The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 plus 5 letter word PEN NAMES
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More clues leading to the result PEN NAMES
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "What some shy writers use" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case what some shy writers use = pen names.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PEN NAMES mean?
PEN NAMES noun- A fictitious name used by an author in place of their actual name; a writer's pseudonym.