It’s absolutely no one’s business if an author is using a pen name and what their real name might be. Stop acting entitled and being intrusive, and realise that people protect their privacy for numerous reasons - none of which are your business.
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Shout out to that time another self-published author (and her husband/associates) hired a PI to get my identity to dox and threaten and harass me because I defended myself against their false accusations and harassment...
I for one absolutely love names like Page Turner and @erinampersand.bsky.social. I don't care if they are real names or pen names: the story I'm reading is made up anyways, why not the whole of it?
And still better than Princess Bride that abridged a non existent book.
It's not only about privacy. It's also to be able to work more than contracts might allow. And it lets writers build "personas", like character actors, so they can change their internal personality, the way they think and feel, as they write for different audiences. Getting upset about a good thing.
The world has never cared about the privacy of those they consider famous but to go to this length is insane...
Being exposed like that can ruin a person's life or get them killed. It's like they think it's a game to find out. Congrats! You found their real identity and now they are in danger!
Oh I will go off on some folks. Pen names are used for reasons! It is absolutely no one’s business why someone publishes under a pen name. I see these same complaints launched against Vtubers who don’t want their faces shown. Even creators are entitled to basic anonymity and privacy.
the only reason i can see looking into someones legal name is if they have wronged you in some way and you are seeking legal ramifications for that. thats it.
The self-published author who hired a PI to get my legal name did so under the guise of wanting to sue me for "slander and harassment". The "slander and harassment" was me defending myself from THEM. They didn't sue me (because they had no case). They threatened my life instead! That was fun.
Given the insane climate for writers in some countries - I'm looking at you US - having a pen name is a good plan if you say anything controversial. Which is basically everything right now.
I can only imagine how much trouble I'd be in if some evangelical ever reads my 'Angel's series.
Chose mine both for fun gender reasons and also to cover up my legal name. But yeah, I'd say a good deal of authors have fake names, or are fake themselves. Like, pretending to be very different, it can boost sales. Can't remember who it was but a few guys pretended to be a lady to sell their...
This is the one thing I try to determine when reading romance, because it often throws me out of the story when my expectations are thwarted.
If the author's bio is coy (no pronouns even if awkard: “KG and spouse live in Rome.”) I no longer read their romance (common with cis women who write MM).
That said, I'd never say anything to the author or pry into their lives. I do sometimes skim their author website for hints if the book seems particularly interesting but the book itself doesn't make clear where the author is coming from.
I don't understand why people feel entitled to pester.
its so weird how basic internet safety has erroded like it would always be "dont tell anyone your irl name, and if you do, first name only" and that applies to authors too
The line between the internet and IRL has faded and worn. We carry the internet everywhere, use it to communicate with our closest friends and family as well as strangers and bots.
Worse, even local news media is now online so local community stories are available globally.
I do get frustrated when cis folk use a pen name to obscure or deceive about their own gender identity. Not to be confused with trans writers who may have transitioned their legal and professional identities at different rates.
cis men write (for example) MM romance/attraction different from cis women, and if I select a book while in the mood for one but it's the other it can really sour my experience.
Trans authors are often the best of both, but harder to find.
All that to say, authors don't owe me anything, but I truly appreciate when the marketing materials (blurb, tags, author bio, whatever) give me an accurate indication of where the author is coming from on issues of gender, attraction, and sex, if the book will be touching on any of those.
I wanted my pen name to be my real name but with dots after the first letters of my first name: "L.I.A.M Quane" and when I pitched this idea to my publisher, they said, and I quote: "No.".
People get mad at this? I mean, I grew up on the internet and seen a lot of stuff and totally understand why people would choose to or not to share their personal information.
I get being innocently curious to look little things up, buuuuut I've seen enough nefarious acts online to be wary on others doing it. This sounds like the latter.
I am in the somewhat unusual position of having a real name that is so painfully common I can use it for my writing and still remain anonymous. Heck, I could enter witness protection without changing it and still be alright.
Seeing people get bombarded with death threats and doxxing for stuff like "portraying a character they didn't like" or "writing a story they didn't like" and...yeah if I ever do create publicly available works you better believe none of y'all are gonna know.
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And still better than Princess Bride that abridged a non existent book.
I went with J.R Mollick cause my first book couldn't fit my entire name in the font I liked lol
Being exposed like that can ruin a person's life or get them killed. It's like they think it's a game to find out. Congrats! You found their real identity and now they are in danger!
Mine is predominantly privacy and safety.
Sorry that happened to you
I can only imagine how much trouble I'd be in if some evangelical ever reads my 'Angel's series.
Although I guess some fans do get a bit obsessed (I should be so lucky!)
The dark side, I guess, is that some might want to dig into an author's background to see if they're 'qualified' to write about the subject.
If the author's bio is coy (no pronouns even if awkard: “KG and spouse live in Rome.”) I no longer read their romance (common with cis women who write MM).
I don't understand why people feel entitled to pester.
Worse, even local news media is now online so local community stories are available globally.
Wild times we live in.
I do get frustrated when cis folk use a pen name to obscure or deceive about their own gender identity. Not to be confused with trans writers who may have transitioned their legal and professional identities at different rates.
I'll read anyone, but
Trans authors are often the best of both, but harder to find.