A nom de plume is a pseudonym used by authors to avoid being directly connected with their work. Reasons for using one vary from targeting a certain market to self-defense. The term is of French origin, but not commonly used in France. Pseudonyms were historically used to protect an author’s job, public position, or life. They are also used to avoid overexposure or when an author deviates from their usual genre. One of the most famous uses of a pseudonym was to hide an author’s gender, such as JK Rowling’s use of initials.
A nom de plume is a pseudonym an author uses to avoid being directly connected with the work he produces. There are a wide variety of reasons for using a pseudonym, ranging from a desire to target a certain market to an attempt at self-defense. In many cases, the true identity behind a nom de plume is later revealed, and in some cases the pseudonyms of some authors are actually widely known, as in the case of Nora Roberts, who also writes under the names JD Robb, Sarah Hardesty , and Jill March.
The term nom de plume is of French origin, although it is not actually used in French as a general rule. Literally means “name of the pen” and is typically translated as “name of the pen”. The term appears to have arisen in Britain, where people wanted to give a more literary air to the practice of using a pseudonym, so they chose to use a French phrase. In France itself, the pseudonym is most often used to describe a pseudonym.
Historically, one of the most common reasons for using a pseudonym was to separate an author from his or her works. Authors who wrote exhibits, for example, often wrote under a pseudonym to avoid jeopardizing their jobs, public position, or lives. This practice is still common today, especially with books that are meant to critique political administrations or social trends. Some very famous authors including CS Lewis and Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll, have written under pseudonyms to protect their careers.
Authors may also use a pseudonym to avoid overexposure, especially if they are prolific. This practice is common to many crime and science fiction authors, who often produce a large volume of work. Many journals of this genre also use pseudonyms so that multiple works by the same author can be published without notifying the reading public.
A pen name can also be used when an author deviates from his usual genre. For example, an author who usually writes thrillers may publish erotic material under a pseudonym. This is done to avoid distracting or confusing readers, as a general rule, and typically little research is needed to discover the author behind the pseudonym.
One of the most famous historical uses of the pseudonym has been as a tool to hide the author’s gender. “Franklin Dixon,” for example, was a pseudonym developed to hide the principal authors of The Hardy Boys, out of concern that boys would not want to read books written by women. JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, also uses a pseudonym; Her real name was Joanne Rowling at the time her first novel was published, but her publisher asked her to use a gender-neutral set of initials so that boys would feel comfortable reading her books. Since she doesn’t have a middle name, she chose a “K” for “Kathleen,” after her paternal grandmother. Since her marriage, her legal name is actually Joanne Murray.
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