Likely Normal

Once upon a time, authors chose respectable pen names like George Eliot (because Mary Ann Evans figured a man’s name would sell more books) or Mark Twain (because Samuel Clemens wanted something folksy yet dignified). Fast forward to today, and writers are out here picking names that sound more like video game usernames or your younger brother’s email address.

Take The First Defier. Sounds like an anarchist from a low-budget comic book. “Fear not, citizens! The First Defier is here to… defy… first?” Or TurtleMe, which makes me picture an author slowly typing their novel with their face while stuck on their shell. Then there’s A.F. Kay, which is either a brilliant pun (“A. F. Kay” = “AFK” = “Away From Keyboard”) or just someone admitting they wrote their book while procrastinating in an online game.

And let’s not forget Kos Play, which sounds like an off-brand streaming service. “Subscribe now for Kos Play’s exclusive content: One guy writing LitRPG in his basement while dressed as Kung Fu Panda.”

The crazy thing is that it works.  These authors all have a fanbase, and honestly, really great books.  At this point, I’m waiting for the next big author to just go full meme and name themselves:

• CtrlAltDefeat (specializing in villain protagonists)

• Sir Bearington (for those who write werebear harem novels)

• 404PenNameNotFound (for the experimental, plotless novels)

The strategy is clear: If your name makes readers pause, laugh, or question reality, you’ve already won. So, aspiring authors, take note. The future of publishing belongs to those who embrace the chaos. Just don’t be surprised when your pen name trends on Twitter for all the wrong reasons Boo T. Hunter.