, Leeann has written a
devotional for accountants, bookkeepers, and financial folk, Counting the Days, and with her
real-life persona, Donna Schlachter, has published a book on writing, Nuggets of Writing Gold, a compilation
of essays, articles, and exercises on the craft. She publishes a free quarterly
newsletter that includes a book review and articles on writing and books of
interest to readers and writers. You can subscribe at www.LeeannBetts.com or follow Leeann at www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com
All books are available on Amazon.com in digital and print, and at Smashwords.com
in digital format.
Welcome back, Leeann! I love what you're doing with a pseudonym, and to be often, I've sometimes wished I'd used one from the beginning. But then, there are some things I like about using my own name. It's very much an individual choice for each author...and I certainly don't see anything wrong with it. I'm glad it's working for you! :)
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