--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The idea of a pseudonym had been flitting…" description: "\"The idea of a pseudonym had been flitting around my brain for a long time, along with its cognate, disappearance. In the 1980s, I published some poems ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/michael-redhill-31098_along_the-idea-of-a-pseudonym-had-been-flittin_2942623.jpg" --- # The idea of a pseudonym had been flitting around my brain… ![“The idea of a pseudonym had been flitting around my brain for a long time, along with its cognate, disappearance. In the 1980s, I published some poems under a pen name in a literary magazine to see what it would feel like. It was fun. It was even a little thrilling.” quote by Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/michael-redhill-31098_along_the-idea-of-a-pseudonym-had-been-flittin_2942623.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/michael-redhill-31098_along_the-idea-of-a-pseudonym-had-been-flittin_2942623.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68c/michael-redhill-31098_along_the-idea-of-a-pseudonym-had-been-flittin_2942623.jpg) > “The idea of a pseudonym had been flitting around my brain for a long time, along with its cognate, disappearance. In the 1980s, I published some poems under a pen name in a literary magazine to see what it would feel like. It was fun. It was even a little thrilling.” [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores creative freedom and thrill of using pseudonyms. **In simple terms:** Pen names offer creative liberty. Key Takeaway Experiment with identity in art. Themes creativity identity anonymity Mood playful curious Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - writing workshops - branding - personal expression Key Concepts literature psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why adopt a pseudonym? - How does anonymity affect creativity? A Different Perspective May cause confusion about authorship. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Along](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/along/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Disappearance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappearance/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fun/) [Had](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/had/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Idea Pseudonym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-pseudonym-4394072/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/literary/) [Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Magazine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/magazine/) [Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/name/) [Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pen/) [Pen Literary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pen-literary-4394074/) [Poems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poems/) [Poems Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poems-pen-4394075/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Pseudonym](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pseudonym-443314/) [Pseudonym Flitting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pseudonym-flitting-4394073/) [Published](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/published/) [See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/see/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Thrilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrilling/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [It becomes dangerous for somebody who doesn't want their boss to know their sexual preference to use online networks to push for laws supporting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-mackinnon/it-becomes-dangerous-for-somebody-who-doesn-t-want-their-boss-to-know/) [Rebecca MacKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-mackinnon/) > [Chance is but the pseudonym of God for those particular cases, which he does not choose to acknowledge openly with his own sign manual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/chance-is-but-the-pseudonym-of-god-for-those-particular-cases-which/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [Chance is the pseudonym of God when he did not want to sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophile-gautier/chance-is-the-pseudonym-of-god-when-he-did-not-want-to-sign/) [Theophile Gautier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophile-gautier/) > [Chance is the pseudonym God uses when He'd rather not sign His own name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/chance-is-the-pseudonym-god-uses-when-he-d-rather-not-sign-his-own/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [If people knew that Burzum was just the band of some teenager, that would sort of ruin the magic, and for that reason, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varg-vikernes/if-people-knew-that-burzum-was-just-the-band-of-some-teenager-that/) [Varg Vikernes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varg-vikernes/) > [And I can't think of a reason I'd ever use a pseudonym, as I wouldn't want to publish something that I didn't like enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poppy-z-brite/and-i-can-t-think-of-a-reason-i-d-ever-use-a-pseudonym-as-i-wouldn-t/) [Poppy Z. Brite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poppy-z-brite/) > [When I started writing, I didn't have the common sense to use a pseudonym, so I write under my own name. If I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-cornick/when-i-started-writing-i-didn-t-have-the-common-sense-to-use-a/) [Nicola Cornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-cornick/) > [I sat day after day in my little room, waiting for inspiration to visit me, trying to invent a pseudonym that would express, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-gary/i-sat-day-after-day-in-my-little-room-waiting-for-inspiration-to/) [Romain Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-gary/) > [My pseudonym is 'George R. R. Martin.' That guy's just an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendoline-christie/my-pseudonym-is-george-r-r-martin-that-guy-s-just-an-actor/) [Gwendoline Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendoline-christie/) > ['Mira Grant' is actually my pseudonym. And 'Seanan' is pronounced 'SHAWN-in.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mira-grant-is-actually-my-pseudonym-and-seanan-is-pronounced-shawn-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I chose a pseudonym, Chris Marker, pronounceable in most languages, because I was very intent on traveling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-marker/i-chose-a-pseudonym-chris-marker-pronounceable-in-most-languages/) [Chris Marker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-marker/) > [“If it’s not already written, I want to write a book called, “The Art of Raw.” But instead of using my real name, I’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/if-it-s-not-already-written-i-want-to-write-a-book-called-the-art-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Chance is perhaps the pseudonym of God when he did not want to sign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/chance-is-perhaps-the-pseudonym-of-god-when-he-did-not-want-to-sign/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [The decision to use a pen name was nothing more than a desire to compartmentalise my life. However, I had not thought about an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/the-decision-to-use-a-pen-name-was-nothing-more-than-a-desire-to/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [It's very hard to be an experimental woman writer. 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He was a self-made man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-redhill/i-ve-always-loved-houdini-not-just-because-of-what-he-did-but-also/) [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) > [We are already so many things by the time we reach the middle of life that it is possible to see that really anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-redhill/we-are-already-so-many-things-by-the-time-we-reach-the-middle-of-life/) [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) > [Like a lot of people, I've often wondered what else I might have been. 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It comes, wipes the floor with you, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-redhill/sufferers-of-depression-have-episodes-the-same-way-those-who-suffer/) [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) > [The reason so many intelligent and creative people suffer from depression is that when you take the risk of being fully conscious, you open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-redhill/the-reason-so-many-intelligent-and-creative-people-suffer-from/) [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) > [I'd fully taken the road many people start on, but most abandon: common sense had given me a miss, and I'd become an artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-redhill/i-d-fully-taken-the-road-many-people-start-on-but-most-abandon-common/) [Michael Redhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-redhill/) > [Depression is a surfeit of empathy - a killing empathy - that makes depressives great friends to everyone but themselves. 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I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [I'd always wanted the show to be more reality based science fiction, something along the lines of The Day the Earth Stood Still, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-gerard/i-d-always-wanted-the-show-to-be-more-reality-based-science-fiction/) [Gil Gerard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gil-gerard/) > [Each time I think I've created time for myself, along comes a throwback to disrupt my private space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wole-soyinka/each-time-i-think-i-ve-created-time-for-myself-along-comes-a/) [Wole Soyinka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wole-soyinka/) > [Along with a livable wage, many parents are desperate for quality affordable child care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-gillibrand/along-with-a-livable-wage-many-parents-are-desperate-for-quality/) [Kirsten Gillibrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-gillibrand/) > [I get along with everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-get-along-with-everybody/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It would have been an interesting run if we hadn't gotten along! 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