| So, are pen names really ethical for review bloggers? | | | | abrupt and unsatisfying? People from those |
| Well, most of the times, they are. A lot depends on | | | | particular cultures would most likely roundly disagree |
| your intent and motive – if your purpose is to | | | | with you. You see, it all comes from conditioning. |
| cheat Uncle Sam, slander someone or otherwise go | | | | We humans think in "patterns". Our brains want |
| against every principle you publicly stand for, then | | | | everything to progress in an orderly, logical |
| morally it would be wrong – no bones about it! | | | | progression – but not just any old orderly |
| If you merely want to use a pen name because | | | | progression: One we're used to. If you were to |
| you're afraid of confusing your readers by mixing | | | | stick the odd post on Rat Rods in the middle of a |
| your posts on green products with reviews of rat | | | | bunch of green cleaning product reviews (maybe |
| rods (old classic cars deliberately customized to look | | | | throwing in an article you wrote on ski wax, because |
| "rough" around the edges), well… you're doing them | | | | you think it's a fine one), your readers would not only |
| a service! | | | | be confused, you'd lose your "branding" power – |
| You're also in good company. For example, have | | | | it would weaken what you are known for. I |
| you ever heard of these writers? | | | | guarantee you'd soon begin to lose readers, when |
| - A. M. Barnard | | | | people expecting articles on green laundry detergent |
| - Flora Fairfield | | | | found themselves reading about the virtues of hemis. |
| - Aunt Weedy | | | | If readers want "Little Women", they pick up Louisa |
| - Tribulation Periwinkle | | | | May Alcott. If they want steamy Victorian stories of |
| - Oranthy Bluggage | | | | forbidden relationships and revenge, they fall back on |
| - Minerva Moody | | | | A. M. Barnard. |
| I'm betting "not" (unless you're a writer, that is). | | | | An even simpler example? The game of Tic Tac |
| Nope, it's not a group of characters from J. K. | | | | Toe. You're used to seeing "X" and "O" in the little |
| Rowling's "Harry Potter" series (though it certainly | | | | squares… If someone sticks a "P" in there, it simply |
| does sound like it!). These are all the different pen | | | | doesn't compute, stops the game cold and creates |
| names used by Louisa May Alcott, the beloved 19th | | | | confusion. |
| century American writer whose children's book "Little | | | | Sticking to your main area of expertise works under |
| Women" resides forever among the ranks of other | | | | your own name, and creating a separate blog under |
| classics, alongside Charles Dickens, Jane Austen and | | | | a pen name (even a variation of your own name) for |
| the Bronte sisters. | | | | any other subject that "changes the subject" – is |
| Why did she do this? Well, at first it was to protect | | | | the most effective way to use a pen name. |
| her reputation (women just weren't supposed to be | | | | If you've ever wondered why creating a clickbank |
| writers, in those days). And she adopted the pen | | | | product specific review blog should make perfect |
| name "A. M. Barnard" to write lurid, racy melodramas | | | | sense to those who want to become super affiliates, |
| – for cash. | | | | please take a moment to check out my brand new |
| And she's not the first author to have done so | | | | report titled "ClickBank Review Blogging" today. |
| (though many were not motivated by descending | | | | In my report, "ClickBank Review Blogging", you'll |
| into lurid, racy melodrama!) | | | | discover a review post checklist, 4 ways to rev up |
| What Does That Have to Do with Review Blogging? | | | | your review post headlines, several tips for using |
| There's a far sounder psychological reason to use a | | | | images in reviews, an easy way to turn every flaw |
| pen name, if you're reviewing products in a niche far | | | | into your biggest advantage, the importance of proof |
| afield from your usual one, however: And that has | | | | - and 3 simple ways to provide it, a few extra |
| everything to do with the way peoples' brains work. | | | | touches to outperform every other review blog and |
| Ever watched a movie from a totally different | | | | 4 ways that ClickBank affiliate review blogging will |
| culture? Ever found the plot "poor", or the ending too | | | | save you energy, money - and time. |