What's the point, really? We always know who's behind the name...
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- Mar 2008
- 9766
- Tyne 'n' Wear (emphasis on the 'n')
- Dundee Utd, Gladbach, Atleti, Napoli, New Orleans Saints, Elgin City
Pen names
They're often early-career, dabbling in another genre, books these days, and often get re-released under the famous name later (see Rankin).
But there was an odd one last year: Richard Price, whose work I love, did a novel (The Whites) which he must've decided was too straightforwardly a 'cop' novel and it came out under another name. But I bought it on kindle under 'Price' (or else I'd never have found it).
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Crikey. Talking of changing names, the last line of that Wikipedia entry is depressing in its own right. Nuance and subtlety appear to have been thrown out of the window:Peter Graham's biography So Brilliantly Clever: Parker, Hulme and the Murder that Shocked the World (Wellington, NZ: Awa, 2011) has been re-issued in 2013 by Skyhorse as Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century.
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Pen names
Land Waster wrote: I assume that George Elliott would've had something to say about this.
In any case, these days, with social media, Google, and promotional demands the possibility of an author remaining a mistery is close to zero. For a start, I'm sure a commitment to promotional activity is a requirement in standard publishing contracts, especially in commercial genres such as romance, erotica, science-fiction and best sellers in general. And even if the author doesn't have his mug on the sleeve or partake in any interviews or Q&As, which is unlikely, if his/her work is succesful that would mean the press would be on a quest to trace his/her identity, which I imagine would be a piece of cake nowadays.
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Pen names
Elena Ferrante is a pen name, and 'her' true identity is unknown, apparently. At least, it is to whoever wrote her Wikipedia page.
I can see the attraction. I've considered using one for the novel I'm beginning to plan myself, partly because there are times when I wonder whether writing 'in character' to start with might help with certain things I want to do with it. I'm sure if I was an actually established writer who people had certain expectations of that it would be if anything an even more tempting idea.
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I always found Stephen King's reasons* for using a pen name kind of fascinating. Though basically I find King's writings about writing and being a writer far more interesting than his actual novels.
*An introduction to a collection called "Why I Was Bachman", but I can't find it online at the moment.
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Pen names
The very literary, very highbrow John Banville bashes out crime potboilers in his spare time under the name of Benjamin Black.
I remember being stunned when Mr Shadrak informed us on here that André Duclos, World Soccer's longtime French football correspondent, was in fact Brian Glanville doing a nixer.
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Stumpy Pepys wrote: JK Rowling wrote a book recently under an assumed name. Was quite well received; however, when she was outed, everyone decided it was no good.
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Diable Rouge wrote:Originally posted by Stumpy PepysJK Rowling wrote a book recently under an assumed name. Was quite well received; however, when she was outed, everyone decided it was no good.
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WOM wrote:Originally posted by matt jThough basically I find King's writings about writing and being a writer far more interesting than his actual novels.
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If you watched it unfold in the press at the time, you'd know that wasn't the case. She was livid and there were all sorts of threats and recriminations at the woman who blabbed. She really wanted to see if she could cut it on the book's merits.
Yes IIRC it was someone on her solicitor's staff that mentioned it in an interview. The book garnered good reviews before the leak, and decent sales for a, supposed, first publication
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