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Ever picked up a book without realizing the author’s name on the cover wasn’t quite real? You’re not alone. Writers have been using pseudonyms for centuries, and the reasons behind these literary disguises are as fascinating as the stories themselves. Sometimes it’s about privacy, sometimes it’s about escaping prejudice, and other times, honestly, it’s just about trying something completely new without the baggage of an established reputation.
The practice is far more common than you’d think. From Victorian novelists hiding their gender to modern bestsellers testing whether their success comes from talent or just name recognition, have shaped literary history in unexpected ways. Let’s dive into some of the most intriguing cases where the pen proved mightier than the person behind it.
Stephen King’s Secret Identity as Richard Bachman
Stephen King adopted the pen name Richard Bachman in 1977 for the novel Rage, keeping the link hidden until his identification in 1985. The horror master wanted to test a theory that plagued him: was his success due to genuine talent, or just dumb luck? By the time Rage came out, King had already published Carrie, ‘Salem’s Lot, and The Shining, and he adopted a second pen name to test himself. At the beginning of King’s career, the publishing limit was one book per year to avoid glutting the market, so King could publish more by writing…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-02-17 06:40:00
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