Yes, people do still write using pen names. I use pen names for certain of my writing; and being discovered is really not the point for me. Choosing and writing under a pen name gives me a new perspective, because I sort of feel like a new person and that gives me a type of freedom to write what I would not write under my own name.

Nora Roberts still uses a pen name (J.D. Robb), even though we all know it's her. So anonymity is not really the point. At least not for all who use a pen name.

A pen name can be helpful for writers that want to write different types of works. The pen helps them put on different hat and assume a different persona during the writing.

For instance, if a writer has written romance exclusively and decides to write a mystery novel or even a nonfiction book , on say, politics, a new name or pen name allows her to write without confusing her core audience, who may not even nonfiction..

For me, as soon as I write under another name, I feel a certain freedom; it's like stepping out of my old familiar role, the one I’ve partially been give by my family, and choosing one for myself, one that only I am intimate with. That’s what a pen name, for some of my writings, means to me.

Lastly, Ruth Ann Nordin a prolific romance writer has chosen a pen name and let’s the reader know and why. Her website https://ruthannnordinauthorblog.com/2011/02/07/my-pen-names-identity/ where she talks about the pen name and her reason.

I'll be keeping an eye on this conversation. It's a question I've been asking, as well.