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    Pen names

    What's the point, really? We always know who's behind the name...

    #2
    Pen names

    I assume that George Elliott would've had something to say about this.

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      #3
      Pen names

      Especially if you spelled her name like that.

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        #4
        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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          #5
          Pen names

          Sometimes it takes a while - decades, even - before the real name is known. And there might be a good reason for trying out a new one ...

          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Perry

          (This was all pre-Google, of course)

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            #6
            Pen names

            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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              #7
              Pen names

              Land Waster wrote: I assume that George Elliott would've had something to say about this.
              I knew her name would come up, but her real identity was revealed quite early on.

              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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                #8
                Pen names

                Luther Blissett was a good one.

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                  #9
                  Pen names

                  How would you know if you knew their name already? I hate to bring news from behind the curtain, but you probably don't. And even if you do, not as well as the pen name.

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                    #10
                    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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                      #11
                      Pen names

                      Did anyone have more pen names than John Creasey?

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                        #12
                        Pen names

                        Probably not: I thought that Salvatore Lombino (aka Ed McBain, et al) was quite nippy with the name changes but Creasey is way ahead.

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                          #13
                          Pen names

                          If I was writing romantic fiction, I'd call myself something like Aurora La Mer.

                          My real name is about as exotic as 'Dave Johnson'.

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                            #14
                            Pen names

                            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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                              #15
                              Pen names

                              Yes, The 'Cormoran Strike' mysteries which she writes as Robert Galbraith. There've been three of them so far. They'd be pretty decent whoever wrote them.

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                                #16
                                Pen names

                                John Christopher/Samuel Youd used several pseudonyms.

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                                  #17
                                  Pen names

                                  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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                                    #18
                                    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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                                      #19
                                      Pen names

                                      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.
                                      Pretty sure that was deliberate, as the first novel wasn't remotely troubling the bestseller list before the "revelation".

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                                        #20
                                        Pen names

                                        matt j wrote: Though basically I find King's writings about writing and being a writer far more interesting than his actual novels.
                                        Shit, I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

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                                          #21
                                          Pen names

                                          Diable Rouge wrote:
                                          Originally posted by Stumpy Pepys
                                          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.
                                          Pretty sure that was deliberate, as the first novel wasn't remotely troubling the bestseller list before the "revelation".
                                          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.

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                                            #22
                                            Pen names

                                            WOM wrote:
                                            Originally posted by matt j
                                            Though basically I find King's writings about writing and being a writer far more interesting than his actual novels.
                                            Shit, I thought I was the only one who felt that way.
                                            No, I'm another one. I've never read any of King's novels (or "Bachman"'s, come to that), but I own and love his On Writing, which is a fascinating and enlightening book.

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                                              #23
                                              Pen names

                                              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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