Using a pen-name: possible legal issues
Are pen names legal? Yes, an author can legally use a pen name or pseudonym to publish their intellectual property. Pen names are legal, as long as you have purchased the rights to your pen name, and have copyrighted your name.
What are the problems with using a pen name?
Some of the drawbacks of using a pen name include: No guarantee that you will remain anonymous – While the internet has made it possible to connect and network with anyone around the world, it’s also made it very difficult to remain completely anonymous.
What are the rules for writing under a pen name?
If you’d like to write or publish something under a different name, there are a few steps you can take:
- Find a name and claim it. Pick a name that isn’t also the name of a famous person or public figure.
- Use the name on your selected works.
- Inform your publisher.
- Register the work.
Can I use a pen name in business?
Having a business with a fictitious name is definitely legal, provided that you have filed the proper documentation (such as registering your business, incorporating, or filing a “doing business as” statement), and carried out the proper trademark searches.
Can I freelance write under a pen name?
It is possible to build a freelance career under a professional identity that is different from your legal name. There are many reasons why you might want to make this choice, whether you’re choosing a name that fits your gender identity or avoiding a name that has already been “taken” by another writer.
Can a pen name hold copyright?
It also does not require the author’s real name to be on the work in order to be granted copyright protection. This means if you write or record under a pen name, the material is still protected.
Can I publish on Amazon under a pseudonym?
You can use a pen name or pseudonym to publish your titles. After you publish, we may ask for a copy of the rights to your book. When using a pen name your real name stays anonymous and is not published anywhere on our website.
How do pen names stay anonymous?
Step 1: Form an Anonymous LLC
It’s best to form an Anonymous LLC and name such company with the pen name you wish to use, using an actual law firm or properly licensed attorney to form the Anonymous LLC for you. This is one of the times you want to avoid “all those Internet companies” who are not actual attorneys.
Can you use a pen name as a screenwriter?
Yes, it is legal for authors to use pen names. For screenwriters, using a pen name can get tricky when it comes to The Writers Guild of America (WGA). The WGA has specific rules for how names appear on the screen.
Why do writers use pen names in their writings and not their own names?
Choosing a pseudonym can open the door to new beginnings and new audiences, reimagining the brand into something fresh. A nom de plume can also help an author jump into new genres, since an author’s genre and their name can become inexorably linked.
Why would an author use a pen name?
A pen name becomes a sort of shield, allowing the author to conceal his or her identity, shake off any pre-conceived notions, internal or external, and to write freely in the genre of his or her choice. As a general rule, most authors should publish under their legal, given name.
Why people artist uses a different pen name?
A pen name may be used to make the author’s name more distinctive, to disguise the author’s gender, to distance the author from their other works, to protect the author from retribution for their writings, to merge multiple persons into a single identifiable author, or for any of a number of reasons related to the