Real Name or Nom de Plume

The good the bad and the ugly

[graywolf]

I have a series of articles I am going to put out and allow people to reproduce as long as they give me credit and link back to my website. Is it better to release them under my real name or use a pen name?

For ego reason's who doesn't like their name in print? With identity theft a real worry, as are the email harvesters. Then again part of the goal is to drive people to your website and if they are looking for John Smith how distressing would it be for them to find out he’s a phantom of your imagination.

[HelenDev]

Why not use your own name?

I don't think there is much point in worrying about identity theft from this kind of thing, as long as people haven't got your bank account or passport numbers and such like, I don't think there's much they can do with a name on it's own.

As for email harvesters just use an image with your email address on (not hyperlinked).

Helen.

[rogerd]

If your article doesn't describe something illegal, immmoral, or unethical, why not take credit for it? Identity thieves won't target you with minimal information. I'd recommend using an alternate e-mail address, though, rather than potentially polluting your primary address by listing it on other sites.

[digitalghost]

There's a time and a place for a nom de guerre. If you're a marketer and you're writing marketing articles then the name association is beneficial and there's no need for a war name.

If you reveal political affiliations or beliefs, religious beliefs or take a side on a controversial topic, like gun control, and you're in the marketing business then a fake moniker can come in handy.

If you write articles on several subjects you might want a name for each subject. Especially if you write articles on both sides of the fence. And you have to remember that your articles and the name association are likely to be found on the web for a long time.

I've cautioned new writers to be careful about how they use their real name. In their haste to establish a name for themselves they sometimes establish one that's hard to escape...

[momsbudget]

Digitalghost has some excellent points. I'd just like to add that there really is a privacy issue. I try very hard to keep my personal information private because I'm a female and have a few people I'd rather not know where I live, but anywhere my name is listed it's really just 2-3 steps to finding my company and, well, me. I get Googled all the time and find it quite unnerving. Working in the field I'm in I also have to list my SSN with every court document my clients file - it's very scary that this information is in public records in every state. Had I had the presence of mind to foresee my own "popularity" so to speak with writing on the web, I would have definitely chosen to use a different name. (Now I just wish I could find time to write again!)

[HarryM]

momsbudget, I sympathise with you. There are some scary people out there. I would like to use my real name, but I shelter behind a penname because my real name is quite distinctive and I live in a remote part of the UK. Anybody could locate me from the telephone book.

If you are a writer there are always going to be people that you offend, often for quite irrational reasons. The last one was furious because I had omitted his favourite movie from a list of my favourite movies.

Harry

[1cicle]

>something illegal, immmoral, or unethical

Hm. Perhaps I best use a fake name for my online diary then..

Icicle

[Harry]

I've had fake names that sprang out of message boards I was posting to. I really like the fake name as it really becomes me when I deal with online stuff. It's like putting a uniform for a job.

Needless to say, I list my full address on the site and phone number, so it's not like I'm hiding something...

The fake name just sounds better.

[rogerd]

Thanks for sharing, ummmm, "Harry"... ;)