Recently I’ve decided to adopt a pen name (C.J. Austin) and this got me thinking. Why do writers use pen names?
Another way of putting it…
Should writers use pen names?
Here are some reasons to use a pen name:
What about you? What are your thoughts in regards to pen names?
Have you ever used one?
What would be the pros/cons of using them?
If you’re willing, share with me pen names you have used or are currently using.
A writer & her adolescent muse 
We always seem to be drawn to place names for a pen name (sometimes they become character names, or, at least go into a list in our note books!):
with thanks,
Victoria Park.
Warren Street.
Jesmond Dene.
Brockley Whins
&
Barry Island.
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Sure, I was involved with a couple of campus newspapers when I was a graduate student, and wrote (mainly) under the name James Bearson. The reason: I was in an advanced degree program and didn’t want faculty asking why I was wasting my time writing, reviewing, etc., instead of studying. Among other things, also, I did reviews and occasionally made up a different name for reviewing material “James Bearson” presumably wouldn’t be interested in.
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My name is similar to another author’s, so I think I’m going to take a pen name.
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I use a pen name because I thought it sounded way cooler than my own. It is based on my actual name, though.
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