How Pen Names Can Lead to Opportunities for Writers

The use of names is valuable. Often, fake names are even more useful. This is especially true if you are an author. They can give you opportunities, equitability, and a new identity.  

As a result, pen names can lead to opportunities. Stephen King used the pen name, Richard Bachman, to produce twice as many books as an individual author would(Campbell 7). It was common for publishers to publish only one book per year(Campbell 7). Meaning they would get less recognition. He was able to get more work out, and more recognition because of his talent, rather than his name. Another example is J.K. Rowling, because she turned to a pen name so that she would not be set to expectations(Bennet 4). “I was yearning to go back to the beginning of a writing career in this new genre, to work without hype or expectation and to receive totally unvarnished feedback”(Bennet 5). Being that her “Harry Potter” series was so amazing, she knew readers would compare it to her other best-known works if she tried new literature styles.  

Besides that, writers might undergo a pen name to be treated equally because of their gender, race, or orientation. Women would have to pose as male authors, so that they would be respected, and they would not face discrimination(Bennet 4). In the olden days women were seen unfit for literature because of their place in society. “Literature cannot be the business of a woman’s life, and it ought not to be”(“Letter from Robert Southey to Charlotte Brontë” 7). Men assumed that their priorities did not line up with theirs. Another example of this is J. K. Rowling, her publisher thought the book would be seen differently by the target audience, young boys, because she was a female portraying male characters lives(Bennet 4). Which could be seen as strange because she is a completely different gender. But as we have seen, her books strive better than others.  

Finally, pen names can give you a new identity. When authors use their original names, they might be shamed or seen differently based on society's view of them. To avoid embarrassment, Eric Blair wrote under the pseudonym George Orwell. He was so concerned about his family's views towards his early work, so he became a new man to still feel good about writing(Bennet 4). To protect his status as a professor at Oxford, C. S. Lewis published a collection of poems using the name Clive Hamilton(Bennet 4). Both these men were either embarrassed or scared for society’s view of who they are. This is understandable because we all care sometimes about others' views and opinions.  

In conclusion, fake names, such as pen names, aliases, or pseudonyms, can be particularly useful to authors. They can provide you with opportunities, equitability, and a new identity.