One-word substitution (pen name): Identify the literary term for a fictitious name adopted by an author for publication instead of his or her real name. Context: The usage is common for privacy, branding, or genre separation. Instruction: Choose the best single-word substitute.

Given data

• Definition: a name adopted by an author in writing.
• Options: Pseudonym, Nickname, Nomenclature, Title.

Concept / Approach
Pseudonym (pen name) = fictitious name used by an author. ‘‘Nickname’’ is an informal familiar name; ‘‘nomenclature’’ is a system of names; ‘‘title’’ is the name of a work or honorific.

Elimination
Pseudonym — pen name; correct. ✅Nickname — informal alias, not necessarily for publication. ❌Nomenclature — naming system, not a personal alias. ❌Title — of a book/position; not an author’s alias. ❌

Example
‘‘Samuel Clemens wrote under the pseudonym Mark Twain.’’

Final Answer
Pseudonym