What's in a pseudonym?

Pseudonyms. Beloved of writers since time immemorial. And still used so, presumably, there remains appeal in anonymity for the writer. A cloak of invisibility in which to shield themselves from... what? Censure? Criticism? The ignominy of poor sales and/or poor reviews? In well documented cases, past and present, authors have used the anonymity of a pseudonym to render themselves gender non-specific to merely afford the opportunity of publication in the first place, whilst avoiding the discriminatory instincts of both publisher and reader alike. 


Of course, in recent times, as we have seen the publishing industry change and the role of the writer become more active in the art of marketing and publicising not just their own work but also the literary arts in general, another reason for musing the concept of the 'invisible' writer must be considered; fame. 


Far from the enigma known only by the name on the book jacket, emerging writers that capture the imagination of both readers and the literary world must also expect to become 'known'. People will want to know about them, who they are, where they live, what they like, what they think about other writers and the art of writing itself. They will be expected to play a part in 'selling' their work above and beyond just writing it in the first place. Book signings, readings, reviews, interviews, guest appearances at conferences and writing events - the concept of the solitary writer, beavering away in isolation (Roald Dahl in his shed, Virginia Woolf in her 'Room of One's Own'...) and left in peace as their book sells itself is, perhaps, a thing of the past. 


For some writers this is, no doubt, an opportunity to avoid the oft considered pitfall of the writer's life; loneliness. Yes, it is not only the long distance runner that spends huge shafts of time on their own. Increased contact with the outside world will be a boon to some. There are though, surely, those writers that, having opted for a career that allowed them to avoid some of the 'charms' of social contact that some of us find ourselves increasingly immune to, will perhaps feel less enthused at the loss of the 'invisible' status of that most reliably tortured of artists - the author. What is in a name? A lot more than there used to be, that's for sure.