Why I Sometimes Use a Pseudonym

The simple answer is that

(1) I never wanted to be published,

(2) I wasn't confident in my work, and

(3) because I wasn't confident I didn't want my personal name attached to my work.

But sometimes, especially if a topic is controversial, I don't necessarily want my writing to be directly attached to my name. So, I put a little distance between us by using my pseudonym.