post by Michelle Griep
Lots of authors use pen names, usually because they want to write in a genre different from what their adoring fans are used to. But the key word here is adoring. These fans are rabid enough to want to know exactly what that pen name is so they can try out reading some of that other writing. Curious?

Cue evil laughter. I'm here to break the code. Here are some famous authors, the pen names that they used, and the reason why they used a pen name instead of their real name.

Steven King = Richard Bachman
So he could write 2 books a year and not send up red flags to readers that his writing might not be up to par because of so much production.

J.K. Rowling = Robert Galbraith
She wanted to work without the pressure of having to live up to the "Harry Potter" name.

Michael Crichton = John Lange
He was a student at a university and he didn't want his instructors discovering he had such a time consuming "hobby" that might take away from his studying.

The Bronte Sisters = Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell
They wanted to avoid any judgment on their writing based on their gender.

Isaac Asimov = Paul French
His books were being made into a TV series and he didn't want the producer to find out and ruin them.

Nora Roberts = J.D. Robb
The standard "wanted to write in a different genre than her usual."

Dr. Seuss = Theo Lesieg
Had a bit of a bad-boy reputation from a night of drinking so he was relieved of his university columnist stint.