Using a Pen Name

[kevinlomas]

Well yes Maggie, but there is adult and then there is 'Adult', but even that is often just an opinion based on what people think is 'rude' or not.
S&M Jack & Jill Go Up The Hill is a different ball game.

[Rustymeister]

LOL - well I was born in 1971 You gave me a lot to think about. We'll see. I agree with what you said and Dr. Seuss' Yertle the Turtle was a bit brutal and Charlotte's Web was a tough read. Heck, I read the Hobbit at 6 years old and my elementary school made all students undr 4th grade leave before the death of Thorin, so it is all perspective.


Hmmm, you are right, gotta decide one way or the other which way to go.

[orion725]

I agree with the other comments that you do not need to mention that these books are for an adult market. That will be clear. A book entitled Hitman narratives should clearly not be considered a children's book. The cover art will likely have something to do with murder. Again, clearly not for kids.

I also doubt that people would be freaked out by someone who has written childrens books doing something crime related for adults. I don't know who this judy Bloom is (the name sounds vaguely familiar), but I bet Dr Suess could have put a fun spin on S&M :-)

In any case, when someone says they write adult fiction, why does that have to automatically translate to sex for some people? Adult means adult themes. Crime and murder, what Rusty is talking about, is an adult theme.

Do what you feel is best for your own books. I enjoy writing horror and supernatural thrillers with lots of violence and other themes that would be frightening to children. If I were to decide do a children's book, I would use the same name and not worry about it. But that's a personal decision.

If Clive Barker wrote  a children's book, I'd be interested in reading it and seeing how  he translates his talent to a different genre.

[kevinlomas]

It depends on what you class as adult anyway. By age, buy legality or maturity?

By age, some would say you are an adult at 13. Some say at 16 (where you can join the forces and kill people (but not vote)). In the UK you can even legally have sex at 16. Is it not 18 in some US states? You can legally vote in the UK at 18 and buy a 'drink'. In many US states you cannot even 'drink' until you are 21 can you? (Shudder). Some people never mature. Some still see the sex word as a dirty one.

There's so many overlaps, and it all really depends on the reader, and often the reader's parents.

And we must not forget the intelligence level of readers either. Some writers 'dumb down' even for the teenage market, which is a bit of an insult.

[Rustymeister]

Thanks Maggie.

I am really grateful for the forum offered by lulu.com.  I see both points and have decided after consideration that I likely will adopt a pen name.  Not just for the reason you mentioned, but because I actually had fun thinking up pen names and think it would be kind of entertaining to use one to write with.  Now the next step is to pick which one I like.

Thanks again for all the responses, it gave me a lot to think about. 

Kevin you are right of course.  I also should not worry about offending people and mature is a state of mind, not necessarily age. 

Judy Blume writing S&M, that was a funny thought, almost like Ron Jeremy writing a book of children's poetry

R

[orion725]

I don't think there are any states in the US where you can drink under the age of 21 and most consider 18 to be a legal adult.

As far as books, movies, etc. I would base it on the specific material and maturity of my child, not an age.