Why It Pays to Use Your Own, Real Name When Writing Online
The downside of using pen names; why is it important to use only one, online name.
From experience, I have learned that it pays to use your own name when writing on-line. When I started out here, on Triond, and on Hub Pages, I used the name, “Madison Parker.” Although my real name is Shay Davidson, I wanted to feel free to express my own opinions and views without the fear of my business associates crossing into my person, writing life. At the time, I thought it was a good idea. What I’ve found since then is that using pen names complicates things in lots of different ways.
I also wrote for Helium at the time and used the name, Taylor Shay. My Editor at Helium, at one point, refused to published my work saying that the article was “stolen” from an article published on Triond! Well, I had to explain to her that the article that she thought I had plagiarized was actually written by me, as Madison Parker. It was a complicated mess that tarnished my reputation at Helium. I was not a happy girl!
After three years of on-line content writing, the above story is only the tip of the problem, I have found. Here’s another big problem; you spend years accumulating friends on writing sites and generally, we follow eachother’s work across web sites. This is one way to accumulate a following and to meet some amazing people from around the world, all at the same time. For 3 years I met some wonderful writers and good folks while writing on Hub Pages. it is certainly a very good, social group of writers who hang out at Hub.
Then one day, I woke up and realized that while I had a high score on Hub and lots of fans, I hadn’t made a single dime! I asked around about the problem and discovered that there was some “speculation” that something funny was going on with the money at Hub. So, since I felt I was spread too thin anyway, I began removing my work from the site, as many other disgruntled writes have done. The problem was that I had spent all of that time writing on Hub and my followers knew me as Madison Parker, with the exception of a few friends who know me on Facebook, as well. At that point in time, I began writing a regular relationship column for Examiner.com. My dilemma was that all of my Hub following couldn’t follow me to because they didn’t recognize my name. Examiner.com insists that writers use their real name so I am me, Shay Davidson, on Examiner. com! Do you see the problem? Now I have 3 followings under 3 names!
I am trying very hard to gain a reputation as a journalist and serious writer but I find myself in a place that I couldn’t have foreseen. Nowadays I write only for Triond, (because as content writing goes, Triond pays pretty well!) and Examiner.com because it is a respected site and holds promise for future opportunities.
BTW, Examiner.com is always looking for good examiners from all over the world. If you think you might like to give it a try, the application process is not very cumbersome and the visibility is excellent. Should you choose to add Examiner.com to your sites, please tell them Shay Davidson sent you! They won’t know who Madison Parker is! (Oops, another problem with the multiple name dilemma!)
I’m developing a fiction website and I’ll be using the names Shay Davidson…except for the slightly provocative stories under which I write under the name, Taryn Storm or Marielle Dubonnet; depending on how racy the story is! I guess I’ll never learn, but I hope you don’t make the same mistake! Use your own name and be proud of your work; it will pay off in the end!
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June 3rd, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Wow! I need to remember this if I decide to write for other sites too. Thanks for the heads up!
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:14 pm
Hmm…It is a bit complicated, right. Thnk goodness I used my real name.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:39 am
I always use my real name and I feel it’s okay. Your points are really good as multiple names can be a major problem.
June 4th, 2010 at 10:29 am
Thanks for reading, EM, Anuradha and Sourav. When I first started out, I thought my work might not be as good as it will be when I get my first novel published so I also wanted to separate the novelist from the content writer! Now that I’m not working and don’t have clients to worry about, I will use my real name.
Shay Davidson/Madison Parker
June 4th, 2010 at 8:48 pm
It’s good advise, at the least your friends will know your work when they see it.
June 5th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Shay Davidson said “What I’ve found since then is that using pen names complicates things in lots of different ways.”
Using a pen name isn’t a problem, I’ve been using one for years. Your problem was that your were using too many. If you stuck with ‘Madison Parker’ at Triond, Helium, etc, none of your friends would have had a problem finding you.
June 8th, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Lasha, Good point and I’m working on that! Ruby, Thanks! BTW, please check out my column at http://www.examiner.com/x-41946-SF-Womens-Relationship-Advice-Examiner~y2010m6d2-Open-letter-to-the-abandoned-woman. I appreciate your support!
Shay Davidson/Madison Parker
July 31st, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Since I started as 1hopefulman, I will stick to one pen name only. The reason I decided to use a pen name instead of my real name is because I didn’t want a huge mob of paparazzi hounding me. LOL
September 11th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
My wife suggested the same thing, -she uses a variant of her real name but not me … I like my relative anonymity.
I like your write style. All three of ya!
September 26th, 2010 at 12:26 pm
now I may have problem
nice and helpful article
September 26th, 2010 at 11:08 pm
Yes, it’s a tough choice but I plan to use only my real name from now on unless I publish a book.
September 26th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Hopeful, I know, the paparazzi can be so troublesome! I have to shoo them away from my front gate every day! Ha, I’m actually hopeful that I’ll be published and my books will sell well but as a writer, your face is generally not noticed or recognizable and that works for me!
October 18th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I agree that people should use their own names. Life is too short to care what people think about your beliefs. Write from your heart.
October 18th, 2010 at 6:42 pm
This happened to me also. Now I’m using my real name for all my works.