Why Do Writers Use Pen Names Essay Example

Have you ever been scared to do something in fear of being judged? Well, that is the life of any writer. Writing and literature in general is a very cruel world because of all the critics, so that is why a lot of writers go by pseudonyms or fake names. Writers use pen names so they can be taken seriously and not be judged because of who they are.

To begin with, a lot of authors use pseudonyms because they want to be seen as serious writers. As stated in the text, “Rowling’s publishers feared that young boys-the presumed audience of the Harry Potter series-wouldn’t take the book seriously if they knew it was written by a woman.” (Bennet 1) This piece of evidence is saying that, in fear of the book not being taken seriously because the author was of the female gender, Rowling used a pen name. Meaning, that not being taken seriously as a writer because they are a woman can be a reason for an author to use a pseudonym. As quoted in the article “Likewise, many female authors have had to conceal their gender in order to over discrimination and get publishers to take them seriously.” (Bennet 1). Many women had to use male pen names to get published, according to this quote.  Meaning, that women had to use pseudonyms in order to be taken seriously in the publishing business. To summarize, many authors and writers use pen names in order to be taken seriously.

Secondly, authors use pen names so they will not be judged for who they are. According to the article, “Literature cannot be the business of a woman’s life, and it ought not to be.” (Bronte 1). This quote is from a letter written by Robert Southey to Charlotte Bronte saying that the world of writing is not a place for women, and that it should never be. Knowing this Bronte used a male pen name so she could pursue her passion of writing without the doubts of others because she was a woman. As quoted in the article, “When a local newspaper refused him publication, sixteen year-old Benjamin Franklin started writing letters to the editor under the persona of the middle-aged widow Silence Dogood.” (Bennet 1) This piece of evidence claims that since Franklin was just 16 years old at the time, he may have been mocked, so he developed a false identity that corresponded to his pen name. In other words, Benjamin Franklin may have been judged in the literature industry because of his age. To summarize, authors choose pen names so that they can publish without fear of being judged based on who they are.

Overall, pen names have aided many writers in the past, and they will continue to do so in the future. Many writers have benefited from pen names or pseudonyms. Pen names are used by authors and writers so that they can be taken seriously and not judged for who they are.