For the past five years, I have been working as a freelance writer
As part of my professional activities, I have ghostwritten several books on behalf of clients. The books I have written to date have been in the following genres: mental health; biography; business/innovation. To date, I have not accepted coauthoring credit for any books that I have ghostwritten. Thus, my involvement with the projects I have undertaken to date is, in effect, invisible.
Additionally, I have published a number of books, via Amazon, under a pseudonym. The books are in the genre: Jewish history and current affairs.
Over the past several months, I have become an outspoken supporter of pen name publishing. It should be pointed out that publishing under a pen name — even one backed by an online identity — does not contravene Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP’s) terms of service.
I believe that pen name publishing fulfills an extremely important function in today’s literary landscape.
Among other uses, pen names allow indie authors to avoid using their real name when it may not be safe, prudent, or otherwise advisable to do. Pen names can also be used to protect the identity of both whistleblowers and their sources. Thus, I believe it is fair to say that pen names help achieve a societal good that is in the public interest.
I therefore commend Amazon on their decision to support pseudonym publishing through KDP. I also continue to provide professional advice to clients upon the possibility of publishing under a pen name and the legal and copyright implications of such a decision.
In order to maintain the viability of any pen names I have used in the past or may in the future, I will not — now or ever — be responding to public attempts to associate me with a pen name and/or supporting identity.
This is partially to maintain the integrity of the pseudonyms for future use and partially because — in order to support other authors publishing through pseudonyms — I do not wish to create a precedent of acknowledging a pen name in response to pressure.
Likewise, unless I accept coauthoring credit, in order to protect the anonymity of my clients, I do not publicly comment upon book ghostwriting projects that I have been involved in.
If I ever choose to disclose a pen name I have used, or book (co)authorship, I will be making that disclosure voluntarily and not in response to attempts at blackmail or public pressure.
ENDS
