Publishing using initials instead of one’s first name?

[Magic Seeker]

Over the years I’ve read that boys won’t read a book written by a female. That’s one of the reasons the Harry Potter books were published under J.K.

I’ve read that men avoid books written by women.

In your experience, is this still true? Should women publish using initials or under an androgynous pen name?

I’m getting close to indie publishing my fantasy, but I heard on the news this morning that books by women get reviewed one fourth as often as books by men.

I also publish non-fiction under my real name. Would it be a good idea to use initials to differentiate the genres? Or keep them all under the same name to attract a wider audience?

Happy writing,
Deb Salisbury
The Mantua-Maker, Quality Historical Sewing Patterns and Books
www.mantua-maker.com

The Art of the Hoop: 1860 - 1869, Dress, Sewing, and Clothing Care Advice
https://www.mantua-maker.com/a---1860s-fashion.html

Dead Wizard's Loot: Wizard Whitewing #1
http://www.djsalisburybooks.com/Dead-Wizard-s-Loot.html

[Anonymous]

Everything you mentioned in your post is new to me, which doesn’t surprise me since I have done no research in that direction. I don’t know how many of your non-fiction readers you could expect to read your fiction as well, but I imagine that, when choosing how your name will appear on your writing, consistency is more important than anything else. An agent might be able to give you some advice before you put the chisel to the rock.

Due to my weird and unpronounceable first name I think I will have no choice but to publish as “E.J. Heijnis” if I ever want anyone to talk about me.

[Magic Seeker]

I honestly don’t expect any of my non-fiction readers to look at my fantasy work, except out of curiosity.

After years of trying, I gave up on finding an agent three years ago — and was so depressed, I stopped writing, too. It finally occurred to me I could indie publish, so I brushed off my most complete novel and discovered I still loved it. I started work on a rough ms, writing new scenes, and my writing mojo really is back! So I’m not going to wait on the gatekeepers.

Ernst isn’t that odd a name. Or maybe I have lots of Germanic ancestors. 😆

Happy writing,
Deb Salisbury
The Mantua-Maker, Quality Historical Sewing Patterns and Books
www.mantua-maker.com

The Art of the Hoop: 1860 - 1869, Dress, Sewing, and Clothing Care Advice
https://www.mantua-maker.com/a---1860s-fashion.html

Dead Wizard's Loot: Wizard Whitewing #1
http://www.djsalisburybooks.com/Dead-Wizard-s-Loot.html

[David Bridger]

I’m afraid you’re right, Deb. Apart from in romance publishing, that is. Elsewhere, I believe many male readers are so stupid they avoid female authors.

[J.A. Marlow]

There’s a good reason I use initials in my main pen name. Science Fiction is notorious for marginalizing female writers. While it is getting better, it’s still an issue. There was a recent study (and DRAT! I can’t find it now) that looked at this question. It showed that women were much more likely to cross over author gender lines than men. By quite a bit.

For me, I figured going with initials wouldn’t hurt me, and could help. Plus, it made my name shorter so it fit better on a book cover.

J.A. Marlow
The String Weavers, Salmon Run, Redpoint One series.

Writer alter-ego of Dreamers Cove

[Magic Seeker]

Thanks, David. Sigh.

I’ve also heard that male writers are discriminated against in Romance.

Happy writing,
Deb Salisbury
The Mantua-Maker, Quality Historical Sewing Patterns and Books
www.mantua-maker.com

The Art of the Hoop: 1860 - 1869, Dress, Sewing, and Clothing Care Advice
https://www.mantua-maker.com/a---1860s-fashion.html

Dead Wizard's Loot: Wizard Whitewing #1
http://www.djsalisburybooks.com/Dead-Wizard-s-Loot.html

[Magic Seeker]

J. A., I saw a study years ago that said the same thing. I’d hoped things had changed.

It sounds like initials are still the way to go. :silly:

Happy writing,
Deb Salisbury
The Mantua-Maker, Quality Historical Sewing Patterns and Books
www.mantua-maker.com

The Art of the Hoop: 1860 - 1869, Dress, Sewing, and Clothing Care Advice
https://www.mantua-maker.com/a---1860s-fashion.html

Dead Wizard's Loot: Wizard Whitewing #1
http://www.djsalisburybooks.com/Dead-Wizard-s-Loot.html

[Weird Jim]

James Tiptree (perhaps one of my favourite writers) went the whole hog and used a male first name. This stimulated dscussion about whether this was a pen name as the obvious gender apparently showed (It does if the stories are closely read) SF writer Robert Silverberg said this couldn’t be so, because no female could write SF.

Alice and Robert apparently became best friends.

Perhap I should see if I can get a copy of “And Her Smoke Rose Up Forever”, to re-read and see if I can decide what gave her away.

But use the initials because sales are the important thing. You can always ‘fess up when you’re about to accept the Nobel.

[MarFisk]

I’ve seen it go both ways, but chose to go with my full name, and boy is the fitting it on a cover issue big :p.

So I’m going to go initials with my more adult/darker SF/fantasy. If that helps me on the female author prejudice, then it’s all to the good, but really, I want people to be able to tell at a glance what kind of material to expect.

She remakes mechanical devices, and he dreams of becoming a steamship captain in The Steamship Chronicles. Book 1 is free in eBook.
https://margaretmcgaffeyfisk.com/the-steamship-chronicles/

[Weird Jim]

Magic Seeker wrote:

Thanks, David. Sigh.

I’ve also heard that male writers are discriminated against in Romance.

I’ve read that women are reluctant to buy romance by men because it makes them feel as if they are confessing their fanatsies to a male. But this maybe changing. Pehaps Dean Koonz will one day release his Leigh Nichols books under his real name. (Grin).

[Magic Seeker]

You can always ‘fess up when you’re about to accept the Nobel.

ROFL! I like that idea!

I agree, sales – and thereby readers – are what counts. I’ll be changing my files and cover art to my initials.

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts!

Happy writing,
Deb Salisbury
The Mantua-Maker, Quality Historical Sewing Patterns and Books
www.mantua-maker.com

The Art of the Hoop: 1860 - 1869, Dress, Sewing, and Clothing Care Advice
https://www.mantua-maker.com/a---1860s-fashion.html

Dead Wizard's Loot: Wizard Whitewing #1
http://www.djsalisburybooks.com/Dead-Wizard-s-Loot.html

[Author]

Posts