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Is it illegal to use real names in a book?
Using real people in your fiction—whether they are correctly named or not—can be legally hazardous. If an author includes enough details that a specific fictional character is identifiable as an actual person, that person could possibly pursue legal action.
A new name can give an author another chance to release their work without bias or predisposition, and bypass the possibility that their writing will be immediately rejected upon seeing their real name. They can’t publish under their real name.
Should you publish under a pen name or pseudonym?
There are many reasons why an author might choose publishing under a pen name or pseudonym. Often, it is because of a complete change of genre. Or perhaps the topic matter is too far removed from what their loyal readers expect from authors they have read.
How to publish a book on Amazon with a pen name?
If you are publishing with Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), Amazon makes it very easy for you. All you need to do is add your pen name as the author’s name in the Contributors section when you are preparing the book for publication. Select it as the author and it will show as the Primary Author.
Should you self-publish under an alternative name?
If you need ideas, you can use an online name generator. Or ask your friends and family for ideas. Another reason to choose self-publishing under an alternative name could be because the author’s real name is too long. There is only so much room on a book cover, so the shorter the name, the more prominent it will be.
Can I Change my author name when I publish my book?
All you need to do is add your new author name when you publish your work. You can manage each author’s name, add more books, associated titles, and publishers from your account settings. Other self-publishing platforms offer very similar facilities when you are writing under a different name.