I used a pen name for about 4 years because the school district where I taught had a clause in the contract that would have me turning over any money I made in writing to them even if I wrote at home off the clock. As I was working to publish short stories and poems and was working on a novel, the union representative said that it would be best if I either waited until I retired from teaching OR used a pen name. When I retired, I killed off my pen name and just use my name.