Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

1. None.You just have to tell your publisher that the royalty check should be made out to you rather than to your doppelg�nger so you can cash it.

2. Register the copyright. It's all of $55 to the Copyright Office. Registration provides you with WAY better remedies in the event someone infringes your work and you go after them. Register in your own name. Since publication is under a nom de plume, there's one extra step in the process, but that's easily taken.

THIS POST CONTAINS GENERAL INFORMATION AND IS INTENDED FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL ADVICE, NOR DOES IT CREATE ANY ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP. FOR LEGAL ADVICE ON YOUR PARTICULAR MATTER, CONSULT YOUR ATTORNEY.

I believe you mean pseudonym rather than 'nickname.' There is a place in the copyright registration form for you to give the name under which you write (pseudonym), in addition to your real name. There is no penalty I know of for publishing a book with registering the copyright, in whatever name, but be aware that your publisher will copyright it, even if you don't. You should understand, though, that if you delay registering the copyright you give up certain statutory remedies in case you have to sue someone.