To have a Pen Name or Not to have a Pen Name?

In this episode of Write Pack Radio, the Write Pack explores the question if writers need a pen name.

Why should you have a pen name?

Why should you not have a pen name?

Does having a pen name help solve the “friend” issues of online books stores?

How does the pen name link to branding?

What are some of the bad reasons for having a pen name?

Per Writing-World, which was used in this recording: http://www.writing-world.com/business/pseudonym.shtml

Some bad reasons:

I'd like something more exotic.

I'd like a name that reflects my inner self.

I don't want anyone to know that I'm the author.

I don't want my relatives/friends/coworkers to know that I'm writing about them.

No one will respect me because I'm a ------ (fill in the blank).

Good reasons:

Your writing could interfere with other aspects of your career.

You write in more than one genre or field.

You write in a genre that has "expectations" about its authors.

You have a history of failure.

You have the same name as an existing author.

You are writing a collaborative work.

You are using a publisher's "house name."

You hate your name.

You write for competing publications.

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