Writer Sanctum

Writer's Haven => Quill and Feather Pub [Public] => Topic started by: hardnox on December 16, 2018, 01:20:41 AM

Title: Copyright for a pen name?
Post by: hardnox on December 16, 2018, 01:20:41 AM

I'm starting a new series authored under a pen name. For those of you writing under a name other than your own, how do you attribute the copyright? As your real name? The pen name? Your publisher/press name?

Title: Re: Copyright for a pen name?
Post by: Arches on December 16, 2018, 02:02:21 AM

You obtain the copyright in your own name and also identify the pen name as part of the application process.

Title: Re: Copyright for a pen name?
Post by: idontknowyet on December 16, 2018, 02:06:25 AM

But then your real name is public record, what if that's what you want to avoid?

Title: Re: Copyright for a pen name?
Post by: hardnox on December 16, 2018, 04:31:14 AM

Just went through the process with U.S. Copyright office and confirmed what Arches said. Registered under the pen name but my real name is also a matter of public record. I'm not striving for absolute secrecy, just need different names for different genres to avoid reader confusion. There's a field in the app for a corporate entity if you want that. Thanks for the help.

Title: Re: Copyright for a pen name?
Post by: okey dokey on December 16, 2018, 05:21:18 AM

The only way someone will find your real name is if he researches the copyright files.
This is not something a person would normally do.
It wouldn't keep me awake at night.