OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
Pen Name Generator
Author Pen Names in Initials, Literary, Romance and Thriller Styles
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How the Pen Name Generator works
This pen name generator suggests author names for a book, a new genre or a writing career you'd rather keep separate from your day job. Choose initials like J. M. Ashdown, a literary name like Evelyn Calloway, a romance name like Scarlett Devereux, or a short, hard-edged thriller name like Jack Steele.
How the pen name generator works
Pick a genre style, or leave it on Any. Initials combine one or two initials with a distinctive surname. Literary names pair a classic first name with an understated surname. Romance and thriller names copy what readers see on the covers in those genres: warm, lyrical names for romance and one-syllable punches for crime and action.
Why authors use pen names
Writers take pen names to keep their writing apart from their job, to write in a second genre without confusing their readers, to hide their gender (the Brontë sisters published as Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell) or simply to have a name that's easier to say and remember. Initials, as with J. K. Rowling, were long used to make a name read as gender-neutral on the spine.
Checking your pen name
Search it on bookshops, Goodreads and social media before you commit, since another author with the same name will split your readers. Check the web domain and handles too. Say it out loud as if a bookseller is recommending it, and think about where it sits alphabetically on a shelf.
More name generators
For an online alias or a privacy name, try the alias name generator. For characters, use the character name generator.
FAQ
Is a pen name legal?
Yes. You can publish under any name you like, and your contracts and royalties stay in your real name. Just don't use a name that passes you off as another real author.
Should a pen name use initials?
Initials suit literary fiction, crime and fantasy and keep the name gender-neutral, but they can be less memorable than a full first name. In romance and cosy mysteries, a warm full first name is usually the stronger choice.
Can I have more than one pen name?
Yes, many authors use a different name for each genre so readers know what to expect, such as Nora Roberts writing crime as J. D. Robb.
See also: all People tools, Fantasy & RPG, Sci-fi, Culture & Language, Online & Social, Business & Brand, Places & Things.
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