Those of you who read Real Live Preacher know that he got a book deal, and it is being short-tracked to press. Over the next month as he gets it together with the editor and publisher, he’s going to be blogging about the process.

Today the Preacher asks the big question we all knew was coming.

Do I sign the book with my name or do I remain anonymous?

He’s been thinking about it but says he hasn’t made up his mind.
There is a contract involved and my first question is:

1) Will the publisher request a ‘real’ name?
If they did, I’ll never buy another one of their books.

This is ME writing. I’m the guy who writes with the voice of Real Live Preacher. The Preacher is a character. I didn’t set out to create a character. I didn’t set out to do anything but write honestly. But the minute I started writing, Real Live Preacher popped out of me. I was as surprised as anyone.

I don’t think Real live Preacher is a character anymore than Bene Diction is.
People have different reasons for using pseudonyms.

I think the people who know me see me in Real Live Preacher and see Real Live Preacher in me.

They probably do. Writing is a discipline that flows from the mind and heart.
The person comes through. To employ a double negative, I can’t pretend not be who I am as a human being in my writing and work.
Like RLP, my family and friends see Bene in me. I’ve worked as a writer all my life, and splitting yourself to ‘be’ a character in your writing would be hugely stressful. If you play games online and use a nom de plume, are you less you?
No. If you play RPG’s and become a character, do you wind up being the character? Probably not. You put your skills into set parameters, not the other way around. The few people that blur those lines, have identity issues in the first place. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s many women wrote and published books using a man’s name. They had to. Women weren’t published. Did it make them less/different of who they were? It wasn’t wrong, it was reality.

As decisions go in life, this one isn’t that big a deal. I think whatever I decide won’t make that much difference. There is no wrong answer. I want to be thoughtful about this, but I’m not worried about it.

Martin Roth, Kathy Shaidle or Richard Hall could be psuedonyms. It wouldn’t make them less of who they are and what comes out in their writing.
RLP’s gonna do what he is gonna do, so I don’t see much point in leaving my opinion in the comments. Since the Preacher doesn’t care one way or the other, there isn’t much point.
I do wonder if the publishers have/will put pressure on him, because he is going to have to do a promo tour. Maybe because a contract is signed and a clause could already be in it, we readers are being prepared on the blog for a ‘real’ name.